“Oh, he has heaps of medical equipment in the storeroom.” Emily nibbled on a choc chip cookie. “You probably don’t know but in an emergency he’s on call for the hospital, being in town, he can get to people faster than the paramedics.” She sighed. “This is why I need to get my final degree and work alongside him full time. He works so hard.”
Without warning the world spun like a top, the Beast’s headlights lighting up the snow-covered forest one second or gaps of blackness the next. Giddy, Jenna gripped her to-go cup. Behind her Emily cried out in terror. The comforting rumble of the engine stopped and an eerie silence descended on them. The lights whipped around again as Kane grappled with the steering wheel, spinning it this way and that to gain control. As the truck slowed, she breathed a sigh of relief but the next second the Beast picked up speed and slid backward down the mountain.
Terrified, Jenna pushed her to-go cup in the console and held on tight as the truck skated closer to the edge. Far below she could make out the lights of Black Rock Falls. Out of control they careered down the mountain trail with death hovering six inches away. Heart in her throat, she stared at Kane. “Do something.”
“Nothing I can do until we come out of this patch of ice.” Kane was peering over his shoulder into the darkness. “If we don’t hit a bend, we’ll slide into a tree or something soon enough.”
“Or go over the edge.” Emily gripped the back of Jenna’s seat. “Can’t you try and start the engine?”
“I’m not taking my hands off the wheel just now, Em.” Kane was spinning the wheel again. “It won’t make any difference on the ice. I’ll just try and aim for a tree. Hang on tight.”
Panic gripped Jenna. “Just how close to the edge are we? Should we jump out?” Her hand went to the door.
“You’ll freeze to death in less than five minutes.” Kane’s breath came out in a puff of steam. “It’s going to be okay. We’re slowing now.”
The truck bumped into a snowdrift with a muffled thunk. Jenna’s fingers ached from hanging on. She looked all around and shuddered. They’d come to rest inches from the edge of the mountain. “That was too darn close. What happened? Did they forget to salt this part of the road?”
“Nope, a small avalanche is my guess.” Kane started the engine, righted the Beast, and moved slowly back onto the salted blacktop. “If you recall, this road runs parallel to the steepest slope. The wind being so strong, snow dislodges and slides down the mountain. The salt can only do so much. That volume of snow coming down would melt some and then freeze fast. Looking at the time, the snowplows will be up here clearing it before we drive back.”
He sounded so calm. Jenna gaped at him. “That didn’t scare you? We came close to dying, Dave.”
“I was too busy to be afraid, Jenna.” He smiled. “It’s all good. We’re at the end of the road now.”
They headed along Stanton and into town. The roads were clear right to the medical examiner’s building and they drove round back to the morgue entrance.
“We’ll deal with the body.” Kane turned off the engine. “Go and give Sandy some support. We’ll be along shortly.”
Jenna hurried along the hallway and through the foyer into the visitors’ area. The warm vanilla smell wafted over her as she peeled off her clothes and pulled on the scrubs she’d grabbed from a cupboa
rd outside the examination rooms. She heard a baby crying as she reached the door. Knocking and peering inside, her mouth widened in a huge grin at the sight of Sandy sitting up, holding a baby in each arm. Rowley on the other hand was sitting in a chair with his head between his knees. “Can I come in?”
“Please do.” Sandy was beaming. “Come and meet Cooper David Shane Rowley and Vannah Jenna Rowley.” She giggled. “And when Jake has recovered from the shock, he’ll be asking you and Dave to be godparents.”
“Oh wow! They are so beautiful. You named that angel after me? I’m delighted. Thank you so much.” Jenna laughed. “Oh, Jake, are you okay?”
“He’ll be fine.” Wolfe patted Rowley on the back. “He was good until I asked him to cut the umbilical cords.” He sighed. “My fault.”
“I’m good.” Rowley looked up, his eyes glistening with tears. “Look at them. They’re so incredible. So—perfect and they’re mine. I’m just a little overwhelmed is all.”
“That’s normal.” Wolfe smiled. “I’ll go and speak to Kane and Em. I’ll be back soon.”
Jenna nodded and walked to the gurney, holding out her arms. “Oh, can I hold one of them?”
“Of course. I’m hoping you and Dave will be part of their lives.” Sandy looked at her. “You’re the closest person to a sister I’ve ever had and I know Dave is Jake’s best friend.” She indicated with her chin to one of the babies. “This is Vannah.”
Jenna took the baby from her arms and looked into the deep blue eyes of the tiny face and sighed. “You won’t be able to keep us away.”
Twenty-Six
Julie Wolfe lingered in the tub. The room was better than she’d imagined and the resort supplied everything she needed: soap, shampoo, bubble bath. Being alone didn’t worry her. Zac Rio was in the room next door and her sister would be back soon. As the water had cooled, she climbed out with a sigh, dried off, dressed, and headed to her bed. It was already warm from the heated electric blanket and she soon snuggled down to sleep. Although Emily hadn’t said much when she left, she had mentioned the electrical problem had been caused by a woman dropping a hairdryer in the tub. She really didn’t want to know the details and the idea of her sister, Jenna, and Uncle Dave risking their lives to take the poor woman’s body down the mountain in the middle of the night worried her. That was Emily though. She might be years away from being a board-certified medical examiner, but she took the care of any deceased person very seriously. Julie closed her eyes. No dead bodies for me. I prefer caring for children.
Unsure of how long she’d been asleep, Julie started awake at the creak of a door. Had Emily returned or was she dreaming? She lay for a few seconds listening and blinked into the darkness at the sound of footsteps brushing the carpet. “Em, is that you?”
Nothing.
Very afraid, her mouth went dry and every hair on her body stood to attention. She peered over the top of the sheets and froze in horror at the outline of a figure standing at the end of her bed. She blinked into the darkness, opening her eyes wide. Was her mind creating an image out of the shadows? Her stomach dropped as the black outline moved. Stunned into silence, she stared, not believing her eyes. No features were visible but she could hear heavy breathing.
Rolling over, her hand landed on the stun gun Uncle Dave had given her. As her palm closed around the handle, she sucked in a deep breath and, brandishing it before her, screamed. The shadowy figure turned to run out the bedroom and stumbled over her boots. Arms waved in the darkness before a soft beam of light from the hallway fell across the floor. They’d left the main door wide open. Terrified and too scared to move, she gaped at the half-closed bedroom door in horror as the sound of heavy footsteps pounded along the hallway toward her.