"Good. Let's get out of here." Upton's voice rumbled in his chest beneath my cheek.
The door shut.
"You're going to have to sit up or lie down, miss," the EMT said.
I sat up. "I don't want to go to the hospital." It was there that I'd met Gravois and Marshall.
The EMT shot me an impatient look. "You need immediate care."
"No. I'm not going back there," I said, my heart fluttering with nerves. "I can't. I don't trust them. I don't trust the people there. Upton, I--"
"It's okay, "he said, running his hand gently over my hair. "Noelle's father has arranged for private care at his home." He looked over my head at the EMT. "We should have an ambulance waiting for us at the Ryans' to take her back to the Langes'."
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"The Ryans?" I squeaked.
"This is their helicopter, and they have the only helipad on the island," Upton explained.
I swallowed hard. The very idea of being in the Ryans' house made my blood run cold. I didn't trust those people either. But if there was an ambulance waiting there, I wouldn't have to be there long. Noelle's family was going to take care of me. Of course they were.
The EMT started my IV as Upton placed a set of huge headphones over my ears. My weakened n
eck could barely hold up their weight. I leaned my head against the window and looked out at the island. I hated this place. Hated it with a vengeance. But at the same time it had been my home for almost a week. It was the place where I had almost given in to despair and death, but had fought back.
The helicopter's engine roared to life, the blades starting out with a slow, whomping sound and gradually quickening to a deafening growl. The headphones dulled it, but they also made it impossible to hear anything else. Next to me, Upton settled in, his arm clamped around my shoulders like he would never let go again. We rose slowly into the air, the ground dropping away from us until I could see the entire island.
It was small. And the area of beach I had explored was about all the sand there was. The rocky steppe extended all the way around the rounded south edge of the island, and to the north, the forest eventually
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took over the beach, the trees reaching all the way out to the water.
As the helicopter lurched forward, flying low over the darkened water, I looked back at the island, at my beach. I could have sworn I saw Thomas standing there in his white T-shirt, smiling at me as he waved good-bye.
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FACE-OFF
The stretcher was lifted out of the helicopter and wheeled down a slight hill toward the Ryans' estate. It was pitch dark out now and the walls of the sprawling mansion were eerily white against the ravensky. I was on my back, the IV being wheeled next to me, soft white blankets tucked in around me, but I was still shivering violently. It had started about halfway through the trip back to St. Barths and hadn't slowed since.
Still, I felt more awake than I had in days. More present. More alert. Whatever was in the IV, it was working.
"Is Noelle here?" I asked Upton, who walked beside the stretcher.
We were coming around the side of the house now, headed for the back patio near the pool. The stretcher's wheels hit the stone patio and the ride quickly became a lot less smooth.
"She's on her way," Upton said, looking down at me. "Everyone's at Mrs. Lange's charity thing, but they're all coming here to see you."
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I smiled grimly. Leave it to the Billings Girls and their friends to keep the party going even when one of their own has been missing for six days. Not that I could blame them. I'd attended the Legacy while Thomas was missing, hadn't I? That was how these people dealt with tragedy. They partied it away. At least Upton hadn't decided to attend. I guess he really had been focused on finding me.
"There you are!"
Mrs. Ryan came skittering over the patio from the house, her high heels clicking on the stone floor. In seconds she was looming over me, her auburn hair falling forward over her cheeks. She was wearing a dark green strapless gown and a wide gold necklace. Her face was the picture of Concern.
"My God, Reed. Are you all right?" she asked, her hand to her chest.