“I’m coming with you,” he said. “You drive and look on one side. I’ll look on the other.”
We began the drive back, me going slow as we scanned the road, fields, and endless trees. I slammed on the brakes. “You drive. I’m climbing in the back to get a higher visual.”
“Good call.”
I braced myself as the truck lurched forward. From this vantage point, I could see down more of the tree line and farther into the ditch. A short distance later, a flash caught my eye, and I pounded on the cab roof. “Stop!”
I rescanned the area, trying to figure out what I thought I saw. Once again, there was a flash of something shiny just behind us in the ditch. I jumped from the back and ran toward it, my stomach dropping when I saw Charly’s bicycle, bent and broken, lying in the ditch, almost covered by the long grasses that grew along the edge of the road. Then I heard it. The faint sound of the bell I had put on the handlebars for her.
I took off running, yelling her name. “Charly! Red! Ring the bell, baby. I need to find you!”
I heard the tinkle of the chime and spotted her. She was on the ground, propped against a tree, obviously hurt.
I dropped to my knees in front of her, cradling her face. She was covered in mud and grass, blood seeping from a cut on her head, and her shoulder at a strange angle. Her cheeks were wet with tears, mixing in the blood and dirt. In one hand, she held the bell, ringing it until I found her.
“Charly, baby, what happened?” I asked, whipping off my shirt to staunch the flow of blood. Behind me, Stefano appeared and handed me a bottle of water. It was warm, but I held it to Charly’s mouth.
“Drink,” I ordered. Her eyes fluttered open and she sipped. “More,” I said. “Take another sip.”
She did, more tears beginning to flow down her cheeks. “I knew-I knew you’d find me.”
“You fell off the bike?” I questioned, cursing as I looked at her ankle. It was swollen and bruised. I needed to get her to the hospital. “You lost your balance?”
She drew in a long stuttering breath. “It was lost for me.”
I froze as her words sank in. My voice was ice when I spoke. “Someone forced you off the road?”
“Y-yes.”
I carefully slid my hands under her, lifting her. She gasped in pain, her head falling to my shoulder. I walked slowly, trying not to jostle her. I saw Stefano ahead of me, lifting the bent bicycle into the back of the truck.
“Who?” I demanded quietly, already knowing the answer.
Her eyes were shut and she went limp, but I heard her response before she passed out.
“Donners.”
I paced the waiting room, furious and intense. Brett arrived with Mary, and they were all silent and watchful, knowing I was about to explode. The staff wouldn’t allow me in the room, taking Charly’s limp form from my arms and rushing her away. I stood in the hallway, not moving until a doctor rushed past me. He glanced over his shoulder and stopped.
“Maxx?”
Jerry Harper was a customer of mine at the garage. I gripped his arm. “That girl in there. She’s important. I need you to take good care of her.”
He studied me, then nodded. “She’s in good hands. I promise.”
“You’ll update me?”
“As soon as I can.” He clapped my shoulder. “We need the space, Maxx. Go to the waiting room. I’ll be out when I can.”
I kept my eyes on the door that separated me from her, willing him to appear and tell me what was going on. She had slipped in and out of consciousness in the truck. Stefano drove as fast as he could, being careful to avoid as many potholes and dips in the road as possible. Every time we hit one, Red would whimper or groan, her body stiffening in my arms. All I could do was hold her, whispering quiet words of comfort in her ear, pressing kisses to her head, and promising her she’d be okay. Inside, I burned, planning on the punishment I would inflict on the Donner brothers once I made sure she was looked after. It wasn’t going to end well for either of them.
Finally, Jerry came out, heading toward me. I stopped my pacing, facing him. The rest of my group joined me, all anxious for news.
“She’s awake and talking. She has a lot of contusions and cuts, but luckily none of them need stitches. Her shoulder is dislocated, and her ankle is badly sprained. She has a slight concussion, so she needs to be woken up every two hours.” He shook his head. “She’s lucky. It could have been a lot worse.”
I let out a long exhale of relief. “Can I see her?”