Page 43 of Hero Unbound
Theo answered after only a couple rings. “Eva? What’s wrong?”
She didn’t know how to begin. “This storm is so bad. Are you back out on property?”
“Yes, and the animals are fine. Don’t you dare come back out here to check on them.”
He’d given her the opening she needed. “Too late.”
His muttered curse was foul. “Damn it, Eva. I told you to stay put in town. Which barn are you in?”
“I didn’t make it all the way to the barn.” She gritted her teeth to keep them from chattering. “My car got washed off the road. We’re in the ravine about a quarter-mile from the front office.”
“Shit. That’s right where it tends to flood most.”
“I was going to try to walk to the Mad Zoo, but Spice won’t get out of the car.”
“That’s because Spice actually has some sense,” he muttered. “Stay in the car. I’ll be there in five minutes.”
She could hear Gareth trying to beep in on the other line, but she ignored it.
“Okay. Please hurry, Theo.”She couldn’t keep the fear out of her voice.
“You’re going to be okay, Evie. You and the pups. I promise. I’ll be there soon.”
The call disconnected. Eva wrapped her arm around Spice and buried her face in the dog’s neck as the hail started coming down harder—one piece cracking the windshield.
She was putting all her trust in Theo and prayed he wouldn’t let them down.
14
Theo sprinted into action before he’d even hung up with Eva. He knew exactly where she was. And knew that section of road was always the first to wash out in a bad storm.
He tamped down the anger he had at her coming back out here, despite his express instructions not to. That wasn’t what was important now. Getting to her and getting her to safety were what was important.
He grabbed some folded cardboard and a blanket from the laundry room and dashed for his truck. The hail calmed a little as he was pulling out from under the carport, allowing him to go faster. He didn’t want to waste time. The hail could pick back up at any second.
Or worse, the rain could pick back up and lead to a flash flood in the ravine. He’d witnessed it before—in minutes, the water rising so fast that it rolled boulders and tore out trees. Eva’s small car wouldn’t stand a chance.
He kept his fist tight around the steering wheel as he eased forward as fast as he would allow himself. It was a delicate balance; he couldn’t afford to waste time, but also, sliding off the road himself would leave Eva caught in a more dangerous situation than she recognized.
By the time he made it to the section of road where she’d slid off, it was hailing again. He grabbed the industrial-strength flashlight from the floor of the passenger side and turned it on, then spotted her car. The water was already rising around it.
He grabbed the cardboard and got out, working his way around to the front of his truck to the mounted cord reel. It wasn’t strong enough to tow a car out of the ditch, but it would make sure they didn’t lose track of the truck. He kept a hold of the cord, using the cardboard as a shield against the hail and scurried down the small hill.
Eva blinked up at him when he opened the door and shone the flashlight inside.
“Shit, what happened?” he asked when he saw blood dripping down her temple.
“A piece of hail caught me. It’s okay. Scalp wound.”
He nodded. A scalp wound bled a lot but wasn’t generally dangerous. He would check it out further once he had her safe. “Can you walk?”
“Yes. I just can’t get Spice to leave the car.”
“I’ll come back for her. Let’s get you and Sugar up to the truck. Hold on to the cord as a guide.”
Eva nodded and scooped Sugar up in one arm. The dog buried himself against her.
As soon as Theo reached to help Eva out of the door, he realized how soaked she was. She must’ve been out in the storm much longer than she’d let on before she called him. He gritted his teeth, forcing away thoughts of how dangerous that had been.