The Protector's Mission. Margaret Daley

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СКАЧАТЬ thoughts began to invade her mind. Who would take care of her seventeen-year-old sister? She came back to Anchorage for Kate. When their father died in a climbing accident, Lydia finally returned for the funeral, not intending to stay except to settle her dad’s affairs and move her sister back to Oklahoma where Lydia lived. None of her plans had worked out. Kate refused to leave her friends, and Lydia discovered her father left her his practice and part of the animal hospital.

      Then Bree showed up to help her deal with her father’s death. They had been close friends in school, and suddenly she felt as though fifteen years had vanished, and their relationship took off where it had stopped when she’d left Anchorage to elope with Aaron.

      Why did You bring me back, God, only to have this happen? I was beginning to settle in again and forget why I’d left all those years ago. She’d even started to contemplate staying after Kate graduated from high school. She’d tried to hold on to her faith, but so many things happened. And now this. She didn’t know what to do anymore.

      Then there was Jesse, her first love. They had dated for over a year but broke up their senior year at Christmas. She’d started dating Aaron, which in retrospect was a rebound. She’d been trying to forget Jesse and made a big mistake that affected her even today. She and Aaron broke up after a few months and she and Jesse reunited—more in love than ever. But when she discovered she was pregnant with Aaron’s baby, everything changed. Jesse had been devastated when she left without telling him why. Aaron’s dad and her father had insisted they get married and keep the child a secret. Aaron’s dad was a prominent citizen and her father was an elder in his church. She was to accompany Aaron to Stillwater where he was going to attend Oklahoma State University. As long as they did as they said, Aaron would have money to support them and his education paid for. The memories of those years married to Aaron chilled her. She’d never been so alone in her life.

      What good was it to look back? It was too late to change anything. She didn’t even know if the rescuers would find her.

      Her head pounded like a jackhammer. With her free hand, she touched her hair and came away with bloody fingers. A darkness tugged at her. It offered comfort and peace.

      Through the haze that clouded her mind, a noise penetrated her thoughts. A bark. Then another. The rescuers had found someone. Hope flared until another sound drowned out all others. A crash—something collapsing?

      * * *

      Brutus barked and wagged his tail. He found someone. As part of the second floor fell to the ground in the section not stabilized yet, Jesse headed for his Rottweiler. He reached the spot and caught a glimpse of something blue under the debris.

      “Over here,” Jesse shouted, and several rescuers without dogs climbed through the remains of the structure.

      Jesse knelt by Brutus and tried to see through the rubbish. He glimpsed some more blue and began removing bricks and wood, praying the person—maybe Lydia—was alive beneath them. Jesse knew that time was against the trapped people. If they were alive and injured, their wounds could eventually lead to their death if help didn’t get to them.

      “I’m here,” he heard faintly from below. Or was he imagining a voice that sounded like Lydia’s?

      “Lydia?” Jesse kept removing bricks.

      “Yes. A beam is on me.” The familiar voice grew a little stronger.

      “This is Jesse. We’re going to get you out.”

      “I need air, and it’s getting dark.”

      “Okay. Let me see what I can do.”

      “Thanks, Jesse. I knew I could count on you.” The last part of the sentence ended with a racking cough.

      “Lydia, are you all right?”

      “O—kay. So cold.”

      “You’ll be out in no time.” He worked as fast as he could. “Are you still all right?”

      Nothing. His gut clenched.

      “Get that air and camera over here,” he shouted while David and Thomas hurried with his request. “Lydia is alive.” He refused to acknowledge the possibility that she had died—just moments from being rescued.

      He searched the debris until he found what he hoped was a hole that led to where Lydia was. He snatched the air tank and shoved the hose through the opening. Please, God, keep her alive. We’ve already lost too many. He said that over and over as he pushed the camera with a light down into another small crack. It was in moments like this that all he could do was believe the Lord was taking over.

TWO

      Lydia blinked her eyes open. In the dim light, she saw the hose to the left of her. The air seemed fresher, although she still couldn’t breathe too deeply without a shooting pain knifing through her.

      She went in and out of consciousness to the noise of people removing the building on top of her. The sound of voices fueled her hope. Memories of that time she’d gotten lost in a cave swamped her—the fear of the dark, of being alone. She shivered. Then she remembered when she’d first seen Jesse with a flashlight, coming to her rescue. She’d rushed into his arms and wouldn’t let him go until he’d pulled back, stared at her for a long moment and then kissed her for the first time.

      What happened to that puppy love? She’d only been seventeen—Kate’s age—but she’d never felt so close to another as in that moment.

      Her eyelids were so heavy, like the beam across her torso. She closed them again, trying to think of a warm place. Every part of her was cold, as though she’d been in a refrigerator for hours, dressed in her scrubs. She hadn’t even changed out of them when she’d gone to meet Bree. At least she wasn’t there with her.

      But the others...what of them?

      Again she began to drift off.

      Hold on, Lydia.

      Did someone say that? Jesse?

      A rush of cool air brushed over her. She looked up and saw Jesse’s smiling face.

      “She’s alive.” His grin grew. “Don’t move. We’ll get you out of there.”

      “I know,” she whispered, her throat so dry she doubted Jesse could hear her.

      When the rescuers finally reached her, all she could do was peer at Jesse as though she were back in the cave and he alone had come to save her. His almost-black hair was covered with a helmet. Dust and dirt coated him. He was more muscular and taller than when they’d been teenagers. When he and Thomas hoisted the beam from her, it seemed so easy for him while she couldn’t budge it an inch.

      Jesse’s golden-brown gaze fastened on hers. Lines at the sides of his eyes deepened. “We’ve almost got you out, then Bree will check you before we move you. Do you want some water?” His voice held a tender note, as though he cared.

      But she knew better. Since she’d returned to Anchorage they had spoken few words, only when necessary because of a search and rescue or Brutus, who she treated as the department veterinarian. “Yes” squeaked out of her mouth.

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