Fucking shit. "Are you sure?”
She nods, though it looks more like a shiver. “I’m pretty sure. I just—I just ran. He told me to run.”
“No, you did the right thing. You should have run. You made it. You’re gonna be okay.” I grope for the CB radio and switch over to the emergency channel, ignoring the blood that’s already dried on my hand. This is all information that Sheriff Bingham needs to know.
I take a deep breath. “It’s Shep. There might be another victim near the pass trail. Over.”
“10-4, Shep,” The voice of my childhood friend Abigail comes cracking back through the speaker. “Jerr and Will are on their way. Over.”
I glance back at the woman, a second too long. I almost overcorrect and drive us off the road. “Shit! Sorry. I’m sorry. You said they. There was more than one of them? More than one of them attacked you?" I ask her. Nothing. “Come on, darling. Stay with me.”
She doesn’t respond, but her shoulders shake. Another strange noise bubbles up. At least she’s still conscious.
I hit the button on the radio again. “Shep again. Tell the boys to be on the lookout. There might be another perp. He might be armed. Over.”
More crackling. “Copy that. Over.”
“Can you tell me your name?” I ask.
She answers me, but I can’t hear her weakened voice over the sound of my engine.
“I’m sorry, darling. Can you speak up a little?”
“Claudia. My name is Claudia.” Definitely crying.
“I’m Shep, Claudia. Sorry we couldn’t have met under better circumstances. Normally, I’d hug you. But I don’t want to jostle you any more than I already have. Can you hang in there with me a little longer?”
No response.
“Can you tell me what hurts?”
“My head,” she mutters.
“Okay, good, good. What else?”
“My feet hurt. My foot. I don’t have any shoes on.”
“Yeah, you showed up with no shoes. We’ll get you shoes. Don’t worry. Tell me what else hurts.”
“My side. He kicked me—a couple times. And I—I can’t see very well.” I glanced over again. I didn’t have time to wipe all the blood away. It was definitely in her eyes.
“They’ll get you cleaned up. I promise. Do you want to hold my hand?” I offer, dropping my radio mic on my center console.
She doesn’t answer, she just reaches for me. Her fingertips are freezing, but she holds on.
“Just stay with me,” I say more to myself. Still, Claudia squeezes my fingers.
* * *
Reva and Earthaare waiting with Dr. Spring and a stretcher as soon as I pull into the ambulance bay. I hop out and run around to help them open the door.
“Jesus, Shep!” Eartha gasps as she looks me up and down. I realize I’m still not wearing a shirt. My chest and my pants are covered in Claudia’s blood.
“I’m fine. I’m fine. I’m not bleeding. Help her.” I rip open the passenger door and ease her into my arms and onto the stretcher.
“What happened?” Dr. Spring asks as we race inside the ER’s double doors.
“Someone attacked her in the woods and I think her brother. I passed Will and Jer, but you gotta send an ambulance up for the brother. I think they were off Grafton’s Pass. I didn’t see him.”