Page 44 of Quinn

“Wait.” Quinn grabbed the rope still tied to the seat, but it was too late, Eloise was out the door, the wind nearly taking her off her feet.

Danny rushed forward, the wind pushing him sideways as he fought to walk a straight line. “El, stay put. The road is washed out!”

“What?” she cried back but the voices were muffled in the wind.

The next gust hit like a freight train. Eloise’s feet left the ground, the rope pulling taut as she slid sideways. Danny lunged for her but missed.

“Eloise!” Quinn flew out of the seat, hanging onto the rope. For one horrible moment, he couldn’t tell if she was still attached. Then he felt her weight, heard her cry out. The rope stretched, threatening to snap.

“I’ve got her!” Danny’s voice carried through the darkness. “Pull!”

Together they drew her back, all three tumbling into the vehicle. The young man Danny had been helping squeezed in behind them.

“When Tim saw the road was washed out and slammed on his brakes, the car fishtailed off the road.”

“That wouldn’t have been so bad,” the young kid’s eyes looked like he’d seen a ghost, “but then the side of the road just seemed to open up. I thought for sure we were going to be swallowed up.”

“We got out as fast as we could.” Danny spoke mostly to his sister. “But we didn’t dare try to actually walk anywhere in this.”

“No.” Eloise shook her head. “You did the right thing.”

“Excuse me,” Finn said through clenched teeth. “We can catch up with each other later. Right now, we need to get the hell home. That pole may not be the only one wanting to dance with us.”

Quinn threw the SUV in reverse, fighting the wind to turn around. Right about now, he would give anything if Scotty could just beam them up.

Chapter Nineteen

After yesterday’s darkness, the sunlight streaming through the curtains was a welcome apology from Mother Nature. From where Eloise sat comfortably perched on the living room sofa, the blue skies and chirping birds were a delight to see. It didn’t hurt any that neither Sadieville, nor the restaurant had suffered any damage due to those winds. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she had visions of the entire town having been blown away like Dorothy’s farm house in the Wizard of Oz.

“How’s it feeling?” Aunt Eileen appeared with a hot cup of coffee and a fresh bag of ice.

“Like I lost a fight with a belt sander.” She accepted the mug gratefully, then setting it to one side, gingerly readjusted the fresh ice pack on her leg. The angry scrape beneath it served as proof that yesterday hadn’t been some dust-induced nightmare.

“Once it scabs over,” Aunt Eileen retrieved the melted bag of ice, “I have a wonderful cream that will help with aching and bruising.”

“Thank you.” She shifted again, took a sip of the warm brew and winced at how the motion tugged at the minor scrapes on her arm. “Now I understand why motorcycle riders wear leather.”

Aunt Eileen tried not to laugh. “Look on the bright side.”

Wondering where this was going, Eloise glanced at Quinn’s aunt.

“You didn’t break any nails.”

The two women burst into fits of laughter. That was just the light of humor she needed.

“Looks like I’m missing the party.” Arm in a sling, Finn came in holding a cup of coffee and sat in his favorite recliner.

“Don’t overdo it.” Aunt Eileen walked over to him and ruffled his hair as if he were a little boy.

“Brooks said I’m fine.”

“Yes. He also said that you shouldn’t overdo it.”

“Aunt Eileen,” Eloise had to laugh, Finn was whining like a three-year-old, “holding a cup of coffee isn’t overdoing it.”

“No.” She glared at him pointedly. “But it all depends on what you do next.”

Finn rolled his eyes. “You sound like my wife.”

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