Page 27 of Rescued Heart

Eddie’s chest tightened. But then the woman squatting next to Bryce looked at him.

“Bianca.” Her name flew from his mouth.

She wasn’t trapped, but another woman was. One of the closest boards near the trapped woman’s thigh seemed to be connected by a cable or a thick wire.

“Lieutenant! We might have a live wire.” The last thing they needed was for anyone to get shocked on top of the already dangerous situation.

One end of the cable disappeared into the pile of wood above his head, and the other reached up to a telephone pole. He spun around. Zack and Ridge headed toward Bryce. A security officer in front of the formed crowd stepped forward.

Eddie pointed to the cable. “Can you find someone to make sure all the electricity is shut off?”

The security officer opened his mouth but then snapped it shut. “On it.”

Eddie carried the jack to Bryce, who knelt next to the pile of wood and debris that lay on top of the woman’s legs.

Bianca held the trapped woman’s hand. Her fearful gaze sank into his heart.

He set the jack into position under the leaning debris. “You’ve got to get out of here.”

Bianca squeezed the woman’s hand, resting in her palm. “I’m not leaving Heidi.”

The woman lying on the ground released a scream—one that Eddie would hear in his dreams for nights—but she didn’t move her legs.

Bryce met his gaze. “I noticed it.” He grabbed his radio. “I need a stretcher and a neck brace.” Then to Eddie, “First, let’s get the boards off her.”

“Want me to finish placing the jack or start throwing off the boards?” Eddie stepped over a section of wood with three nails sticking upward and broken glass covering the concrete to get to the other side of Heidi.

Bryce came directly over the trapped woman’s face. “Ma’am, we’re with Last Chance County Fire Department. I’m Lieutenant Crawford, and we’re going to get you out of here.”

Bianca patted the woman’s hand. “Her name’s Heidi.”

Bryce narrowed his gaze at Bianca. “And you need to?—”

“P-please don’t leave me, Bia.” Tears leaked out of Heidi’s eyes, and blood coated her hair.

Bianca wrapped her other hand around the woman’s elbow. “We won’t, Heidi. I’m so sorry.”

“I’ve got the stretcher and brace.” Ridge’s voice rattled back on the radio.

Then came Zack’s voice. “Trace and Kianna pulled in.”

Eddie eyed the pile of leaning wooden beams. “I need confirmation on that wire.”

Bryce pointed to the people crowding in. “Make sureeveryonestands back.”

Eddie understood Bryce’s tone.Everyoneincluded Bianca.

The security guard pushed through the crowd and stopped before the debris. “Wire is a prop.”

A prop? He’d take it. Eddie slid in the jack and pumped it upward. The pile of broken wood and drywall groaned, but not as much as Heidi.

Bryce dropped to his knees. “We’ve got a piece of wood refusing to lift off her shins.”

Eddie cranked the jack higher. A top piece of board slid off and angled straight for where Bianca knelt.

Eddie leaped in the direction of the falling board. “Bianca! Get out of here.”

The board stopped on an extended nail poking through a broken two-by-four.

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