Page 70 of Hell's Claim

“Sunny, calm down. He’s doing his job. Comply, and things will get done quicker,” Sailor said, putting a hand on Sunny’s shoulder.

Sunny looked lost, his fear written all over his face. The park ranger’s face softened. “Come on. Let’s see if we can find her and what route she took,” he relented. “But I’ll call Detective Hawthorne first.”

“Do it, it’s getting dark, and Callie might be seriously injured,” Sunny agreed. His gut told him Callie was not okay, that she was hurt. The problem was, she could be anywhere.

???

Sunny hit the trail that Callie had taken with Sailor on his heels. They’d watched the footage and tracked Callie’s route. She’d set off at ten-thirty this morning and had a backpack and sensible clothing and shoes on. Callie clearly was an experienced hiker. Once he’d seen her, Gary, the ranger, had called in to his supervisor and notified Lio they had a missing person.

Search and rescue were being brought in, but Sunny set off once he flashed his own credentials. He wasn’t going to wait for reinforcements, especially since Hellfire was a part of S and R. Sunny and Sailor had taken a radio with them and a backpack with essentials. Gary had tried to stop them, but Sunny had merely cocked an eyebrow, and Gary backed down.

While Gary waited for reinforcements, Sunny wasn’t prepared to. Callie was out here somewhere, and everything screamed at him she was injured. He and Sailor scanned the path as they walked, looking for any sign of Callie. Two hours into the trek, night had fallen, and the rangers were discussing bringing the search parties back.

Sunny had no intention of leaving until Callie was found. He and Sailor continued walking, shouting Callie’s name every few minutes. Their torches pierced the blackness, and it was Sailor who caught sight of something.

“Sunny, here!” Sailor called. Sunny hurried over to him.

“That’s Callie’s backpack. Callie!” Sunny bellowed.

Sailor swung his torch around on the ground. They were dangerously close to a steep drop.

“Sunny.” Sailor pointed.

Sunny gritted his teeth. There was damage to the undergrowth as if someone had slipped and yanked at the grass and growth to stop themselves falling. Sunny slipped a rope around his waist and handed the end to Sailor. Deliberately, he inched forward, wincing as the dirt moved under his feet.

“You better have me, asshole,” Sunny ground out.

Sailor snorted. “Try considering a diet.”

Sunny leaned over the edge, trusting Sailor not to let go, and spotted something that made his blood run cold.

“Callie!” he yelled at the crumpled figure below.

Callie didn’t move. Sunny could see a dark pool around her head and knew it was blood.

“She’s badly hurt. Head wound. I need to get down. Pull me back, and we’ll set up a rappel,” Sunny called to Sailor.

Slowly, Sunny was pulled into an upright position. They headed for a tree and wrapped the rope around it several times. Sailor braced and held on to the end as Sunny threw the rest over the slope. It just reached Callie.

“Go,” Sailor said.

Sunny nodded and, holding on tightly, swung over the cliff. He bounced his way down and landed next to Callie.

“She’s alive!” he called with relief.

“I’ve informed search and rescue. They’re sending a chopper, as they won’t be able to get her up any other way,” Sailor shouted back.

“Tell them she has got severe injuries,” Sunny replied as he stabilised Callie’s neck. He winced as he took in her uncomfortable position. Callie had broken bones, for sure. Sunny couldn’t do anything but sit with her and tell her all the things he loved about her.

A bright light pierced the darkness as the helicopter raced towards them with lifesaving equipment on board. Sunny prayed it wasn’t needed.

Chapter Fifteen.

Sunny

He followed the paramedics into the hospital as Callie remained unconscious. The helicopter landed on the roof, and Callie was lowered to the floor and rushed away. Sunny rushed behind.

They passed through the emergency doors, and a nurse stopped him.

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