Page 73 of Survive the Night
Something tugged on his sleeve—hard. He glanced down and blinked.
“Hortense?” His heart lurched. Not only was Sarah alive and uninjured, but she’d rescued all of his animals. He loved her so much it hurt.
“I couldn’t leave her there.” The goat started chewing on his coat sleeve. Normally, he wouldn’t let her, but right now he was just so happy to see them that he let her go to town.
Otto marveled that Sarah had brought the horse, the goat, and the dogs all the way from his house and over the blocked pass. His love was impressive, and braver than anyone he’d known. He looked at Bean. The horse appeared calmer than Otto had ever seen him. “You rode him bareback with a halter?”
“Well, we didn’t really have time to tack up, since we were running for our lives and all,” Sarah said. “Listen, Otto…”
Jules and Grace interrupted before she could finish. They took turns hugging Sarah.
“Glad you’re safe, Sarah,” Theo said, giving her a brief but genuine smile. “We need to keep moving, though.”
“Aaron’s behind this,” Sarah blurted out. “He, Logan, and Jeb escaped the transport van. They shot two FBI agents. The van and their…bodies are on the other side of the rockslide.”
Silence fell over the group. The pieces clicked into place in Otto’s mind. The conversation they’d overheard on their way to Grady’s made more sense now.
“How’d they—” Hugh started to ask, but Theo interrupted him.
“We have to go,” he warned. “We’ve been standing here talking too long already.”
Otto fully agreed, but now they had a new problem. The dogs and possibly even the goat could join them in the bunker, but there was no way to get Bean down there. He tried to think of anyone in town who had a barn or even a shed of some sort where they could keep the horse temporarily. His mind was a blank, though. All his brain kept repeating was Sarah is okay. Sarah is here, and she’s okay, and she loves me.
“Schwartz has a workshop in back of his house,” Theo said, seeming to read Otto’s mind. “It’s not really set up for horses, but it’d probably work in a pinch. He raises rabbits, too, so he should have hay.”
“Amazing, isn’t it?” Hugh said in a low voice. “Gordon Schwartz, savior of the town. Who would’ve thought?”
It is amazing, Otto thought. “We’ll head back to the bunker.”
“Theo, Jules, and I’ll keep searching for people,” Hugh said. “Gracie, it’s bunker time for you.”
“But—”
“No.” Hugh, Theo, and Jules spoke in unison, interrupting Grace.
“You and Sarah are their targets,” Theo said.
Grace’s shoulders slumped slightly before she turned to Sarah with a small, forced smile. “Guess we’re bunker buddies, then.”
Sarah linked her arm through Grace’s, squeezing it affectionately against her side. As Jules, Theo, and Hugh turned to leave, Grace said quietly, “Hugh.”
He turned back toward her, and Grace reached out, grabbing a handful of his coat. Yanking him toward her, she kissed him. It didn’t last very long, but both were obviously breathing hard at the end. Otto glanced away, feeling like a voyeur.
“You’re savage,” Hugh said quietly. “I love that about you.”
“And I love you,” Grace responded. “Which is why, if you die out there, I swear I’ll resuscitate you just to kill you again. Got it?”
“Got it.”
The two groups separated with quiet goodbyes and admonitions to be careful. Otto followed the two women toward Gordon’s place, leading Bean and keeping an eye out for danger. He was also sneaking quick glances at Sarah. His brain couldn’t wrap around the knowledge that she was actually here, that she actually loved him. His gaze couldn’t stay off her. Even in the oversized winter clothes and backpack, she looked beautiful.
Now Sarah was safe and within reach, but Aaron was still out there.
They had to keep her safe—and save the town.
Chapter 21
