Page 29 of Stranded with the Billionaire
“Two hours?” Jake said in disbelief. At this rate it would be halfway the night before they got back to Sara.
“Hop on,” Frank invited. “The sooner we get to town the sooner we can come back for your friend.”
“You’re going to be cold in that suit,” Larry eyed Jake’s attire critically.
“I’m already cold,” Jake took the extra helmet that Frank offered and put it on before straddling the large machine. He’d never been on a snowmobile before and quickly grabbed Frank as they accelerated far too fast for Jake’s liking.
Soon Jake realized that there was a difference between cold and windchill cold. When he’d been hiking through the snow, Jake had managed to generate some heat for his body. He also had the luxury of walking with his hands in his pockets to keep them warmer. On the snowmobile, he was forced to hold on for dear life since Frank and Larry drove at excessive speed on the roadway. Within minutes, his fingers felt frozen stiff and his body felt a chill imbed itself within his bones.
He wondered if he was going to die of exposure before they made it to the truck. Jake hoped desperately that the truck was equipped with a working heater.
Maybe it was a good thing that they weren’t going back for Sara right away. He’d hate to have her be this cold during the ride to the plowed roadway. Neither of them had been dressed for the elements yet fortunately it had been rather mild. When he got to Carvers Bend, Jake was going to make sure they had appropriate gear for himself and Sara when they went back to Waldo’s cabin.
That was, if Jake still had any fingers left to use to do up a zipper.
Frank slowed as they neared a bend and a few minutes later the lights of the snowmobile shone on a pickup truck that was parked alongside a plowed road. Larry pulled up first, cutting the motor to his machine before getting off. A trailer was attached to the pickup. Larry let down the gate, using it as a ramp for the two snowmobiles.
Frank let Jake off the machine, taking his helmet and giving Larry a set of keys. “Better get him inside and warmed up.”
It had taken Jake two tries to get his shaking frame off the snowmobile, he was so cold. All he could think about was getting inside the pickup with the heat turned on full blast. Larry let him in and Jake gratefully held his hands to the dash as Larry turned on the truck. “Is there a hospital at Carvers Bend?”
“There’s a clinic. Don’t think it’s open at this time of night,” Larry shrugged. “Got some first aid people at the fire and police station. You hurt anywhere?”
“Just frozen through,” Jake’s teeth were chattering. As the dash began kicking out heat, his hands were starting to hurt. “I’m more worried about Sara’s knee.”
“I’m more worried about your toes,” Larry responded. “Loafers aren’t exactly fit for hiking through the snow.”
“Didn’t have anything else,” Jake acknowledged with a lift of a shoulder. His feet were pretty numb. He wasn’t looking forward to finding out just how bad of frostbite he’d probably gotten. Maybe Jake could bribe them to open the clinic to deal with their injuries.
Frank slid into the back seat. “All secure and ready to go. How much did you say the reward was for this guy anyways?”
“Don’t remember,” Larry helped Jake with his seatbelt since Jake’s hands were far too shaky to be able to insert the tongue into the buckle. “It was pretty substantial though.”
“Enough for a beer?” Frank laughed.
“Maybe enough to open a beer store,” Larry commented as he pulled onto the icy road. “Which isn’t a bad idea in these parts.”
“Wow,” Frank stopped laughing and looked at Jake with a newfound respect. “That much?”
“Since I haven’t watched the news, I can’t really comment,” Jake said dryly. Likely Dillon had overreacted and offered far too much money for any information leading to Jake’s whereabouts. “However, I assure you that the reward will be paid.”
“Maybe we should ransom him for more money,” Frank mused as he eyed Jake.
“Don’t even think about it,” Jake’s voice cut out icily in the truck. It was the tone of voice that he rarely had to use in the boardroom but when he did it was effective. “There is no need to be greedy.”
For a moment he wondered at the two men he now found himself sharing company with. Would his rescuers put him in an even worse situation? Then who would rescue Sara? Leaving the truck didn’t seem like a good option, first because he was still half frozen and unlikely to survive a night outside. Secondly, because he didn’t know exactly where he was.
“I was just kidding,” Frank offered from the backseat.
“Frank, leave the guy alone,” Larry grimaced as he maneuvered a particularly slushy patch of roadway. “He’s not in a joking mood.”
Frank grumbled as he leaned back, looking out the window. Jake was just thankful that no one was talking about essentially kidnapping and holding him for ransom. He was also thankful his hands had stopped the searing pain and were now just pins and needles as they thawed out. Head nodding, Jake didn’t notice when he drifted off to sleep.
When the motor quit on the truck, Jake jerked his chin off his chest, looking bleary eyed out the window. Street lights were on as snow fell gently down on a picturesque street.
“Welcome to Carvers Bend,” Larry commented as he got out of the truck.
Stiffly, Jake undid his seatbelt. As he emerged from the pickup, he noticed that they were at the police station.
