Primal Threat - Earl Emerson [134]
“Is he all right?”
“Don’t worry. Your girlfriend’s brother made it. He’s up the hall telling the county sheriff ’s investigator all about us. They keep looking at me. They came in here once, but we got the doctor to throw them out. The doctors were going to put you in the hyperbaric chamber for smoke inhalation, but at the last minute decided against it. Actually, I believe they only have one chamber at their disposal, and it’s already full.”
“Who’s in it?”
“Stephens. Jennifer. And a nurse who’s looking after them.”
“Jennifer made it?”
“Yeah. Stephens. Jennifer. Kasey. They all made it.”
“Anybody else?”
“You, me, and Giancarlo.”
“You’re going to have to help me out with the math here.”
“There are six dead or missing. Chuck, Morse, and Ryan Perry we already knew were dead. Bloomquist, Fred, and Scooter are missing, but they found two bodies they haven’t identified. So we’re not sure who else is dead.”
“What’s Kasey telling them?”
“They won’t let me close enough to listen.”
“You talk to them yet?”
“The sheriff? Yeah. It was a little tense. Apparently our story doesn’t match up with everything else he’s been hearing.”
“What happened with Stephens?”
“I heard a couple of the deputies talking, and I have a feeling he’s aligned himself with the other side.”
“Saying what?”
“I don’t know.”
“How’s Giancarlo?”
“A few burns and smoke inhalation like the rest of us. That man’s got the constitution of a horse.”
“He was like that in drill school, too…You haven’t talked to Stephens?”
“No. He and Jennifer went on the first flight. Giancarlo and I went later. You and Kasey didn’t get picked up until way late. For a while there, we all thought you were dead.”
“Were you sad?”
“I had to ask for a second box of Kleenex to wipe my eyes. Why’d you go back?”
“I didn’t feel I had a choice.”
“There’s always a choice.”
“Not if you’re me.”
“Zak, you’re a better man than I am. No way was I going back down that mountain. I just couldn’t believe I was watching you disappear into that smoke again. A little while after you left, the fire blasted up the road like a blowtorch, and I figured it had taken you out. Then on our way out we flew along the road, and there were two bodies facedown in the road. I thought one of them had to be you.”
“It was probably Bloomquist and Scooter. They were in the middle of the road. They got caught trying to outrun it. I’m guessing Fred did, too. Probably up the spur road.”
“Thought you might like to know, Nadine showed up awhile ago. She’s down the hall with her brother and the rest of the family.”
“I don’t know if I’m ready for her. Six dead. Jesus.”
“Yeah.” Noises in the corridor grew louder and then receded. A minute later people passed by speaking in whispers. Zak recognized Nadine’s voice. Muldaur was fumbling with the controls for the television to search for news reports about the fire when a figure darkened the doorway: Nadine Newcastle in tennis shorts and an off-white blouse, her hair pulled into a ponytail. The three of them looked at one another wordlessly before Muldaur said, “I’ll leave you alone.”
“That’s not necessary,” Zak said.
“See you later.” Muldaur squeezed past Nadine, letting in more light as he swung the door wide. After they were alone, Nadine pushed the door closed with her fingertips.
“I want to thank you for what you did for Kasey.”
“Did he tell you?”
“Actually, I pieced it together. He hasn’t said anything about that part of it. You were safe, and then you went back down and got him, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Whatever else takes place, I want to thank you for that. From the bottom of my heart. Zak, you’ve got more guts than anybody I’ve ever met.”
“Not really.”
“I’m just so glad he made it. And you, too.”
“Yeah.”
“I’m so glad you’re here.” Close to tears, she clasped her hands in front of herself and watched his eyes. It was a long time before either of them broke the silence.
Finally, Zak said, “What?”
“I just…I just want to know