Perfect Picture [The ShadowDance Club 7] (Siren Publishing Classic) (19 page)

He reached behind the seat and pulled out a jacket. “Wear this, I know it isn’t heavy, but it is better than nothing.” She was surprised when he helped her don the jacket and then placed his hand on her arm. “Ilaina, I…well, I’m afraid I’ve made a terrible mistake. I can see by your expression that you are afraid of me and that is the absolute last thing I ever wanted.” She saw him take a deep breath and then let it out. As he exhaled it was if someone had cut the strings that had been holding him so taut.

Before she even realized what she was doing, she’d reached over and placed her hand on his and given it a reassuring squeeze. “Take me back, Max. That’s all you need to do. We’ll work out the rest, I promise.” For the first time in over a year, she wasn’t afraid of this man. A small part of her actually felt sorry for him…he looked utterly defeated. She was relieved when he started the truck and backed out. She had refastened her safety belt as they’d made their way back to the highway, but she noticed that he hadn’t. It was obvious the road was becoming really slick and she could feel the back end of the truck swerving. Just as she opened her mouth to remind him to fasten his own safety belt she felt the truck begin to spin.

Hearing his curse and her own scream as they began rolling all she could think about was the fact that she wasn’t going to see Noah again. Burying her face in the overly large jacket Max had just given her. She heard herself scream Noah’s name and then the only sounds she heard were grinding metal and breaking glass which were followed by the most eerie silence she’d ever experienced.

If Noah lived to be a hundred years old he would never forget the moment he’d heard the unmistakable sounds of a vehicle being destroyed and then Ilaina’s haunting scream. He’d nearly stopped breathing when he heard her gasping and then screaming his name. Every man in the Crow’s Nest went completely still for just a heartbeat before pandemonium erupted. The bracelet was still transmitting sound and the GPS signal so they knew exactly where to go, they just had no idea what they were going to find.

Colt was already giving the GPS coordinates to Dylan Marshall and his deputies. Dylan and Cash Red Cloud were nearly there because they had already been en route to the cabin. Colt glanced over at Collin and Noah, his one-word command, “Go!” was all it took to send both men skidding out the door and down the stairs. In less than ninety seconds they were driving down the long drive leading to the highway. Noah was driving with Collin quickly entering the coordinates in the GPS system.

Noah’s mind kept replaying the soft moans they’d heard coming over the speakers just before they’d left the Crow’s Nest. That small reassurance that Ilaina had survived the crash was the only thing he had to hang on to. When they rounded the corner near where the truck had left the road, Noah thought his heart was going to stop. He was very familiar with this area since his home was directly below them—almost a half mile directly below. He knew the slope was steep and heavily wooded with one narrow ledge that would be wide enough for the truck—
if
they had been lucky enough to have the vehicle stop rolling at that point. Grabbing his climbing equipment out of the back, he took off running toward the sea of flashing lights up ahead.

Dylan looked up as he approached and simply said, “Gear up, we need you down there. We’ve got paramedics down there already, but they can’t get her calmed down enough to winch her up.” Noah didn’t waste any time getting ready and had his line anchored and was scrambling over the edge in just a few minutes. Lowering himself down to the pick-up he could hear Ilaina’s voice and noted that she sounded confused and in pain. Making his way over to her, he leaned into the window and nearly threw up when he saw the mangled body of her kidnapper. It was obvious the man had died somewhere on their roll down the mountain.

“
Cara
, my love, let’s get you out of this mess, shall we?” He tried to frame his question as if it were laced with a need for action. And it seemed to work when she locked eyes with him and he saw relief wash through her expression.

“Oh God, Noah, I’m so glad you are here. That man over there wanted to marry me. But he was going to bring me back to you. I was so afraid I wouldn’t get to tell you…hey, tell him to stop that.” She was suddenly trying to bat away the hands of the rescue workers who were now quickly working to free her from the vehicle. But considering what he thought she’d been about to say, one part of him—the selfish part—wanted them to let her speak, because he sure was anxious to hear what she had been trying to say.

“Baby, you need to let him cut you out of there. And then we’re going to give you a lift out of here, okay? We need to get someplace warm so you can tell me all about your day. Your brothers are up top and they’re mighty worried about you too.” He smiled when the mention of her brothers’ worry seemed to settle her even more. Noah made a mental note to tell all three Red Cloud brothers about that because he knew Collin and Clay had often expressed dismay that despite their best attempts, their younger sister seemed to only respond to Cash.

As he helped the EMS workers free Ilaina from the truck’s mangled cab Noah noted that her right wrist appeared to be broken and she had moaned when one of the workers had tried to roll her by touching her right shoulder. As they cut away the jacket she was wearing Noah could already see the bruising from her shoulder belt forming a deep purple line diagonally across her chest. He’d be forever grateful she’d been wearing her seatbelt, because the driver was evidence of what could have happened without it.

They had been attempting to block Ilaina’s view of the driver’s body but he was sure she hadn’t missed the fact that no efforts were being made to treat him. Just as the liter was about to be raised up to the waiting ambulance he saw big tears form in her eyes. “Noah, I know what Max did was wrong, but he was trying to set things right. Can you, well…oh—”

Her words were cut off when the liter jerked upward. He quickly reached up and softly brushed the backs of his fingers down her cheek. “I’ll take care of it,
cara.
” Watching her being lifted away from him was one of the most difficult moments of his life. He turned to the others who were still perched on the ledge knowing they had heard his exchange with Ilaina.

“Go. We’ll take care of things here and we’ll make sure we’re respectable about it.” Noah had known Deputy Quinn Tucker since they were kids and knew the man was good for his word. “If it will help Lainy rest easier knowing we’re playing nice, then assure her we were compassionate as well as professional. But most of all—just get your ass in gear before that ambulance leaves without you.” Quinn grinned and immediately helped Noah switch over his gear so he could be hoisted back up the side of the mountain as quickly as possible.

Noah was glad the sleet had stopped falling and it seemed like the wind had died down a bit as well. Thinking about his woman dangling over the edge of a mountain in a litter in that weather had sent a chill right through him. He’d been dressed much warmer than she had been and he was freezing his ass off. He came over the edge and Cash Red Cloud started helping him out of his equipment. “Go with her man, she’s asking for you. Give me your keys, Collin and I will follow you. Clay and Layla are already at the hospital—along with most of Climax if my guess is right.”

Handing his keys to Cash, Noah looked up and simply said, “Thank you,” because he knew nothing else would ever be enough. Noah knew what it was costing Cash to let him ride with Ilaina and there just wasn’t time to tell him how much he appreciated it. Hopping up into the back of the ambulance and positioning himself near her head, Noah concentrated on the soothing words he was murmuring close to Ilaina’s ear. They weren’t far from Climax’s small medical center, but the ride seemed to take forever. Wheeling into the covered area outside the emergency room, Noah wasn’t surprised to see both Doc Woods and Dr. Bree Creed-Jantz both waiting when the rear doors were thrown open. He stood back while Ilaina was unloaded and listened as the paramedics updated the physicians about her condition.

Bree turned to him as they were moving Ilaina down the hall and said, “Hang in there Noah. I really think she’s going to be fine. We have been monitoring her feeds since the team got to her.” They’d reached the door of the examination room and she stopped him with a hand to his chest. “It’s ironic really. This is the first time we’ve used some of the wireless and handheld technology her brother funded and we were able to make a couple of critical adjustments in her treatment before she ever arrived here. Make sure you tell him, please. And I’ll ask you to wait in the waiting room for a bit, this room is just too small for us to do our jobs if there are extra people inside.” She smiled sweetly and then disappeared inside.

Walking away from that door had been torture, but Noah made his way down the corridor to the waiting room and wasn’t surprised to see it was already filled to overflowing. Clay grabbed him the minute he stepped in the door and started asking questions faster than Noah could even process his words, let alone formulate an answer.

Katarina Lamont stepped up and placed her tiny hand on Clay’s arm. “Clay dear, I think perhaps you need to slow down your questions a bit. You are overwhelming Noah, don’t you think?” The twinkle in the petite blonde’s eyes told Noah she understood the irony of her words since they’d been spoken to her so many times. Kat Lamont was famous for her rapid-fire questions and topic changes. Noah nearly laughed out loud at the dead silence that immediately filled the room and any other day, the dismayed expression on Alex Lamont’s face alone would have made Noah’s day.

“Well said, love, even though I do find your sincerity a bit in question.” Alex’s voice sounded strained and Noah wasn’t entirely sure if it was from disbelief or the fact he was trying so hard to not laugh.

Looking over Alex’s shoulder, Noah watched as Zach just smiled and shook his head. “And to think she is usually even harder to handle when she is pregnant. God help us all.” His chuckle made it clear he wasn’t really frustrated with his wife’s obvious attempt to lighten the mood in the room.

Clay Red Cloud hadn’t spent years working the rodeo circuit and not learned to shoot from the hip and tonight wasn’t any exception. The flirtatious cowboy persona surfaced in a heartbeat. “Why Mrs. Lamont I do believe you are right. And since I’ve heard you are an expert on this particular topic, I humbly apologize.” When he raised the arm Kat was still holding and kissed the back of her hand, Alex and Zach both growled and the entire room erupted into riotous laughter.

Cash and Collin walked in both looking completely baffled by the mood in the room. Once everyone finally quieted down, Noah explained what Dr. Bree had told him out in the hall, including the fact that Ilaina’s treatment had been significantly improved because of the technology her brother had recently provided the team now treating his younger sister. Collin Red Cloud had always been the most stoic of the brothers, but his eyes filled with unshed tears and Noah heard him whisper, “For the first time, I am truly grateful for the money I’ve earned.”

Layla Red Cloud reached for her husband’s hand as she spoke, “It’s not the fact you’ve earned the money my sweet husband…it’s the fact you’ve
shared it
that has made the difference.” After several of those surrounding them voiced their agreement, Noah thanked everyone for their support. He was turning to go back and check on Ilaina when Doc Woods walked into the room. The elderly Doctor always commanded the room with a quiet authority born of many years’ experience. He was as ornery as he was compassionate and the old man never forgot anything.

Looking around the room the elderly doctor’s gaze moved between Kat, Tori, and Layla. “You young people keep this up and we’re going to have to add on.” Then the old man grinned from ear to ear. “Don’t forget I still get pictures even if Dr. Bree delivers ’em.” He gave them all an update on Ilaina and Noah found himself letting out a breath he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding when he’d heard that a broken wrist and dislocated shoulder, a badly bruised torso, and a slight concussion were the worst of her injuries. Doc turned to him. “Noah, I know you have held back from Lainy for a long time—and I understand why—but I’m telling you son, best be getting over that waiting thing.” The old fart grinned at Noah’s expression and nodded his head down the hall. “Room 207.”

Noah shook his head and laughed at his dad’s longtime friend. After his parents had both passed, Doc Woods had appointed himself Noah’s “substitute parent” and Noah had appreciated the elderly man’s counsel on a variety of business and personal issues that had come up in the past couple of years. Realizing how valuable sage advice was and how often he’d actually sought out his parents’ input hadn’t really registered until they weren’t there any longer.

“Yes, sir. I intend to remedy that in short order, I assure you.” Noah nodded to his friends and strode from the room, heading down the hall toward his future.

Six months later

Noah Drummond glanced around the large gallery hall and smiled in contentment. The room was awash in twinkling lights that sparkled off the New Year’s Eve decorations that highlighted every flat surface. Watching as his friends mingled with former and potential clients, Noah couldn’t help picking up the underlying energy that seemed to be pulsing through the room. There was something different but he hadn’t been able to pinpoint exactly what.

His gaze naturally sought out his lovely wife as she moved easily around the room. Ilaina’s natural grace and easy rapport with everyone she met would be a huge asset in her burgeoning marketing business as well as his gallery showings. He rarely looked at her for more than a few seconds before he started wishing he had a camera in his hand. Ilaina had always been beautiful, but she was obviously going to be one of those blessed women who seemed to get even prettier as they got older.