Desperate Rescue by Barbara Phinney Page B

immediately, despite the question of why ringing in her head. It was answered immediately. Another series of explosions rocked the woods around them. They both jumped, but continued to run, snapping branches, galloping over fallen logs and moss-covered rocks. Fear pumped energy into her legs and she used it to push deeper into the woods, away from the compound.
    Another blast tore up something big behind them and, yet, it sounded farther away. Because she was running? Or had this blast been at the other side of the house? The car, maybe?
    She didn’t stop to see. She kept slashing her way wildly through the thick, untouched forest, widening the distance between her and Eli. Her heart pounded in her throat, beats so rapid they drummed a steady blur against her tight windpipe.
    Finally, she stumbled to a halt, panting as her burst of energy suddenly waned. Turning with her hands on her knees and lungs on fire, she scanned the way she’d come for Eli.
    Where was he?
    Had one of the blasts got him?
    The branches she’d slashed through parted. Eli, well camouflaged in his clothes, stepped into sight.
    She sighed. When he reached her, she managed to croak out, “What was all that? Bombs?”
    Panting himself, he nodded.
    “Where did you go? You were right behind me.”
    He offered her a short smile. “I didn’t expect you to be Olympic sprinting material. I stopped once to see if the explosions were moving in a circular pattern, which they were, ending at the house. When I turned back, you’d already passed the border.”
    She glanced around. “We’re in Canada?”
    “Yes. Don’t you remember passing a clear-cut line? There was a stone marker, too.”
    She blinked. Her beating heart and panting breath choked off her answer. All she could manage was a shake of her head.
    “Let’s go.”
    She looked up at Eli. “Where?”
    “Back to the car, if it’s still in one piece. I have a cell phone there. We should call the police and the border patrol, if they don’t already know what’s happened. We’ll have to give the area a wide berth. There could be more unexploded devices still there.”
    “Still some left? The whole compound must have exploded! There won’t be anything left!”
    “We still need to call the police.”
    Refusing to move, she threw up her arms. “Why? Give me one good reason why I should talk to the police. They did nothing to help me when Trisha died. I told them she was murdered, but they said there was no evidence. They weren’t interested in helping me and I was too beaten down to try to convince them. I’m not going to bother talking with them now.”
    She stalked away from him, smacking back branches still clothed with the yellow leaves of autumn, all the while feeling Eli’s eyes on her back.
    “They’ll believe you now.”

     
    She stopped. Eli held his breath. Turn around, Kaylee. Stop fighting the life God has given you.
    In the distance, cutting through the autumn stillness, a siren wailed.
    Still, Kaylee refused to turn. Strangely, her actions hurt him.
    But why? Because she refused to do what he knew was right? Because she wasn’t a Christian?
    Slowly, she turned around and Eli found himself exhaling in relief. She took several hesitant steps toward him before she spoke.
    “I hope they believe me. And the only reason I’ll talk to them now would be because it’s justice for Trisha. And to show them I’m not that petulant woman who Noah supposedly spurned.” She straightened her shoulders and nodded.
    Yes, she wanted justice for her sister and rightly so. But she also wanted to prove to the police that they were wrong about her.
    He was only here to find Phoebe. At any cost, too. Something sharp dug into his heart. He inhaled. Was Phoebe right when she accused him of selfishness?
    He swallowed, looking down at Kaylee’s dark hair and pale, exotic features. How she could be of English origin, he wondered suddenly. Her eyes were dark, mysterious and she looked very much the