Every Precious Thing

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

First the thunder, then the rain.

Only this time, the storm didn’t take Sara’s mind off her troubles. If anything, it made it worst. It had been a day since she’d last heard from Diana. All she could think about was one of the last things her sister had said to her.

I screwed up.

Screwed up what? Was that the reason she hadn’t called back? Had Diana been caught? Worse?

She had told herself she would give it another three hours and then she’d hike out. There was a backup plan-there was always a backup plan-so she knew what she needed to do, but what if Diana and Richard were in trouble? They had done so much for her. Could she just turn her back on them?

Emily.

That’s who this was really about. She had to remember that. No matter what was going on with her brother and sister, she had to stay alive and hidden for her little girl.

Though the storm looked like it might become one of the most intense yet, it was surprisingly easy for her to ignore it as she rechecked the pack with her emergency supplies, and made herself eat something to help her stamina on the potential journey ahead.

As she took a bite of the peanut butter sandwich, she looked at the map again. Diana had marked the best route for her to hike into the park, where she could mingle with the tourists and catch a ride on one of the dozens of buses that visited the canyon every day. They had even walked the trail partway together the day Diana brought her out here.

She didn’t know where she’d be without her sister and brother. Actually, she did know. Dead, and no longer able to protect her daughter.

She knew Diana felt a tremendous guilt, blaming herself for Sara’s problems, but Sara never held her at fault.

After she finished the sandwich, she poured herself a glass of water, took a few sips, then folded the map and carried it back over to the pack. Just as she was sticking it back in the pocket, lightning struck. She glanced out the window as the bolt lit up a portion of the trail she and Diana had walked. It ran along a ridge about a quarter mile away.

Sara froze.

There were three figures on the path. She rushed over to her pack, retrieved the binoculars, and focused them on the ridge.

Too late. Whoever had been there was gone.

Two things she knew for sure: they were coming this way, and since there were three people, they couldn’t be just her sister and brother.

Storm or no storm, she had to leave now.