After the Storm (KGI #8)(36)

“Eve?” Donovan shouted. “Where are you? I’m here to help.”

He crouched down at the entrance to the culvert and surveyed the interior. Definitely big enough for people to fit into. He grabbed Joe’s flashlight since it was the bigger and shined it inside.

The beam caught two pairs of wide eyes. Travis was huddled inside the culvert, his arms wrapped tightly around Cammie. They both stared at Donovan, fear and shock evident in their gazes.

“Travis, are you all right?” Donovan demanded.

He started forward on hands and knees, barking back to Joe to keep the light shining on Travis and Cammie.

He reached them in a matter of seconds, and realization struck that Eve was not with them.

“Where is Eve?” Donovan asked.

Tears glimmered in Travis’s eyes. “I don’t know,” he choked out.

Cammie began to cry, and Travis stroked a hand through her matted, bedraggled hair.

“Come on. We need to get you out of here,” Donovan said, his heart pounding as he pondered Eve’s fate.

He reached for Cammie, but she didn’t relinquish her hold on her brother.

“Let me take you, sweetheart,” Donovan said gently. “I know you’re scared, but I’m here to help you and your brother.”

“I want Evie,” she wailed.

Tears shimmered in her eyes and then slid down her dirty cheeks. Her thumb slid between her lips and Donovan carefully pulled it away so she wouldn’t get dirt and God only knew what else in her mouth.

“Where is your sister, honey? I need to find her so we can make sure she’s okay.”

“She was caught in the storm,” Travis choked out. “She came back for me after putting Cammie in the culvert. I had been knocked down by a limb and she came back for me, but we got separated. Something hit her and she told me I had to get to Cammie and protect her. Not to leave her alone. But oh God, I left her.”

The last came out as a sob, and Donovan’s heart went out to the kid. He put his hand on Travis’s shoulder and squeezed.

“You did right, son. You had to protect Cammie. She’s just a little girl and wouldn’t have made it on her own. I know you didn’t want to leave Eve, but it’s what you had to do. Now let’s get you and Cammie out of this ditch and inside my truck where you can get warm and dry out some. I’ll look for Eve. I won’t give up until I find her. I promise you.”

“We’re not supposed to trust anyone,” Travis whispered.

Even as he said it, Donovan could see the wistful look in the kid’s eyes. The desire to, for a few moments at least, lean on someone else.

“Listen to me, Travis,” Donovan said in a grave voice. “You and your sisters need help. Cammie is ill. Eve could be hurt. You are hurt. I understand you’re frightened. And I understand that you don’t know me. But I only want to help you and your sisters. I swear it. Now you need to let us get you out of here, and then I need to find Eve.”

Donovan reached for Cammie again and this time Travis relinquished her, but his eyes tracked Donovan’s every movement. Donovan cradled Cammie in his arms and turned, intending to hand her to Joe. The moment Joe reached for her, Cammie let out a shriek and dove into Donovan’s chest, her tiny body shaking as sobs welled in her throat.

“Shhh, sweetheart,” Donovan soothed. “I won’t let you go. I’m going to get you out of here. Okay?”

“’Kay,” she said in a faltering voice.

Joe’s face was drawn in compassion, his gaze riveted to the precious little girl in his brother’s arms.

“Make sure Travis is okay and that he can even get to his feet,” Donovan said as he pushed past his brother.

He nearly slipped trying to right himself while holding Cammie firmly to his chest. The mud and debris made walking precarious. Swanny was there to steady him, though he was careful to not touch Cammie in the process.

Donovan turned, waiting for Travis to pop out of the culvert. He moved slowly, his face drawn into a grimace of pain. He was holding his side and trying not to let the others see his discomfort, but he failed miserably.

“Where are you hurt, son?” Donovan asked when Travis was beside him once more.

“It’s not bad,” Travis said in a firm voice. “We have to find Evie. She was hurt, and I had to leave her.”

Tears choked his voice and threatened to slosh over the rims of his tortured eyes.

Swanny put a hand to Travis’s shoulder and the boy glanced warily back at him.

“We’ll find her, Travis,” Swanny assured. “Now what I want you to do is come back to Donovan’s truck with me so you can hold Cammie while we search.”

Travis started to protest, but Donovan shut him down.

“Cammie needs you. She’s scared out of her mind and she needs a familiar face with her. She doesn’t need to be out in this. She’s sick. Joe is my brother, and Swanny works with us. They’re the best. We’ll find Eve. I swear it.”

Finally Travis nodded his agreement.

“I’m going to send Swanny with you and Cammie to the truck. Is that all right?” Donovan asked.

Travis nodded, but Cammie stiffened in Donovan’s arms and to Donovan’s surprise she threw her arms around Donovan’s neck and held on for dear life.

“I want you,” she said plaintively.