“Try not to touch her, Cruise. The ambulance is en route.”
Dusty steps into view. He’s dressed in full police uniform as he crouches down beside Morgan and places two fingers against her neck. He’s quick to snatch them back when a blood-piercing scream escapes her throat. The noise she makes has my body shuddering.
“Don’t. You’re scaring her,” I bark, panicked.
Again, Dusty moves his hand to touch her neck.
“Leave her alone.” I drop my arms and crawl towards her.
“Put your hands behind your head.” Maloney’s pissed. “I will shoot you.”
I halt.
“Reid.” It’s barely audible, but I hear Morgan call my name.
I crook my neck and search for Maloney behind me. “Please,” I mouth.
He shakes his head. His pistol is aimed right at me. “Lay on the ground.”
Morgan coughs once more, and then she cries. It’s a cry filled with pain, fear, and desperation. I want to hold her. I’m helpless.
“Reid, please, just do what he says. I’ve got her. I’m right here. I won’t leave her, brother.”
Silent tears rush from my eyes as I lie until my chest and my cheek press against the ground. I keep my head turned towards Morgan’s face. Her eyes are closed. Her lips are peeled, cut and swollen. Blood covers her skin.
“I’m here, baby,” I speak softly so as not to startle her. What have I done? Sliding my hand through the leaves, I wince, but continue to extend it as far as I can. I’m still quite a way from being able to touch Morgan.
“Reid Banks, you’re under arrest. Put your hands behind your back.”
“No,” I mumble, keeping my arm right where it is. “Sorry, Max. I can’t.”
Morgan’s eyes shoot open. They’re no longer the chestnut I once admired. They’re washed of colour, a horrible honey with grey hues.
“I won’t leave you again. I promise. I love you.” My lips quiver. My heart thuds.
She doesn’t say a word. She just stares as tears fill her eyes.
“He can’t hurt you anymore.”
Morgan closes her eyes.
“You’re safe. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”
Her eyes spring open again, and the look she delivers me speaks of a thousand horrific tales. I want to erase Morgan’s memory so she never has to remember a moment of what she’s endured.
“The kids are fine. They’re safe.” I have no idea if this is true, but if Maloney’s here, then they must be. He wouldn’t have left them in harm’s way. Not after the stories he’s shared with me about his own daughter. Leaving my children would go against all Max was trained to do, would go against the oath he took when becoming an officer of the law.
“The ambulance is coming, Morgan,” Dusty says.
She squeezes her eyes closed and scrunches her face before trembling.
“You’re fucking scaring her.” Anger rips through my core. “Get away from her.”
“I agree.” Cruise’s tone quivers. “You are scaring her.”
“Back off,” Max orders. “Call dispatch and find out how far the ambulance is from arrival. Also, get them to pass on our coordinates to Detective West. We need back-up. I have them covered.”
Dusty backs away slowly until I can no longer see him.
“Let me go to her.” I hold my breath, hoping for a little salvation from Max.
“You can’t touch her. Everything on her body is evidence, Reid. Hell, you’re fucking evidence now.”
“She’s a human being who’s hurt. Don’t make her hurt alone.”
“Fuck,” he curses.
“Please,” I beg as I watch Cruise stroke Morgan’s cheek with the back of his hand.
“It’s Cruise, Morgan. I’m right behind you.”
She opens her eyes.
“Max.” I raise my voice, and Morgan jumps.
“Okay. Just try not to touch her too much.” I see the conflict in Max’s expression.
Inch by inch, I slide my body across the leaves. I trap my need to groan behind my teeth. An intense sting slices my stomach over and over.
I stop when our faces sit just a few centimetres from each other. “Hey, baby.” I lift my hand and take the place of my brother, stroking her cheek. “Help is on the way. You can rest now. You’re safe.”
Her eyelashes flicker before her eyes close.
Morgan
I’m swallowed by darkness, but I fight. I fight to keep my eyes open, and when I’m met with tears streaming down my husband’s cheeks, I know I’ve won again.
In my mind, I’m speaking. I’m yelling. I’m telling him I hurt so bad I can’t stand it a minute longer. But I can’t manage to get those words to travel from my brain and connect with my lips.
His fingers brush against my skin, back and forth, back and forth. I can feel Reid’s touch, but I can’t respond. I’m not able to move a single muscle in my body. I’ve no control. I’m as heavy as lead.
“You’re safe, Morgan. Help is coming. I’m here.” There’s so much fear in Reid’s words, and although I know I’m not alone in this bushland, I don’t believe I’m really safe.
I jolt when the dirt below me suddenly feels as if it’s falling away. I reach out my arm and grab onto Reid to stop myself from falling, or so I think. My arm hasn’t moved at all and I remain paralysed.
Panic rockets through each of my nerve endings. The ground continues to tug away. I’m falling, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.
Is Reid falling too? Help! Help!
My heart races. My stomach sinks and then I hear one intense beat of my heart in my head. I take a breath. I listen for my heartbeat. I can’t hear it beating. I can’t feel it beating either.
Reid fades away, and then he disappears altogether. A white light fills the space he took in front of me. I’m no longer in pain or consumed with fear. I’m as light as a feather.
And finally, a sensation of peace washes over me.
I’m free.
Reid
Maloney keeps Morgan’s chin pointed upwards and her nose pinched. Cruise cups one hand on top of the other and commences pounding on Morgan’s chest.
“One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. Sixteen. Seventeen. Eighteen. Nineteen. Twenty. Twenty-one. Twenty-two. Twenty-three. Twenty-four. Twenty-five. Twenty-six. Twenty-seven. Twenty-eight. Twenty-nine. Thirty.” Cruise is huffing when he straightens.
Maloney closes his mouth around Morgan’s and breathes. I watch as her chest rises and then falls.
“One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. Sixteen. Seventeen. Eighteen. Nineteen. Twenty. Twenty-one. Twenty-two. Twenty-three. Twenty-four. Twenty-five. Twenty-six. Twenty-seven. Twenty-eight. Twenty-nine. Thirty.” Cruise counts for the seventh time. He’s sweating and puffing excessively.
Maloney again places his mouth over Morgan’s and breathes for her. “Come on, Morgan,” he roars.
I watch her chest rise and then fall.
Cruise places his ear to Morgan’s chest. “No heartbeat.” He repositions his hands. “One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. Sixteen. Seventeen. Eighteen. Nineteen. Twenty.” Cruise stops counting, but he doesn’t stop compressing Morgan’s chest. “Thirty.” He falls back on his heels.
Maloney leans in, closes his mouth over Morgan’s, and again delivers his breath to her.
“Fucking breathe. Breathe, Morgan.” I’m desperate. I can’t take it a minute more. Why has her heart stopped beating? Why isn’t she breathing?
Sirens wail. The roar of motorbikes has me shooting my vision towards the bushland. Men wearing black police vests race towards us.
“Help is here,” I shout.
Within the blink of an eye, officers, and then paramedics appear. Morgan’s still not breathing, but at least now we have help.
Don’t let go, Morgan. Fight. You’re almost home.
Reid
“It’s just a flesh wound. You’ll need to have these stitches removed in ten days.” The curly-haired doctor, old enough to be my grandfather, says.
“How’s my wife?” I’m pleading with him to give me an answer because my aggressive barks at Detective West don’t seem to be working.