Page 101 of Shallow Remains

She wrapped her arms around herself and knelt at Lachlan’s side as Grey started checking him over. Above them the helicopter continued to hover. Unable to do anything more than watch over them.

He patted Lachlan’s cheek none-too-gently. “Hey, man, you gotta stay with us.”

Lachlan forced his eyes open. Maddy grabbed one of his hands. He probably couldn’t feel the contact either, but she refused to let go. “What’s wrong? Where is he hurt?”

“Head injury, but his breathing’s off. Keep talking to him. I’m gonna get us to shore.” He stripped off his suit. “Put this on.” He helped her, then stood and turned toward the helm.

“It w-won’t st-start,” she said between chattering teeth.

He turned the ignition key. Nothing happened.

Her heart sank. To keep from crying in despair she babbled to Lachlan and watched Grey as he fiddled with the controls. He did something she couldn’t see, and she could have wept in relief when the engine started.

“Hang in there. I’ll get us to shore as fast as I can,” Grey said, and opened up the throttle.

FIFTY-THREE

Maddy kept Lachlan’s head in her lap to protect it from banging against the deck each time they hit a wave. She wasn’t sure how long the trip took, but by the time they reached Skeleton Island and Grey slowed the boat, she was barely able to make out the humpback mandible arch standing above Whalebone Cove.

Her muscles were rigid, convulsive shivers ripping through her. She was vaguely aware of the boat stopping. Of people rushing onboard and gathering around them.

Someone pulled her to her feet and turned her around. “Mads. Mads, look at me.”

Slowly, she focused on the man in front of her. “B-Blaine.” Her voice was barely a whisper. She was so cold. So tired. Just wanted to close her eyes and sleep.

“Yeah, Mads, it’s me. Let’s get you out of here.”

He’d said almost those exact same words to her when he’d carried her out of that prison in Syria.

He scooped her up and stepped off the boat. Started running.

Wait. “No.” She shook her head. “L-Lach…”

“Grey and Rafe have him.”

He can’t die. He can’t die.

Everything blurred out around her as Blaine rushed her past a crowd of people. Lights and colors all swirled and blended together. She started to fade out. Welcomed it and the escape from the cold.

She was laid down on her back. Strangers started talking to her. She was too numb and confused to answer them.

Scissors cut off her sweater. She yelped when someone moved her broken wrist, the sharp, searing pain momentarily snapping her out of the icy fog trapping her.

But the exhaustion and shock were too strong. Deep like the ocean, pulling her under.

She faded in and out of consciousness after that, the wail of a siren shrill in the back of her mind. Then there were more lights. More people talking to her. Poking at her. The sharp, prolonged sting of a needle in the back of her hand.

“Ow,” she said with a frown, still shivering. She groaned in relief when someone put a warm blanket over her. And slowly, slowly she felt another warmth creeping in, spreading through her veins.

Gradually the shaking eased. The fog retreated. She blinked. Squinted to protect her eyes from the glare in the unfamiliar room.

“Maddy?”

She looked up at the person standing at her bedside. A woman. Light brown skin. Dark spiral curls. Dark, liquid eyes. “Yes?”

“I’m Doctor Naya Patel. I’m a radiologist. How are you feeling?”

“Cold.”