Love Inspired Suspense September 2015 #2 (56 page)

Jesse and Brutus started for that area, the one where the second floor had crashed down on the first one. There was little to shore up, and it was probably where the bomb originated as well as where most of the casualties would be.

The thought of finding Lydia dead soured his stomach. He might be angry with her, but he prayed to the Lord she was alive somewhere in the rubble.

* * *

Lydia tried to drag deep breaths into her lungs, but the effort sent pain through her. Cracked or broken rib? She eased her eyes open to find debris all around her. Pinpoint streams of light filtered through the rubble.

A beam lay across her torso. Dust in the air caused her to sneeze and intensified the sharp constriction in her chest. The lack of oxygen and the pressure bearing down on her made her light-headed. Her eyelids slid close. She focused, as much as she could, on any sounds that indicated people were searching for survivors. Creaks and groans, as though the building were protesting its destruction, surrounded her, but she couldn't hear any voices.

She tried to move her legs. She couldn't do more than wiggle her toe, which meant she wasn't paralyzed. One arm was pinned against her side, the other free. She pushed on the beam, but it wouldn't budge. The effort drained what strength she had. She stopped and concentrated on filling her lungs with at least shallow breaths.

Then thoughts began to invade her mind. Who would take care of her seventeen-year-old sister? She came back to Anchorage for Kate. When their father died in a climbing accident, Lydia finally returned for the funeral, not intending to stay except to settle her dad's affairs and move her sister back to Oklahoma where Lydia lived. None of her plans had worked out. Kate refused to leave her friends, and Lydia discovered her father left her his practice and part of the animal hospital.

Then Bree showed up to help her deal with her father's death. They had been close friends in school, and suddenly she felt as though fifteen years had vanished, and their relationship took off where it had stopped when she'd left Anchorage to elope with Aaron.

Why did You bring me back, God, only to have this happen
?
I was beginning to settle in again and forget why I'd left all those years ago
. She'd even started to contemplate staying after Kate graduated from high school. She'd tried to hold on to her faith, but so many things happened. And now this. She didn't know what to do anymore.

Then there was Jesse, her first love. They had dated for over a year but broke up their senior year at Christmas. She'd started dating Aaron, which in retrospect was a rebound. She'd been trying to forget Jesse and made a big mistake that affected her even today. She and Aaron broke up after a few months and she and Jesse reunited—more in love than ever. But when she discovered she was pregnant with Aaron's baby, everything changed. Jesse had been devastated when she left without telling him why. Aaron's dad and her father had insisted they get married and keep the child a secret. Aaron's dad was a prominent citizen and her father was an elder in his church. She was to accompany Aaron to Stillwater where he was going to attend Oklahoma State University. As long as they did as they said, Aaron would have money to support them and his education paid for. The memories of those years married to Aaron chilled her. She'd never been so alone in her life.

What good was it to look back? It was too late to change anything. She didn't even know if the rescuers would find her.

Her head pounded like a jackhammer. With her free hand, she touched her hair and came away with bloody fingers. A darkness tugged at her. It offered comfort and peace.

Through the haze that clouded her mind, a noise penetrated her thoughts. A bark. Then another. The rescuers had found someone. Hope flared until another sound drowned out all others. A crash—something collapsing?

* * *

Brutus barked and wagged his tail. He found someone. As part of the second floor fell to the ground in the section not stabilized yet, Jesse headed for his Rottweiler. He reached the spot and caught a glimpse of something blue under the debris.

“Over here,” Jesse shouted, and several rescuers without dogs climbed through the remains of the structure.

Jesse knelt by Brutus and tried to see through the rubbish. He glimpsed some more blue and began removing bricks and wood, praying the person—maybe Lydia—was alive beneath them. Jesse knew that time was against the trapped people. If they were alive and injured, their wounds could eventually lead to their death if help didn't get to them.

“I'm here,” he heard faintly from below. Or was he imagining a voice that sounded like Lydia's?

“Lydia?” Jesse kept removing bricks.

“Yes. A beam is on me.” The familiar voice grew a little stronger.

“This is Jesse. We're going to get you out.”

“I need air, and it's getting dark.”

“Okay. Let me see what I can do.”

“Thanks, Jesse. I knew I could count on you.” The last part of the sentence ended with a racking cough.

“Lydia, are you all right?”

“O—kay. So cold.”

“You'll be out in no time.” He worked as fast as he could. “Are you still all right?”

Nothing. His gut clenched.

“Get that air and camera over here,” he shouted while David and Thomas hurried with his request. “Lydia is alive.” He refused to acknowledge the possibility that she had died—just moments from being rescued.

He searched the debris until he found what he hoped was a hole that led to where Lydia was. He snatched the air tank and shoved the hose through the opening.
Please, God, keep her alive. We've already lost too many
. He said that over and over as he pushed the camera with a light down into another small crack. It was in moments like this that all he could do was believe the Lord was taking over.

Copyright © 2015 by Margaret Daley

ISBN-13: 9781460389164

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Copyright © 2015 by Rachel Dylan

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