to get to my feet, forcing myself to walk over the dead body on the ground. Marco reached me a few feet outside of the shed. He dropped a crutch and engulfed me with one arm, holding me so tightly I could scarcely catch my breath.
“You’re freezin’,” he said, releasing me to shrug off his jacket. He balanced on one crutch as he wrapped the jacket around my shoulders. Leaning down to look at my face, he said, “Are you hurt?”
I shook my head, dangerously close to crying. Part of me wanted to collapse into him and sob, but I couldn’t fall apart. Not yet.
“Where’s Greta?”
“We dug a hole to escape, but he was coming out of the house, and I was still too unbalanced from the drugs he gave me to run. So I sent her to get help.” I lowered my voice. “Can we trust Bingham?”
“As much as anyone can, but he won’t hurt Greta, if that’s what you’re worried about. Which way did she go? I’ll have him send someone to go find her.”
“Through the trees, parallel to the road. I need to use Bingham’s sat phone, Marco. I think I know where Lula is.”
He searched my face. “Did Jones tell you?”
“No.”
I held his gaze, and he must have seen something in my eyes because he simply nodded and led me over to Bingham. “Greta escaped toward the road. We need to send someone to find her. And you need to give Carly your sat phone and let her make her call.”
The two men had a staring contest for a few seconds, and it ended with Bingham reaching into his jacket pocket. “Ty and Pitch, go look for Greta. Try to be as nonthreatening as possible.”
Two men jumped into a truck and drove back down the lane, but Bingham still held the phone in his hand. “I’ll listen in.”
“If I’m right, I’m giving you Lula, Bingham, and asking for nothing in return. All I ask for is some privacy.”
His eyes darkened. “You have five minutes.”
I took the phone and he walked away, leaving me with Marco.
“I need to sit down,” I said, my legs shaky.
“Let’s go over to my car.”
I didn’t think I’d make it that far, so I sank down onto the snow-covered ground, a wave of dizziness washing over me.
“Carly?” Marco cried out, tossing his crutch and sitting next to me.
“I just need a minute.” But I didn’t have a spare minute. Bingham had only given me five of them. I blinked a couple of times, trying to see the touchpad, but it kept going in and out of focus.
“I’m sorry,” I finally said. “I can’t see the numbers. I need you to press the buttons.”
He took the phone, giving me a worried look.
“I’ll be fine. Greta warned me that it takes hours to recover.” I told him the number, pleased that I remembered given the state of my head.
When he finished, he handed me the phone.
I could hear it ringing. Then Wyatt’s hardened voice cut in. “Wyatt Drummond.”
“Wyatt, it’s Carly. I know what you and Max are doing, but I need to speak to Lula.”
He hesitated, then said, “Where are you callin’ me from?”
“It doesn’t matter, Wyatt,” I said, my voice breaking. Then, lest he think I was calling under duress, I added, “I’m with Marco. Now put Lula on the phone.”
More silence, and I knew he was torn between lying to me, again, and protecting his newly discovered sister. My heart felt ripped in two.
“I know she’s with you,” I snapped. “And I understand why, now just put her on the damn phone.”
“Okay,” he finally said, “but then we need to talk.”
“I can’t discuss this now, Wyatt,” I said, choking up. “Just put her on the line.”
There was a rustle of distorted voices. Then Lula said into the phone, “Carly?”
I leaned my forehead against Marco’s shoulder, fighting the urge to break down. He wrapped an arm around my back and rested his chin on my head.
Sucking in a breath, I sat up. I’d made it this far. I wasn’t going to let myself fall apart yet. “Hey, Lula. You have no idea how happy I am to know you’re okay.”
“Max said I couldn’t tell anyone where I was.”
“He was trying to protect you,” I said in an even voice. “But I spoke to your momma this afternoon, and I found out that she lied to you about your father.”
“You talked to Momma? She told you?”
“She didn’t totally confess, but she admitted to lying