Chapter 38

Trevor spottedthe road work ahead, and he had to make a quick decision.

He knew part of the roadway had washed out in a recent flood. At this time of the day, the workers should be gone.

He was going to take a chance.

He pressed on the accelerator and blew through the barriers set out to stop traffic.

“What are you doing?” Sadie asked, sounding breathless.

“Just hold on!”

He gunned the engine again.

The sedan behind them did the same.

Just before he reached the section of the road that had washed out, he veered to the left.

He glanced in his rearview mirror.

The other driver hadn’t seen the huge gap in the road.

The car headed right toward it.

Trevor threw on brakes and the back of his truck fishtailed, spinning them in a one-eighty.

The next moment, the sedan hit the gigantic hole. The hood dipped, and the vehicle came to a jarring halt, its back wheels spinning useless in the air.

Trevor eased his foot off the brakes and crept toward the scene, remaining cautious. As he got closer, he saw the car had hit the side of the washed-out road hard.

Smoke billowed from beneath the hood.

He threw his truck into Park and climbed out.

Neither of the men inside the car were moving.

Working quickly, he jumped into the hole and jerked the driver’s side door opened.

The man remained lifeless inside.

Wasting no time, he grabbed his knife and cut the man’s seatbelt off, heaved him over his shoulder, and placed him on the road.

He couldn’t reach the other door, so he had to crawl inside the car.

He turned off the engine. But he could still smell gasoline.

The car might go up in flames at any moment.

He had to move quickly.

He cut the other man’s seatbelt off also. Then he tried to heave the guy across the seat.

This man was considerably heavier, plus he was dead weight right now.

“Come on,” Trevor muttered.

The gasoline smell grew stronger.

The smoke became heavier.

He was on borrowed time.

This car was going to blow.

* * *

Sadie held her breath as she looked at the car below. She’d climbed from the truck to see what was happening. To keep an eye on Trevor.

She watched as he disappeared inside.

The scent of gasoline filled the air, and she knew how precarious this was.

Please, Lord . . . protect him.

The man on the ground beside her groaned.

She glanced at him again, but his face didn’t trigger any memories.

Then she turned back to Trevor.

Should she jump down there and help him?

Just then, he emerged from the car. He heaved the man over his shoulder.

The sight of it reminded her how strong Trevor was.

Then he lumbered toward the edge of the road and hauled the man onto the blacktop.

He started to hop up onto the street himself.

Before he could, an explosion filled the air.