by Anne Fraser
She yelped as they passed between two cars. Kendrick was so carefree and full of life it was liberating.
The realisation hit her like a ton of bricks. Since Charlie had died, hadn’t a part of her longed to be with her daughter? Wasn’t that why she’d run, taking this job, knowing if she stayed a moment longer in the home that reminded her of Charlie she would drown in her grief? Now she knew without a shadow of doubt that she wanted to live. Even if the future still seemed bleak.
They were behind a bus now. It was probably heading towards Palm Desert, as they were. Elizabeth was about to yell in Kendrick’s ear that he should slow down when all of a sudden there was an almighty bang and the coach weaved from side to side.
Kendrick braked sharply and only managed to miss the out-of-control bus by a whisker.
As he brought the bike to a halt at the roadside, the sound of screeching metal increased until the air was filled with it. Horrified, Elizabeth watched as almost in slow motion the bus tipped onto its side. For a second she thought it was going to right itself, but it was too late. The weight of the bus was already too much on the left and it was sliding on its side along the tarmac. Kendrick and Elizabeth were so close they could hear the screams from inside the bus.
There was a moment of shocked, eerie silence then she and Kendrick were off the bike and running towards the bus.
Kendrick was punching numbers into his phone as he ran.
‘I’ve alerted the emergency services,’ he called as he caught up with her. ‘I’ve told them to send fire engines as well as Ambulances.
Elizabeth’s heart was pounding so loud she could hardly hear him.
‘We’re going to have to triage them,’ she said. ‘Can you help me?’
‘Don’t worry,’ he said grimly. ‘I’ve done this before.’
Already some of the passengers were climbing from the wreckage, looking dazed.
‘Please, sit down over there.’ Elizabeth pointed to the roadside. ‘Keep away from the road itself, and wait until either I or the emergency services gets to you.’
She was about to clamber through one of the open emergency windows when she felt a hand on her arm.
‘I’ll go first,’ Kendrick said.
She shook his arm away. ‘Kendrick. I’m the doctor. Those people inside need me.’
But he had already slipped past her and was disappearing inside the bus. Elizabeth followed.
It was difficult to see what was going on inside. The bus being on its side had tossed everyone sitting on the right over to the left and there was no way to tell how many injured lay under the mass of bodies.
Kendrick was systematically picking his way through the wreckage, stopping at each passenger and giving them a brief once-over, pointing those who could walk to the safety of the emergency exit. As he moved through the coach several more people struggled to their feet and Elizabeth helped them out.
‘Lizzie. Over here!’ Kendrick called her over.
She squeezed her way past the exiting passengers until she was next to him. He was bent over an elderly lady who was clutching her chest, clearly in shock.
Elizabeth felt for a pulse. It was more rapid than normal, but that was only to be expected, given the circumstances. As far as she could tell, the woman was in no immediate danger.
‘My Bill,’ the elderly woman gasped. ‘Where is my Bill? He was sitting next to me.’
A glance at Kendrick told her he was thinking the same thing. Bill was very likely trapped underneath the twisted metal.
‘What’s your name, honey?’ Kendrick asked.
‘Martha. But please.’ She clutched Kendrick’s shirt. ‘You have to find my Bill.’
‘Take it easy, ma’am,’ Kendrick said gently. ‘I’ll find him, don’t you worry. But first we’re going to have to get you out of here. Do you think you can stand for me?’
While Kendrick was seeing to Martha, Elizabeth clambered back towards the front. She had to check the driver, although she doubted he would have stood a chance. And she was right. The driver was staring upwards, his neck at an unnatural angle, his unseeing eyes staring into space. Elizabeth leaned over him and gently closed his eyes before turning back to the rear of the bus. With most if not all the walking wounded having made their way out of the bus, only now would they be able to determine whether anyone was trapped and hurt—or, God help them, dead.
Kendrick squeezed past her, supporting Martha. As he passed he shook his head. Either Bill was dead or he couldn’t find him.
Elizabeth stepped over the wreckage, stopping every foot or so to lift a piece of metal. She could hear Martha’s cries for her husband coming from outside and Kendrick’s voice, low and reassuring. If Bill was in here, she had to find him.
And then she saw it. A foot sticking out from beneath tangled metal that must have been a seat at one time. Dropping to her knees, she called out to Kendrick, frantically trying to lift the twisted bits of steel. God, could anyone have survived underneath this?
She was almost crying with frustration when she felt Kendrick beside her. She was lifted and set aside.
‘Let me,’ Kendrick said. ‘I’m stronger.’
Within a few minutes Kendrick had exposed Bill’s head. Although there was a deep gash in the old man’s forehead and he was deathly pale, he was still alive. She had to get better access to him. Suddenly she became aware of smoke and raised her head. Flames were licking at the back of the bus.
‘Elizabeth, you need to get out of here. If the fire takes hold, the bus could explode.’ Kendrick’s voice was calm.
‘I’m not going anywhere,’ Elizabeth said. ‘Not until Bill’s okay.’
Kendrick held her stare and she saw something flash in his eyes. Incongruously he grinned. ‘Then we’d better get Bill stabilised and hope that the fire service gets here soon.’
As Kendrick continued to pull the remains of the seat away, more and more of Bill came into view. Elizabeth felt along his legs and up across his torso. As far as she could tell, nothing was broken. That was good. But she couldn’t tell how badly he’d injured his head or whether he’d hurt his neck. If they attempted to move him without supporting his neck, they could paralyse him. Damn. If she’d been driving her own car, she would have had a neck brace. It was no use thinking like that. She had nothing. Only her hands … and Kendrick.
Kendrick was removing his shirt and twisting it into a snake-like scarf. Immediately Elizabeth guessed what he was doing. As a makeshift neck brace, it wasn’t prefect, but it could make the difference.
The flames were higher now and the interior of the bus was filling with smoke. If they didn’t get Bill out, he could die from smoke inhalation. They all could. If fire didn’t get them first.
‘It’s okay, Lizzie,’ Kendrick said quietly. ‘The bus runs on diesel. It’s less likely to explode. But we should get out soon.’
She was easing the makeshift neck brace under Bill’s neck.
‘You go. I’ll carry Bill.’
‘It’ll be safer if we lift him between the two of us.’
Kendrick looked as if he was about to protest, but he nodded as if he knew he’d be wasting time arguing with her. Crouching, he manoeuvred himself into the space behind Bill and placed his hands under his arms. When Kendrick gave her a sign to let her know they were ready, she took hold of Bill’s legs and together they lifted the injured man. Inch by inch, aware that the flames were getting closer, they made their way along the bus to the open emergency exit.
Just as they were reaching the exit, the sound of sirens filled the air. Elizabeth’s legs almost buckled with relief. Getting their patient out of the bus was a far trickier procedure than lifting him along the narrow corridor of the bus. They could wait here for the rescue team to arrive. There was enough fresh air for them to breathe and in the meantime she could monitor Bill’s breathing.
Catching Kendrick’s eyes, she knew he was thinking the same thing. He was in a more precarious position than she was. His escape route
was blocked by Bill and her.
‘I’m okay,’ he said. ‘Just do what you have to. They’ll get us out in no time.’
Kendrick and Elizabeth watched as the last of the walking wounded were lifted into ambulances and taken to hospital to be checked over. The fire service trucks and police would remain at the accident scene until the bus had been towed away and the crash scene returned to normal. She looked down at her gold blouse, noting it was covered in blood from Bill’s head wound.
As the adrenaline seeped away, Elizabeth started to shake.
Kendrick picked up his leather jacket from the ground and placed it over her shoulders.
‘Are you okay?’ he asked.
‘I’m glad you were with me,’ Elizabeth said. ‘I don’t know how I would have managed if you hadn’t been here.’ And it was true. Kendrick had been calm and methodical, as if he were used to dealing with multiple casualties every day.
‘You would have coped.’ He looked at her with admiration in his eyes. ‘Bill owes his life to you.’
A silence stretched between them as their eyes locked. Why couldn’t Simon have been more like this man? She couldn’t imagine Kendrick deserting his wife and child when the going got tough. Despite his casual, laid-back manner there was something solid and dependable about Kendrick and despite the alarm bells going off in her head she remembered what it felt to be held in this man’s arms. Safe, secure, but also dangerous. And dangerous was the part she had to remember. She shouldn’t confuse his ability to cope in an emergency with dependability. She had no reason to think Kendrick was any different to Simon. But at least Kendrick wasn’t making any promises.
‘Come on, then,’ Kendrick said, ‘There’s nothing more we can do here.’
As if he knew she had had enough excitement for one day, the journey back to the film set was taken at a much gentler speed. Tiredness washed over her and she leaned herself against his back, savouring the solid feel of him.
‘I’m going to shower,’ Kendrick said when they arrived back at the set, deserted except for the security personnel who waved them in with a nod and a smile of recognition. ‘I suggest you do the same. Then I’ll rustle us up something to eat.’
Elizabeth shook her head. ‘I’m not hungry.’ But then, as another wave of tiredness and dizziness washed over her, she swayed.
‘Hey, hey, hey,’ Kendrick said, and before she knew it she was being swept up into his arms.
She wriggled, but it was no use. Kendrick held her too firmly.
He kicked open the door of her trailer with his boot and pushed his way inside. He placed her gently on her sofa and turned towards her bathroom.
‘Take off your clothes,’ he said, ‘while I turn on the shower. Then you’re going to get into bed while I organise us some food. You should have something.’
‘I’m okay,’ Elizabeth mumbled, too tired to protest. ‘Perfectly able to get myself showered. I might have a little nap first.’
Reaching behind the bathroom door, he found her robe and tossed it to her.
‘If you don’t remove those clothes, I’ll do it for you.’
The tone of his voice left her in no doubt he meant what he said. She struggled to her feet and picked up the robe.
‘Okay, okay. Are you always this much of a bully?’ But it felt good. Somebody else was making decisions. Someone was looking after her for a change. She swallowed the lump that rose in her throat. How long had it been?
When Kendrick left, she stepped into the shower and let the warm water wash over her. Her clothes were ruined, but she didn’t care. At least she had been able to save a life today. There would be a family who wouldn’t have to go through what she’d been through, and despite her exhaustion that felt good.
After her shower, she wrapped her hair in a towel turban style and slipped her robe back on. Kendrick would be back with food soon and she should really get dressed. But she had no energy to do that. All she wanted right now was to sleep. She prayed that for once it would be dreamless.
She pulled the over-large T-shirt she used as a nightie over her head and slipped into bed, pulling the sheets up to her chin. Surely not even Kendrick could mistake her actions for anything more than a desperate, overwhelming urge for rest? She closed her eyes, just for a moment. She would hear him return and then she’d persuade him that she was perfectly all right and just needed to be left alone.
Kendrick stood, tray in hand, looking down at Elizabeth. In sleep she looked younger, more vulnerable. Something shifted in his chest. He had started out wanting to sleep with her, but now? Now he wanted more. He found himself wanting to know more about her. And that hadn’t happened for a long, long time.
She was beautiful but she didn’t even seem to notice. He placed the tray on the floor and sat on the edge of the bed. Were those dried tears he saw on her cheeks? It surprised him. Until last night he would have said she was incapable of much emotion, she was so much the ice maiden. Yesterday at the hospital he’d seen a wave of sadness cross her face. But she had dealt with the bus crash calmly and efficiently. This was a woman he’d want around if ever he got into trouble in one of his stunts. Come to think of it, this was a woman he wanted around, period.
The thought took him by surprise. He was treading on dangerous ground, letting Elizabeth get under his skin.
He was about to creep away when she whispered, ‘No!’ For one crazy moment he thought she knew he was there and was begging him not to go, but she cried out the word again and fresh tears leaked from her eyes.
Then she was crying in earnest. Deep, racking sobs that shook her body. Instinctively he pulled her into his arms.
‘Shh,’ he whispered. ‘Wake up, Lizzie. You’re having a bad dream.’
Her eyes snapped open and what he saw there made him suck in a breath. He had never seen such naked pain before and it did something to his insides.
‘Charlie,’ she said urgently. ‘I want Charlie.’
‘Who is Charlie?’ he asked.
The confusion in her eyes cleared and he saw that she had woken up from whatever dark place she’d been. Who was this Charlie?
‘Kendrick?’ She struggled to sit up, brushing the tears away from her cheeks with a trembling hand. ‘What … what time is it?’
‘It’s seven,’ he said. ‘I brought you some food. I think you should eat something.’
She smiled wanly. ‘A true knight in shining armour. Maybe I could just have a coffee.’
He stood back to let her get out of bed. She was wearing a too-big T-shirt that slipped off her shoulder, revealing an exquisite glimpse of the swell of her breasts. The T-shirt skimmed the tops of her thighs. He swallowed a groan. God, he wanted her. Had she not just a few moments ago been held in the grip of a nightmare he wouldn’t have been able to stop himself from kissing her. But then she reached out for him and he was lost.
‘Who is Charlie?’ Kendrick asked much later. At his words she felt herself stiffen.
‘Why do you ask?’ She was sure she hadn’t mentioned Charlie to him.
‘You were dreaming when I brought you the food. You were crying and you said his name. Was he your ex-husband?’
Her blood chilled. She didn’t want her past to have anything to do with this … whatever it was. If she told him about Charlie, it would change things. She wanted this to stay simple.
‘No. Someone else.’ Forgive me, Charlie. I never thought I’d deny you.
She turned around in his arms until she was facing him. ‘I don’t want to talk about Charlie,’ she said. ‘For whatever time we are together I want to pretend there is no past and not try to pretend there is a future. I want to live for the here and now. Can you accept that?’
His smile widened. ‘Hey, that’s usually my line.’
She leaned towards him, caught his bottom lip between her teeth and bit it gently. As his arms tightened about her she felt a flicker of triumph. It was her turn to make him crazy.
When Elizabeth woke again, the sun was shining
through the curtains of her trailer and she was alone. Some time during the early hours of the morning she’d been aware of Kendrick kissing her and saying softly that he was going back to his trailer before the others arrived back.
She lifted her arms behind her head and stretched languorously. Then she glanced at the clock. Nine o’clock! She hadn’t slept that late for years!
Leaping out of bed, she hurried to the shower. Although there wouldn’t be any filming today, it was possible one or more of the cast might have returned early and come looking for her. Finding their doctor in bed was not the image she wanted to engender.
As she lathered herself she thought back to the last couple of nights. The truth was it was difficult to think of anything but Kendrick. She sighed. Had she made a mistake, sleeping with him? It hadn’t been planned but the need for comfort, the need to be held, the need to forget about her pain had been too strong. But that didn’t explain the other times they had made love. She blushed at the memory. That had been pure lust.
By the time she emerged from her trailer she was feeling distinctly panicky. How would Kendrick behave towards her? Would he act as if nothing had happened? Would he ignore her—heaven forbid—or would he try to pick up where they’d left off? And what did she want? Damn. She felt like a girl with her first crush.
Kendrick looked up from his coffee as she entered the mess tent. He was chatting to Josh.
Her heart beating wildly, Elizabeth knew she had no option but to join them. She just wished she didn’t feel like a schoolgirl on her first date.
‘Morning, Lizzie,’ Kendrick greeted her, his eyes dancing. ‘Did you sleep well?’
‘Very well,’ Elizabeth responded primly, hoping her face wasn’t as red as it felt. ‘Do you mind if I join you?’ Now she knew she sounded as if she were at some tea party. The gleam in Kendrick’s eye told her he was enjoying her discomfort.
‘Of course.’ Kendrick made space for her to sit next to him. ‘We’re just discussing one of our gags.’
‘Gag?’ Elizabeth was confused.