The storm was on top of them.
He spotted the twister’s tail as it roared toward town. Dozens of plate-glass windows would be shedding their frames any minute, and he glanced around for a place to shelter. The closest building was the bridal shop, and he pulled Jane to the door. They practically fell inside with the force of the wind propelling them.
Reid spared a glance over his shoulder at the tornado, now on the ground, bearing toward them. It was big. Scary big.
“This way,” the blonde owner shouted. “I’ve got a storm closet back here.”
Half carrying Jane so she could keep up, he ran after the blonde, forgetting her name in the chaos. She opened a heavy door and flipped on the light, and the three of them plunged into the small space built of concrete blocks.
The sound of breaking glass came as he shut them in and locked the door. His heart pounded, and he held Jane upright. Her hazel eyes were unfocused, and a trickle of blood trailed down her forehead.
“Are you okay? Jane!” If he hadn’t had her gripped by the shoulders, she would have fallen over.
She swayed and put her hand to her head. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
He got her seated on a bench along the back wall and put her head down. “Take deep breaths.”
He wasn’t sure what had hit her, but she’d taken enough of a blow to knock her silly. Crashing and banging blared from outside, and something struck the door where they sheltered. It shuddered but stayed locked.
Jane took several breaths before she raised her head. Her eyes were clear this time, and she dabbed at the blood with her fingers. “I’m bleeding.”
“Yeah. I didn’t see what hit you.”
“I think it was a piece of glass.” She gazed around the space and saw the woman. “Fiona, I’m so thankful you’re okay. We’re in your storm shelter?”
The woman’s bun had come half undone and lay in blonde swaths on her shoulders. “I think my shop is coming apart.”
The racket outside was ear shattering, and vibrations rumbled through the floor. Stuff hit the door again, and Reid sat between Jane and the door, blocking anything from getting to her if the thing didn’t hold.
She buried her face in his chest as the sound reached a crescendo. He could feel her heart beating through the shirt on her back, and he held her in a comforting grip.
Fiona sat in a corner with her knees pulled to her chest and her head down. Her face was white, and she was praying aloud, though Reid caught only an occasional word.
Then the chaos was over. The wind lessened and the clatter ceased. Reid wanted to make sure it wasn’t coming back, so he hung on to Jane. “Let’s wait a few minutes before we open the door.”
Jane raised her head. “Fiona, I heard you’re dating Drew Briscoe. True?”
Reid hid a smile. Ever the cop. Plus, he suspected she was trying to distract her friend.
Fiona lifted her face, and her lips eased into a tremulous smile. “True. He went through a lot with Gail, and he’s been so good to me.”
Jane bit her lip. Reid knew she wanted to warn her friend against the man. She shouldn’t waste her breath. When a person, man or woman, wore that kind of besotted expression, they didn’t listen to reason. “Okay.”
“You’re listening to the rumors about him. I know he wasn’t necessarily kind to Gail, but he’s changed. He’d never hit me. I’d clock him with a frying pan if he tried.”
“You remember that,” Jane said. “Did you ever talk to Gail?”
“Never, other than once when she came in here searching for a gift. She was nice enough.”
“Did she know you were dating Drew?”
“Oh yes. I could tell by the way she glared at me. But I never gave her the opportunity to warn me off.” Fiona’s light laugh held a trace of unease.
Reid rose and went to the door where he waited for total silence. When it finally came, he cracked open the door and peered out into a scene of utter destruction.
Wedding dresses were off their hangers, soaked and covered in mud and debris. Shelves lay upended, and the front counter with its cash register was missing. The windows had all blown out. Glass and debris crunched under his shoes as he walked out. Sunlight touched the destruction, and he looked up to see the roof mostly missing.
“Wow,” Jane whispered behind him. “It’s all gone.”
Fiona followed her out too and stood openmouthed at the loss of her shop. She stared at the missing ceiling, then back to the front door. It was the only glass in the place that was still there.
She drew in a shuddering breath. “At least we’re still alive. I’ve got insurance, too, praise God. Everyone okay?”
“Yes.” Jane squared her shoulders and headed for the door. “I need to see what’s happened to my town.”
Reid followed her out into a scene of unbelievable destruction. This store had been hit, and two other places were missed. Down the other direction, the other side of the road was hit harder.
Ambulances wailed in the distance, and Jane ran to begin checking businesses for casualties. He glanced at his watch. They still had a few hours before they could see Will. Hopefully Bay Minette had been spared, and Will wouldn’t hear enough to worry about them.
Thirty-One
Jane’s head ached, and she was bone weary after checking on residents and picking up debris in the affected shops for the past two hours. It could have been worse. She spotted Reid working too. He had mud on his face and arms from tossing out splintered boards and mud-covered merchandise. Mayor Lisa Chapman too.
She glanced at her watch. She had fifteen minutes before they needed to leave for Bay Minette. It would take nearly fifty minutes to get there without heavy traffic, but if she needed to, she could flip on her lights and siren to get there in time to see Will.
She turned when Reid called her name. He cradled a little redhead in his arms who looked to be about five. The little guy had a gash on his head, and he was staring up at Reid with something akin to hero worship.
“Parents?”
“Can’t find them. I think his cut might need stitches.”
The boy reached for her, and she took him. “Let’s get him to a nurse.”
His sturdy frame in her arms made her remember again all she’d missed of Will’s childhood. She’d shied away from too much contact with children over the years. Being around them was such a painful reminder of what she’d lost. She kept all that walled in, along with her desire to never hurt that much again.
She glanced at Reid walking beside her. She’d kept herself from him too. Too much even now. She needed to talk to him about it. Explain herself.
She handed over the little boy to one of the nurses running triage, and a frantic redhead came running up. “My son!”
“He’s going to be okay. Might need stitches, but that’s all.”
“The wind snatched him right out of my arms.” The mother put her hands to her face and sobbed. “I thought he was dead.”
Reid put a comforting hand on her back and guided her forward. “In there.”
“We need to go,” Jane said.
“I know. I’ve been watching the clock. Want me to drive?”