Elliot Marshall looked like he’d been through a warzone. No doubt because he had. He had been right in the center of his post when it had been hit, from what reports were saying.
Elliot had covered an elderly woman with his own body when she’d rushed into the TSP post looking for shelter from the storm. She’d reportedly had a heart attack before rescuers could pull her and the chief free. She wasn’t expected to recover. Another victim of the worst storm to hit Finley Creek in history.
“Heard you took a knock to the head,” Turner started.
Elliot gave a half-shrug. “Heard you were buried alive.”
“Yeah. Not my best moments. Met a really pretty girl, though.”
“Do I know her?” Elliot sat up in the bed. More from pure stubbornness than anything. Turner got it, though. They were men with important things to do. “Maybe I can warn her about you.”
“Annie. Annie Gaines.” Turner sank into the chair next to the bed. “She works here at this hospital. She took the worst of things. Still here somewhere. I’m going to find her next and just make certain she’ll be ok.”
Elliot swore. “Hell, Annie’s a good friend of Gabby and Brynna’s. How badly was she hurt? She going to make it?”
Turner swallowed. That was a question he had refused to let himself think about. “Impaled. We were on our way to the basement. She’s probably going to pull through, the paramedic said. Last I saw her, she was with Jillian.”
“You check on her, and let me know. I don’t know if Gabby knows.” Elliot winced as he shifted. Turner got the impression he was ready to climb out of the bed and get back out there. “She’ll want to check on all her friends. Brynna and Mel—”
“Are setting up social media contact systems for the city at the Barratt. Using Houghton’s satellites for Barratt-Handley.” Turner took out his phone and checked again. “Towers are still down.”
“Chance isn’t going to be too far from Brynna. I heard from him a few hours ago, but nothing since. Brynna’s terrified of tornadoes. He won’t want to be too far away from her and the baby.”
“It’s chaos out there, El. I’m not so certain what I’m supposed to do. I’m needed out there in front of the people. What in the hell are we supposed to do now?”
“I know.” Elliot was quiet for a moment. “I have five people still missing. Plus, Clay and Bailey.”
“Death toll is close to forty, and rising,” Turner said. He’d made contact with his younger brother. Tucker was fine, hadn’t even been in town when the storm had hit. He was back now—out searching for Clay. Tucker had search-and-rescue training, and it was being put to use now. His brother was a bloodhound when on the trail of something. He wouldn’t stop until their cousin had been found. Trevor was off in some South American jungle somewhere and probably didn’t even know of the storm.
“Hundreds, possibly more than a thousand injured. Untold missing. Marc Deane’s waiting until we can get up in the air to assess the damage before making the call to FEMA. And there are more rainstorms headed this way. I’m giving the order to close the county roads unless it’s a bona fide medical emergency. They’re talking flooding now on the side roads.”
Elliot nodded. “I’ve got my people hooking up back-up generators from Mason and surrounding counties. That should get our radios back online. Right now, we’re flying dark.”
It had only been seven hours since the storm had hit. “I’ll be making another news appearance in the morning. I’d like it if you could be there.”
“I will—”
“If Lacy says he can,” a firm, feminine voice said behind him. The guard-wife had caught him overstaying his welcome. And Gabby wasn’t happy.
Turner bit back a wince. There were more important things to worry about than upsetting Elliot’s wife. She’d just have to get over it.
“I need him out there. The city…we need as many of us in prominent positions in front of the people as we can get. Let people in the city know that we are still here, even with our basic infrastructure having taken such a hit.”
“I get it,” Gabby said. “But I’m not stupid. Neither are you. The storm was just where it started. It’s going to get crazy out there in the next weeks. Elliot will be more use to the city then, than now. You have McKellan and Callum and Evers and MacNamara and Erickson to help you right now. Elliot can have one—” her voice broke. Elliot held out a hand and his wife snuggled close to his side. “He can have one night to sleep. So he can do his job in the morning.” She took another look at Turner. “I suggest you do the same. You can’t lead the city if you’re dead on your feet. When was the last time you even took a drink? Washed your face?”
Turner stepped toward the door to the attached bath. And swore. There was a streak of dirt—and blood—on his cheek. Annie’s blood. His hand shook when he touched it. “I must have missed it when I cleaned up after being checked out downstairs.”
Elliot squeezed Gabby tighter, wrapping his arm around his wife and pulling her close. “Turner was trapped in city hall for a while, Gab. With Annie Gaines.”
Gabby’s eyes widened. “Is Annie ok?”
“She was hurt, but I think they said she’ll be ok.” Turner ran the water for a moment. Pressure was almost nonexistent, but it was enough to wet a paper towel and wash his face. “I’m heading up to see her now.”
“After you do—do yourself a favor, Turner. Get some sleep yourself. It’s going to be even worse at first light. I’ll meet you just before dawn.”