Dani stopped and took a breath. She whispered, “That’s not what I’m scared of.” She could see the children. They were standing in that garage, watching her, and it was happening all over again. They were depending on her. She was going to fail them.
“What are you scared of?” Jonah kissed her forehead, wrapping his arms tight around her. “Tell me what you’re scared about.”
Dani’s arms hung limp at her side. “People die around me.” The ice was spreading from her stomach. It was invading the rest of her, numbing her. “I didn’t do anything last time.” She gulped for air. She was drowning. “I didn’t do anything last time, and they died. This time—”
“—you’re doing something.”
Dani took her last breath and let loose her demons. “I’m suffocating.”
He pulled back and searched her face. His eyes raked her features. “I know.”
She couldn’t say it. She couldn’t explain it.
“I know,” Jonah said again. He wrapped his arms around her and said again, “I already know.”
Dani’s arms slowly reached up and wrapped around him. She held onto him, as tight as she could.
“And you stayed,” Jonah added. “With those kids—you stayed with them and you did something. You held onto them. Death is sometimes inevitable. Even if it’s for someone who shouldn’t die. I know this river and I know that. And I know you. You stayed.”
Dani never thought the vision of Hawk, driving a flat runner with three more chained behind him, would bring tears of relief to her eyes.
They did.
He winked at her as he climbed off the flat runner. He anchored the first flat runner inside as Jonah darted across all of them to confer with Trent, who drove the other pair.
“How’s it going, Hawk?”
“It’s wet.” Hawk grunted and turned to grab the pile of blankets that Aiden gathered inside the house’s door.
He handed them to Dani, who handed them to Jonah when he returned to the first boat.
“We can hand them out when everyone comes out.”
“That’s a good idea.” But Jonah took one and said, “Before we bring everyone out, we’re going to find Bubba.” He took one blanket, then disappeared again as Dani heard one of the back flat runners zoom off.
Kate and Jake came over.
“Do you have all the flashlights handy?” Dani asked.
Kate nodded.
Hawk said, “We’re going to need five more drivers. Two drivers per boat, one for backup. Just in case. You know anyone who’s driven these things before?”
“We can’t keep them all together?” Kate asked.
“They’ll tip with all that weight. It’s just safer if they separate.”
Dani offered, “Boone. He knows how to drive a jet ski, and I think he told me once his father owns a place down south, by a swamp.”
“That’d work. Who else?”
“I can drive one,” Dani said. “I’ve got experience with this stuff.” She flattened her hand to her side, to stop the shaking.
“Huh?” Kate asked, dumbfounded.
“She does,” Boone spoke from behind her. He gazed outside. “So this is what’s going on.”
Kate held up a hand. “Getting back to Dani knowing how to drive one of these things. What’d you mean by that?”
Boone gestured to Dani. “She’s had to before, and if anyone knows water, it’s—”
Dani cut in, “Jonah, because he’s the Water Whisperer.”
“Great.” Hawk nodded. “Back-ups?”
“Jake can do it.” Dani looked to him. “He’s driven these things since we were little.”
He nodded, stepping forward. “I can do it.”
The sound of an engine was coming back, getting closer and closer. Not far from them, the engine was cut, and a moment later, Jonah darted back over to the other three boats.
“Okay.” He quickly skimmed over the group. “We’re good to go. Flashlights, blankets?”
“Check and check.” Jake nodded, slapping a hand to the pile. “We’ll hand them out. We don’t have enough blankets and flashlights for everyone, but we’re hoping that people can sit together and share. Every third person will get a blanket.”
“Thank God my sister’s a slight pack rat.” Jonah grinned and stood beside Dani. He turned to Hawk. “Drivers?”
Dani answered, “Me. Jake. And Boone. We all have experience.”
Jonah studied her and briefly studied Boone, but he didn’t comment.
Hawk said, “We need two more.”
Jonah jerked his head toward the last boat. “Bubba and Eddie. We just picked ’em both up, but both have used these boats before.”
“We’re good then. We can go.”
Jake held up a hand. “Someone needs to tell everyone inside what’s going on.”
Everyone looked at Jonah. Kate said to him, “You go. They’ll listen to you.”
“Okay.” Jonah nodded to Hawk, and three sets of keys were dished out.
Kate took a blanket and climbed to one of the back boats. Jake disappeared inside, as well as Boone. Dani thought Jonah would follow behind, but he stepped close to her first. “You okay with this?”
She nodded. “I’ll be fine. Sure, I was freaking out a few minutes ago, but I’ve got this. I feel safer with an engine.”