when she felt it rise and fall beneath her palm. ‘He’s breathing.’
‘Keep checking. Tell me at once if his pulse stops or he stops breathing.’
Vowing to take the next first-aid course available, she infused her tone with a confidence she didn’t feel. ‘Jordan, hang on in there. You’re going to be all right. Help is coming and will be here soon. Keep breathing.’
Did he hear her? Probably not, but that faint flutter steadied a little and his breathing became slightly less harsh.
* * *
Niko surveyed her, crouched on the stones, her long fingers clasping the unconscious man’s wrist.
As though sheer willpower could keep him alive, she urged again, ‘Keep breathing, Jordan, keep breathing. It won’t be long now before the ambulance gets here.’
Never had time dragged so slowly. Niko hoped to heaven he hadn’t made Jordan’s injuries—whatever they were—worse by hauling him from the car. The boy had worn a seatbelt so he’d almost certainly have escaped severe injury, although to knock him out the car must have hit the bank heavily.
And the stench of spilt petrol hung in the cool air, a constant threat.
At last the silence, broken only by the regular mournful morepork call of a nearby owl and Elana’s commands to Jordan to keep breathing, was interrupted by the sound of engines labouring up the hill.
Her head jerked up. Voice trembling with relief, she said, ‘Jordan, the ambulance is almost here. I can see its lights flashing through the bush. Keep breathing. You’re going to be all right.’
She fell silent as the ambulance arrived, followed closely by a fire engine and a police car.
Gladly handing over to those who knew what they were doing, Niko gave silent thanks for volunteers, and decided to double the donation he gave to each organisation.
Reaching down, he pulled Elana gently to her feet. Although she valiantly straightened her shoulders, she couldn’t hide the shivers that wracked her slender body.
He shrugged out of his jacket and draped it across her shoulders. ‘All right?’
‘Yes.’
The quaver in her voice and the shiver that accompanied it told him she was in mild shock. Understandable, especially as she knew the kid.
He looped an arm around her shoulder. When she flinched he demanded, ‘What’s the matter? Did your seatbelt hurt you?’
‘No.’ She held herself stiffly while he urged her onto the side of the road out of the way of the vehicles. ‘I’m all right.’
And presumably to prove it, she moved away from him, putting distance between them. For some reason that exasperated him. Eyes narrowed, he kept a close watch on her while the ambulance personnel got to work and what at first seemed chaos soon resolved itself into a well-oiled routine that swiftly transferred the still-unconscious youth to the ambulance.
‘Elana?’ A young policeman stopped in front of them, frowning. ‘You all right?’
‘Don’t worry, Phil, I’m fine,’ she said, and summoned a shaky smile.
‘Rotten thing to happen to you—’ He stopped, looking profoundly uncomfortable, then asked hastily, ‘You sure you’re OK?’
Niko glanced down at her. What was going on? Had she been involved in an accident recently?
‘I’m fine,’ she repeated, her voice a little firmer, and added, ‘Truly, Phil, I’m all right.’
The young cop kept his gaze on her face. ‘Can you tell me what happened?’
‘Neither of us saw it,’ Niko informed him. ‘It looks as though he took the corner too fast, over-corrected, then hit the bank at speed. I think we got here almost immediately after that.’
Questions had to be asked and answered, Niko knew, but surely not now. The woman beside him was no longer shaking, but she was still in shock. No wonder, if she had been involved in an accident.
Apparently the constable agreed, because he said, ‘Thanks for being so quick off the mark—the fire chaps say that it must have been touch and go that the engine didn’t explode. They’ll deal with it until it’s no longer a danger and the guys can tow it away.’ He looked at the silent woman. ‘Elana, I’m sorry—it must be bringing back really bad memories. Right now, you need something hot to drink and someone to look after you. I’d take you home myself—’
‘Phil, don’t be silly,’ she said weakly. Phil’s wife was very pregnant. The last thing she’d need would be him arriving home with someone to look after.
His suspicions confirmed, Niko looked down at her white face. Without thinking, he took her arm and said firmly, ‘She can stay at Mana. The homestead’s not completely repaired yet, but it’s liveable.’
He expected some resistance, and it was in a muted voice she said, ‘No, that’s not necessary. I’m fine.’ But it took an obvious effort for her to stiffen her shoulders as she added, ‘I just hope Jordan will be too.’
‘The ambos think he’s been lucky,’ the constable reassured her. ‘Not too much damage beyond a bad graze and possible cracked ribs. I hope so too, for his parents’ sake. They’ll be at the hospital to meet him.’ He transferred his gaze to Niko. ‘I don’t think Elana should be driving. If you can drop her off at home I’ll make sure her car gets back to her place.’
‘Phil, it’s not necessary.’ Elana’s tight voice made it obvious she didn’t like being discussed as though she weren’t there.
Niko intervened, ‘You’re mildly shocked. I’ll take you home.’
She pulled away from him. ‘I’m all right.’ But her voice wavered on the final word.
‘Be sensible.’ He added crisply, ‘Let the professionals take over.’
Her chin lifted. ‘You’re a professional?’
‘No, but this man is. Come on, give him your keys.’
The cop was hiding a smile, one that almost escaped him when Elana stared indignantly at Niko for a few seconds, then shrugged. ‘The keys are still in my car,’ she said bleakly. ‘OK, Phil, I won’t drive if you think I shouldn’t. I’ll just collect my bag.’
Niko found himself admiring both her spirit and her common sense. He said, ‘I could do with something hot and soothing right now. I’m pretty good at making coffee, but I’m thinking a tot of whisky should go into it.’
The lights of the remaining vehicles revealed both her disbelieving expression and a swift, narrowed glance. ‘I hate whisky.’
Amused by her intransigence, Niko watched her head for her vehicle, and found himself wondering what had given her that sturdy spirit.
Once she was out of earshot the cop turned to him. ‘Rotten thing to happen to her,’ he said, frowning.
‘To
