“Everything checking out okay?” Joe asked.
Donovan glanced up at his brother, who stood by Swanny. His first call had been to Joe, since he lived outside the compound. Then he’d called his parents, frantic with worry over whether they’d withstood the tornado. Other than a tree down on their property and a few missing shingles, they were okay. Donovan’s brothers would go out as soon as it got light so they could assess any damage his father hadn’t been able to see.
One by one, other members of the extended Kelly family had checked in, and all were accounted for. Thank God.
“Yeah, it’s all looking good. My babies did their job,” he said with a grin.
Joe rolled his eyes. “You need to get out more, man. You’re developing far too close a relationship with your technology.”
“Pull the weather service map of the storm, Swanny. I want to see the path the tornado took.”
Swanny bent over one of the computers and a few moments later, the screens in front of Donovan lit up and showed multiple views of the tornado’s trajectory.
Donovan studied it carefully and his breath caught when he saw the exact path the storm had taken. A knot formed in his stomach and his fingers curled into tight fists.
“Fuck,” he whispered.
“What is it?” Joe asked sharply.
“We have to go,” Donovan bit out. “I need you and Swanny.”
“What’s going on?” Joe demanded. “Talk to us, man.”
“Eve,” he said. “God. I didn’t even think. I never should have let them stay there tonight. I knew the fucking weather was going to be bad and I knew that shitty trailer they’re living in provided no protection from the elements whatsoever. And Cammie is sick. Goddamn it, I should have hauled them out of there earlier.”
“You aren’t making any sense,” Swanny said in a calm voice.
Donovan’s fist came down on the countertop with a rattle. “They were right in the path of the tornado. That trailer would have never survived even the weakest storm, much less an F3 like this one was. We have to get over there. I hope to fuck we aren’t too late. If they were killed I’ll never forgive myself.”
“Shit,” Joe muttered. “Let’s go. Swanny and I are with you. Should we call out the others?”
Donovan shook his head. “Maybe Sean, though he’s probably up to his ears with all the other victims. The others need to stay with their own families. We’ll see what we’re dealing with when we get there. If we need help, we’ll call then. Right now I have to get the hell over there and make sure they’re all right.”
“Let’s roll,” Swanny said shortly.
Donovan hurried out to his truck. Joe got in the passenger seat and Swanny hopped into the extra cab. He roared out of the compound, scanning the sky for any sign of impending daybreak. It was lightening toward the east and within thirty minutes they’d have enough light to see what they were dealing with.
“There are flashlights in the back, Swanny. Under the seat. Pull those out and make sure they work. It’ll be light soon but we’ll be there in ten minutes and we’ll need them.”
“On it,” Swanny said.
There was rustling in the back and a few moments later Swanny said, “Got ’em. Looks like you have four.”
He handed two up to Joe and kept the others.
“Careful, man,” Joe murmured. “Keep it on the road. We aren’t going to be of any help to them if you wrap your truck around a tree.”