Sonya and Fiona were the first to appear, followed closely by Peter and Lana.
Lana.
Had she been told of her father’s death? He couldn’t worry about that now. Not with Fox and Raven in danger.
“We need to get them to the hospital.”
“Oh, good heavens,” Fiona exclaimed. “Eva!”
Eva waddled out the front door, holding the underneath of her swollen belly. “What the hell happened?”
“Fox is in the second stage of hypothermia, and…and Raven…” He had to take another breath. “Raven’s been shot.” His heart stuttered over all that he could lose.
Fiona gasped, her hand covering her mouth as tears sprang to her eyes.
Eva rushed over to them. Aidan was afraid to move off the snow machine. Raven and Fox were both awfully quiet and he was sandwiched between the two of them. Any jostling he did could shake them both to the icy ground.
“Fiona, get me some hot water bottles and blankets,” Eva began barking orders. “Lana, give her a hand. Sonya, find us a vehicle to take them to Fairbanks. Peter, get those men back here. Let them know we have Fox and what the situation is.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Peter hurried after the women.
Eva checked the pulse at Fox’s neck. He was still unconscious, and his shivering had stopped.
“Where was Raven shot?” Eva softly asked.
Raven stirred behind him, the movement a blast of hope to his heart. It had been so long since he’d felt anything more than her weight pressing heavily onto his back.
“It’s just a graze. We need to get Fox to the hospital.” Raven moved to stand. Eva rushed to help as Raven stumbled off the snow machine. “Help me get these damn snowshoes off or I’m going to kill myself.”
“I’ve got keys to someone’s Durango,” Sonya said, coming back out of the lodge with her coat on. “I’ll get it started and warmed up.” She hurried to the electric-blue SUV parked in the lot.
Aidan climbed off the snowmobile, lifted Fox into his arms, and walked over to the Durango where Eva had opened the door to the backseat. He gently laid Fox on the seat, taking off his coat and wrapping it around his son. His lips were bright blue, his breathing fast and shallow. Fiona appeared behind Aidan and handed him the hot water bottles. He tucked them around Fox, up and under his coat, covering him with the thick blankets that Fiona had also provided. Eva scooted in next to Fox.
Raven stood swaying on her feet. “Eva, tell me he’s going to be okay.”
“He’s going to be fine. Now let’s get this sorry-ass group to the hospital.”
Aidan made a quick grab for Raven as her head lolled on her shoulders. He caught her up in his arms just before she would have hit the ground.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Aidan paced the putty-colored corridors of the ER. Eva had called ahead on her cell and had the staff prep for their arrival. But things were still taking too long. He’d already been questioned by the troopers as the doctors had to report on Raven’s gunshot. There had been no word on Fox. They’d kicked him out of the room since he was in the way and Raven had been sent up for a CAT scan as she hadn’t regained consciousness by the time they’d arrived.
Fiona and Sonya had followed in another car and were quietly talking in the corner of the waiting room with Eva. Every now and then he felt their worried eyes on him. Life had never played him a winning hand. How could he expect that now would be any different?
He should never have come back.
But then if he hadn’t come back he wouldn’t know about Fox, wouldn’t have gotten to know what a great kid his own flesh and blood was. And the wondrous stolen hours with Raven, how could he wish those had never happened? Yes, things hadn’t gone as planned, but when did they? Who’s to say what would have happened if he hadn’t been here when Roland and Genie set into motion their play for the gold? What if Fox had stumbled onto one of them like he had today and Aidan hadn’t been here to help find him? Fox might not have made it.
One thing Aidan had come to realize, he wasn’t giving up on his family. He loved Raven, always had. And he loved Fox. He was staying. He was going to be there for both of them. Even if Raven decided she didn’t want him around, he still had a right to be Fox’s father. Do fatherly stuff. He’d make right the wrongs of the past by being the man he knew he could be, the kind of father to Fox that he wished he’d had.
The doors to the ER whooshed open, bringing with it a blast of frigid air and Garrett Hunt.
“What’s the status?” Garrett asked, hands on hips, in full cop mode.
“They’re treating Fox for hypothermia. He’s got frostbite on his fingers and toes. We don’t know how bad it is yet. He curled up into a ball for warmth, which protected his face. Raven is still unconscious. They just took her up for a CAT scan.”