Expect the Sunrise by Susan May Warren Read Free Book Online Page B

Captain?” Ishbane approached, making no attempt to conceal his anger—or maybe fear. “I have an important meeting in Prudhoe Bay that I can’t miss.”
    “Let me call you a cab,” snapped Flint. “I think we should be thanking her for keeping us alive. We could’ve been killed!”
    Ishbane glared at Emma.
    She didn’t flinch, simply regarded him with emotionless eyes.
    “Or still in the air if she hadn’t tried to fly through that storm,” Ishbane responded.
    “Speaking of storm,” Nina spoke from her perch behind them. “I think it’s moving in.” She looked beyond them.
    Mac didn’t miss the tremor in her voice. He glanced overhead. Sure enough, the ceiling had darkened, and thunder rolled in. “We need shelter.”
    “We need to get out of here!” Ishbane said. “How far are we from the highway?”
    Emma shook her head. “Twenty, maybe thirty miles. I have a map in my gear. I’ll try and chart our path, but once we went into that spin …”
    They’d all been thinking about hitting the ground. Preferably in one piece.
    Thunder growled again. Mac looked to the sky as did Phillips.
    “We need to quickly get as much as we can out of the plane.” Emma’s voice cut through the gathering panic. “Mr. McRae, will you and Mr. Phillips carry Sarah away from the plane? Keep an eye on her breathing. If she starts to labor at all, get me immediately. I’ll dig out my emergency kits.”
    Mac felt a gust of relief at the words emergency kits . Okay, he’d give her points for preparation.
    He moved with Phillips to lift the injured woman while Emma moved toward the wreckage. The smell of gas hung heavily in the air, and the sounds of sparks made his stomach clench.
    Spark plus leaking fuel … the thought clung to him as he watched the pilot wriggle her way back inside.

Chapter 3
     
    THE SMELL OF fuel leaking from the severed wings nearly knocked Andee back as she unlatched the door in the back of the plane. Sparks spit out from the instrument panel. Ignoring them, she focused her attention on retrieving her emergency supplies. Alaska flight rules dictated that she carry enough emergency provisions for each passenger. She had packed that, including her personal bag of provisions. With Sarah’s sudden arrival, however, they were one kit short.
    Please, Lord, let Sarah be okay. She let that prayer fill her soul as she tugged out the duffel bag of supplies, fighting her shaking hands. Being a pilot demanded that she be prepared to land and spend the night in the bush at any time. She’d overnighted near Koyukuk River twice over the summer after rain had forced her down on mail runs from Bettles. But during those overnights, she’d never had to look after passengers—a job she steered away from. She’d been on too many high-altitude rescues and experienced the whims of Alaskan weather too often to enjoy watching out for passengers.
    Please, Lord, don’t let anyone die!
    She heard a grunt behind her and looked over her shoulder. McRae had wedged himself inside. “Get out! This plane could explode,” she ordered.
    “Hand me the duffel.”
    Andee waged a half-second debate with herself, then shoved the bag toward him. She yanked another one out. Prying herself through the door, she gritted her teeth as she tugged. The canvas caught on the sharp edges.
    Phillips came up behind her and lent his strength to the handles. She heard the material rip but didn’t care as they carried it away.
    “Get away from the plane,” Andee said as she saw Nina approaching.
    “My camera!”
    “No, Nina. There are still sparks. It’s not safe.”
    “It’s an entire month of work!” Nina started for the cabin, panic in her movements.
    Andee dropped the pack and grabbed at Nina. “I said no!” She pulled Nina away from the plane.
    Nina clawed at Andee’s hand on her arm. “Get away from me!”
    A spray of sparks spit from the instrument panel. Andee tackled her, bracing herself for the explosion as she threw an