Violets in February by Clare Revell Read Free Book Online Page A

ASAP.”
    Jed did a double take, throwing his hands up in horror. “Whoa, hang on a tick. I can’t take her. It’d be faster to get a chopper in here. That way she’d be in the city in a couple of hours. Three, at the most.”
    Mani came in, his face downcast. “Generator is out. The blokes are fixing it.”
    “That settles that,” Tim said. “No power for the radio.”
    “Then I’ll give them a bell.” Jed pulled out his cell phone, glared at it and then shoved it back in his pocket. “Fudge and blasters, there’s no signal.”
    “Not here,” Tim said dryly. “Hence the radio. And no power for email either.”
    Jed shook his head. “I can’t take her. The roads aren’t safe. The rebels—actually, speak of the devil. They want to evac you lot outta here. You need to radio—” He broke off, swearing, managing to cut off the blasphemy just in time. “I’ll use the radio in the Ute. Call a chopper and they can take the whole jolly lot of you away.”
    “Jed, please…” Tim began.
    Lucy sighed. “Tim, don’t waste your breath. I’m not going anywhere, least of all with him. And that’s final. Not even if he were the last man on the face of the planet.”
    Jed spun around, fixing his furious gaze on her. His arguments aside, no one was allowed to insult him like that. Yes, he was mad, but there were some words even he wouldn’t use in front of a lady. Instead, he opted for one of the milder cuss words he’d heard even Christians use. “Why the heck not? What’s wrong with me?”
    “You’re rude. I don’t like you. You swear way too much. You have lousy taste in music.” Her eyes unfocused for a second or two. “And you have a snake on your arm.”
    Building anger filled him until her last words. He automatically brushed his arm, glancing down. “No, I don’t,” he snapped. “And I’ll thank you to keep your opinions to yourself.”
    “I don’t feel…” Lucy closed her eyes.
    “The meds are kicking in,” Vic said. “She might be a little more compliant, but I doubt it.”
    Jed turned to Tim. “Look, I agree she needs a hospital, but it’s really not safe out there. The main road is closed because of the fighting, and the back roads are naff at the best of times. On top of that, the Ute can be a little shonky when she puts her mind to it. And with the monsoon about to start the roads are just gonna get worse.”
    Thunder crashed in the distance, right on cue.
    Jed nodded to the window. “The jungle is no place for a woman, especially a sheila who’s talking rubbish.”
    Tim raised an eyebrow. “She was right about one thing.”
    “What’s that?” he asked, not having expected anyone to agree with the woman’s torrent of abuse.
    “Your choice of language can be a little colorful at times. At least more than she’s used to hearing in the mission field.”
    “There is a snake on your arm,” Mani added, indicating the edge of the tattoo peeking from under Jed’s shirt sleeve.
    “And your music is a little loud.” Vic winked.
    Jed scowled. He didn’t want to take the sheila, couldn’t risk something happening to her on the road. But at the same time, she needed medical help and with no radio they couldn’t call a chopper. He could, but the rebels would intercept the transmission and be here sooner. He really had no choice but to try to get the doc out himself. Sucking in a deep breath, he looked at Tim. “Would it be possible to take a shower before we leave?”
    “Sure.” Tim nodded. “We’ve got soap and towels you can use.”
    “Cheers.” He followed the bloke to the shower block. “Pack up what meds the doc will need while I shower. Better give me a weeks’ worth just to be on the safe side.” He took the soap and towels. He turned the water on full belt. He showered twice. First with his clothes on to wash them, because who knew when he’d get to change them again. Then he stripped and showered properly.
    His fingers ran over the snake tattoo on his