Drake Sisters 07 - Hidden Currents

of the helicopter to move the crowd of volunteers farther away from the cliff. Jonas made certain that Clyde, Trudy, Drew and Reginald were among those in the center of the crowd, away from any potential harm.
    El e let her breath out slowly and climbed up on top of a boulder in order to get a better view of the rocks below. She could see the two victims lying sprawled out, Venita’s right arm dangling off the rock so that each time a wave crashed against the large mussel-covered rock, the water tugged at her, threatening to pul her into the sea. The rocks were slick and polished from the constantly pounding sea and the life growing on them. It had to be difficult to cling to the surface. RJ moved one leg, but otherwise, stayed stil . He was lower than Venita and every few waves the water splashed high and sprayed over him.
    The helicopter rose into the air and her heart began to pound as it circled above the victims and began to maneuver into position. She could see the crew through the open door, the strain showing on their faces as they approached the cliffs from the right. The winds were steady and El e knew from talking with Ty that it was essential they stay that way, as gusts over twenty miles an hour made it impossible to perform a rescue along their coastline.
    With her heart in her throat, she watched the helicopter slow and then the crew chief move to the skid and secure himself. “It’s Ty,†she whispered aloud as a second man moved to the skid. He would be the rescuer, the crew member going down the rope, putting himself in harm’s way.
    â€œI knew it.†Fate had a way of interfering, of repeating when it didn’t get its way.
    â€œTy has nerves of steel,†Jonas muttered, shaking his head. The last time Ty had performed a short-haul over-water rescue on the coast, he’d fal en and suffered major head trauma.
    El e couldn’t imagine what was going through his mind, but she looked frantical y for the shadowy, robed figure skulking somewhere in the rocks. I can’t see him. Even to herself she sounded desperate. She clutched at Jackson’s sleeve as she twisted around, trying to get a visual on the others who had been in the grocery store. “Drew! He’s over by the fence. Look at the ground along there.†A faint crack had developed, whether from the firefighters and their equipment as they’d tried to get down to the victims, or whether Death could maneuver the ground to suit its needs, she didn’t know.
    â€œI’l get him,†Jackson said.
    â€œNo!†El e held him tighter. “You can’t. Death is crouched right behind him. Don’t cal attention to yourself or Drew. Not yet.â€
    She could see the apparition now; it wasn’t facing Drew, but rather toward the helicopter. She glanced down toward the sea below. Ty was on the rock, crouched beside Venita. He moved over her, gently removing her arm from the water, obviously communicating with her. She could see the girl writhing in pain. Her heart pounding now so hard it hurt, El e watched as Ty careful y, in a crouch, made his way to assess RJ.
    She could taste fear and danger in her mouth. “The cliff is going to go.†She gripped Jackson harder, afraid to look away from Ty, afraid to take her eyes off Death. Jonas sprinted across the grass toward Drew. Jackson tore free from El e’s hand and went after him. Death leapt into the air and came down hard. A tremor rocked the earth. Someone screamed. The ground began to crumple al along the cliff. Mud, rock, the fence and debris crashed down toward the sea and the rocks below.
    Drew slipped, arms waving in the air to try to balance. For one moment, Death looked back over his shoulder, hesitating as he saw the boy waver in the air. Jonas dove, locked hands with Drew as the boy went over, taking his weight, just holding him there as Jonas lay prone in the tal grass. Jackson anchored Jonas’s legs as the firemen rushed to help. Death turned back toward the sea, looking to the victims below, his face a mask of unholy glee, and then he leapt.
    El e looked below to see Ty’s body blanketing Venita’s. He must have covered the girl when the slide started and the rocks had bounced al around them. She could see RJ hidden under a pile of boulders and mud. Ty stood up cautiously and leaned over to look at the man crushed on the rocks.
    There was a slight movement.