TWO

      The pierce of sirens slowly circled in her mind as she became aware of the trees, the clouds and even the ground spinning around her. She grasped for something to steady herself with so that she wouldn’t fall off. But off what? Where was she?

      The sirens stopped, and the buzz of summer insects filled the silence. Something tickled her forehead, and with great effort, she lifted a hand to brush it away.

      “Katie?”

      Whatever was tickling her sprang back, and she brushed it away again.

      “Katie, can you open your eyes?”

      It was a low but strong male voice, and she forced her eyes open to find that this man was the one tickling her forehead, brushing and smoothing her hair away with his hand. She closed her eyes again, wanting to lie there and rest. But the man squeezed her shoulder. “Katie, you fainted. Can you wake up? Are you all right?”

      Adam. That was his name. The events of the afternoon came rushing back—looking for her bruder, finding him at the cabin, climbing the tree with the ICE special agent.

      Her head rested on a soft surface, and she noticed he now wore only a navy T-shirt with his khaki cargo pants. His button-down shirt was gone. He must have used it as a pillow for her.

      Where is Timothy? With her abdominal muscles, she pulled herself to a sitting position. The sky and trees began a violent spin around her, and she swayed against Adam. With eyes closed, she leaned against him until the spinning subsided.

      Slowly she opened her eyes. “Are we safe now?”

      “Yes. The police are here. They found the cabin cleared out.”

      “Mein bruder? Timothy?”

      “I’m not sure who your brother is, but everyone was gone. I would guess they scattered when they heard the sirens.”

      “Who are they? What are they doing here?”

      “First let’s get you some medical care. The paramedics are here. Can you make it to the ambulance? They drove off the country road and into the grass, but they’re going to have a tough time getting through the trees to us.” He scanned the horizon behind her.

      “Jah, I think so. But will you stay close? Just in case?” It felt like a weak smile that she offered him, but he smiled in return, a kind look in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.

      It seemed a long way through the trees to the spot where the ambulance had pulled up into the clearing. Katie breathed with relief to see that the paramedic was a woman. She looked barely older than Katie, with dark hair knotted into a bun. As she helped Katie lie down on the cot, she smiled warmly, and Katie had instant faith in her.

      As Adam leaned against the open door of the ambulance, the paramedic quickly assessed the situation, taking her temperature and blood pressure, as well as asking a dozen or more questions. Then she removed solutions and bandages from various bins and boxes in the vehicle. “Special Agent Troyer was correct. The first bullet grazed your outer thigh. It didn’t go anywhere close to your femur, your upper leg bone. It just skimmed the soft tissue, so I’m going to clean and bandage the wound. You might be hobbling for a week or so, but there won’t be any lasting effects. If you need them, you can buy crutches or a cane from any local drugstore.”

      “Praise Gott for His protection.” She closed her eyes for a quick prayer, but when the darkness began to spin, she popped them open again. Gott would hear prayers with eyes open, as well.

      Adam had stepped away from the door of the ambulance, but he soon returned with a long, stout stick. He dug out a pocketknife and began whittling one end of the stick.

      With a gentle touch, the paramedic cleaned and bandaged her forehead. “You have some minor abrasions, probably from your fall from the tree. They will also heal up with time. I don’t expect you to have any scars.”

      “Did I faint? Is that why I am so dizzy?”

      “Yes. It’s called vasovagal syncope. Do you faint at the sight of blood?” She nodded toward Adam. “Special Agent Troyer told me you found your injury first by the blood on your skirt.”

      Katie glanced at Adam, but he was studying his stick. Surely he was listening. “Nein. Not that I know of. When one of my twins scrapes a knee, I do not like that she is hurt, but the blood does not bother me.”

      “Extreme emotional distress is probably your trigger then. You’ve been shot at twice. That makes for a difficult afternoon. In response, your heart rate slowed and your blood pressure dropped. That made you faint.”

      The paramedic made it sound so matter-of-fact, but that was her job. Still Katie pressed the back of her hand to her forehead, an effort to wipe away the stickiness of anxiety.

      “Would you like to go to the hospital? They can do a more thorough examination there.”

      “Do I need to?”

      “Not necessarily. It’s completely up to you.”

      Concern for her bruder was pushed aside by thoughts of her twins. The sun was slanting lower and lower, and the four-year-old girls must be anxious for her return. Her friend Sarah would take gut care of them, feeding them supper and probably too many treats. But Katie didn’t like to be away too long. A mother needed to be with her children, and children needed to be with their mother. A trip to the hospital would most likely extend into the nighttime hours.

      “Danki, but nein. I am sure I will be fine with some rest.” How much would an ambulance cost, anyway? For sure and for certain, it was expensive, a cost with which she did not want to burden the community.

      “I’ll take you home.” Adam looked up from his whittling. It wasn’t even a question. It was a statement, and a shiver stairstepped down Katie’s spine. Was it from the richness of his baritone voice or the insinuation that he had more questions for her?

      An hour later, with the help of the paramedic, Katie scooted off the cot. A strong