Free Pipe Dreams by Destiny Allison

water was sweet. She took the cup and drank a long swallow, cooling her burning throat. “Can you stand?” the woman asked. Not waiting for an answer, she helped Vanessa to her feet and put her arm around her back. ”Come on, girl. Let’s get you comfortable.”
    In the library, Jeremy sat in a worn, leather chair. One of his legs rested on an ottoman, a heavy bandage around his bare foot. Two men occupied an adjacent couch. Vanessa hesitated, scanning their faces. She needed to understand this place.
    Jeremy smiled reassuringly and waited for her to find a seat before continuing his conversation. She listened quietly, learning a great deal. Michael, the man who had chased her, had a broken leg, a concussion, and might be bleeding internally. The woman in green was named Mariah. She was the medical expert in the group and her concern was palpable as she described Michael’s injuries.
    The conversation turned from Michael to Ashley. Jeremy told the story of the girl ’s abduction and Ramirez’s pursuit. As the group argued about what to do, Jeremy swiveled to face Vanessa.
    “What can you tell us about the detective?” he asked.
    “I think he’s a good man, but I don’t know him.” How could she tell them about the way he had covered her nakedness, or why he had needed to do it?  She couldn’t. Instead, she told them he was passionate, efficient, and competent. She had been impressed by his behavior in the park, in the tree, and on the street. When he went after the girl, she had cried with relief.
    The heated discussion resumed. Finally, Jeremy held up his hand, stopping the debate.
    “At this point, I’m unwilling to risk any more people. In spite of what Vanessa said, I’ve never met a cop I could trust. We have no idea what his motives are, or why he went after Ashley, so we have to assume the worst. Until we know different, that’s the way it’s going to be. Everyone stays inside today in case the bone people come back. I’m going to sleep for a few hours. Then we’ll talk again. Mariah, wake me if anything changes with Michael. Vanessa, please come with me.” He held out a hand. She took it, relishing its warmth, and stared at him in wonder.
    “Who are you people?”
    He paused, assessing her. Then he sighed. “We ’re survivors, Vanessa. Just survivors.”
     
     

 
    CHAPTER 14
     
     
    P ast the living room, a curtained hallway provided access to the bedrooms. Jeremy led Vanessa to an unoccupied one. When she was resting, he limped to his own small room. A red comforter lay in a tangle on his double bed, along with a few rumpled shirts and a plethora of pillows. Next to the bed, a reading lamp sat on a wooden nightstand. Hooks had been pounded into the concrete wall at the rear of the room. On them, jackets, pants, and sundry clothes hung in disarray.
    Wearily, Jeremy heaved himself on the bed and gently pulled a pant leg over his injured foot. In his haste to reach Michael at the bottom of the stairs, he had stepped on a nail embedded in a rotting plank. It had pierced his flesh all the way to the bone. In spite of Mariah ’s careful treatment, the wound throbbed. The pain compounded a headache from hell. Ashley was gone, Michael’s injuries were grave, and he hadn’t slept in more than twenty-four hours. Groaning from the exertion of undressing, he fell back on his pillows and turned out the light. He didn’t wake until Mariah came to check on him a few hours later.
    “Any change?” he asked as soon as she touched him.
    “No,” she replied.
    Jeremy grimaced. “Where ’s Vanessa?” 
    “Sleeping. I checked on her first.”
    “Good. When she wakes, give this back to her and come get me.” He said swung his legs over the bed, reached for the worn backpack he had taken from her and handed it to Mariah. Then he picked up the crumpled cargo pants he had tossed to the floor. When dressed, he grabbed the crutches and hobbled to the infirmary.
    They did not use the long, rectangular