Page 41 of Ruby’s Outback Love

I nodded before turning away and heading back to Ruby.

When I returned to her bedside, a nurse was doing her observations and her parents had stepped aside.

“How is the pilot?” Mr Waters asked.

“She’s in surgery, that’s all I know.”

“I can guarantee the team will be in here as soon as they hit town and I’m sure they’ll update Drew and Cam on her condition.”

Mrs Waters knew the team were tight knit and as soon as they found out two of their own were incapacitated, there would be nothing, or no one who could keep them away.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Bourke

RUBY

The sound of booted footsteps on the linoleum covered floor had my eyes peeling open as the other three members of our team passed through the curtains and headed towards me. I freed my hand from Phil’s and struggled into a sitting position, he positioned the pillows behind me so I was comfortable.

Linda moved forward and wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug before sitting on the side of the bed, clutching my hand. I could see from the redness in her eyes, she’d been crying.

Drew and Cam rounded the bed to the other side, leaned forward in turn, squeezed my shoulder and kissed my cheek. I glanced over at Phil who was now standing. His eyes were narrowed but I didn’t miss the flash of jealousy directed towards Cam who was still hovering over me.

“Phil, this is Cam, our anaesthetist from Dubbo.” He didn’t need to know that Cam would soon be residing in Bourke.

They strode towards each other and shook hands.

“Phil Thacker.”

“Cam O’Brien. You’re the cop I’ve been hearing about, the one Ruby set on his ass with a fist to the nose.”

Phil grimaced. “One and the same.”

Cam glanced at me before again focusing on Phil. “It appears you have worked things out.”

“Kind of.” Phil smiled at me. “We still have a few things to discuss.”

Cam slapped his shoulder. “Well, good luck, I hope it works out.”

Phil glanced at the watch on his wrist before fixing Drew with a glare. “You’re here earlier than expected, you made good time.” He knew it was Drew’s four wheel drive vehicle we used to visit the properties. “Extremely good time.”

Drew dragged his fingers through his hair, a guilty expression on his face as if he’d been caught with his hand in the biscuit barrel.

“Barry called us to say the plane had gone down, and Ruby and Elouise had been brought to the hospital. He didn’t have any other info.” Drew turned to me. “You scared the shit out of us, lady. So, yeah, I could be guilty of pushing the speed limit in order to get back here.”

Phil shook his head. “I guess I can let you off with a warning, but if there’s a next time, no matter what, keep your speed to the limit. I don’t want to get a call telling me your arse needs hauling out of a ditch.”

“Fair enough,” Andrew submitted.

“Barry came in for a few minutes not long after we arrived. He said he’d called you and tried to call you back once he knew what was happening with the girls. He couldn’t get through so we figured your phones must have been out of range,” Phil explained.

Drew nodded. “The reception is patchy between Bourke and Tarara.”

Linda squeezed my hand and I turned to her. “What happened, hon?”

I explained how everything had been fine one minute, there had been a loud bang and we’d started going down. “Elouise fought the controls and was able to keep the front of the plane high enough that we didn’t nosedive into the ground. We hit hard but if we had gone in nose first, I’m not sure we would have survived. Elouise was so calm, she appeared to do what needed to be done.”

“Where is she?” Cam’s voice was husky with concern, his fear for her clearly evident.