Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 145823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Alone, with a category four headed straight at her.
“I know this is killing you, especially those of you with families on Hatteras, but we just have to sit tight and see,” Patterson told those of us who sat in the conference room bleary-eyed, glued to the news coverage.
I wasn’t sure exactly what he thought would change. There weren’t a lot of models forecasting anything but a direct hit on Hatteras in the next twelve hours.
There was about an hour before my morning Finley call, and then I’d try to talk Vivian into getting the hell out of there, not that she’d listen. The woman was probably planning a hurricane party.
The reporter stood at the end of one of the smaller piers, getting pelted by rain as waves crashed at his feet. “As you can see, the winds have increased here to eighty miles an hour, and it’s very hard to stand!” He leaned into the wind. “We’re seeing enormous whitecaps, and the surge is already approaching the tide line.”
“Moron,” Sawyer mumbled.
“Right. And Ryan, could you tell us what makes this particular hurricane so dangerous to the Outer Banks?” the anchor asked through the earpiece.
“Sure, Sarah. No matter what, we’re looking at a massive impact here on Cape Hatteras. Even if Irene veers into the Atlantic over the next twelve hours, the storm surge is projected to be devastating because it will coincide not only with the high tide, but tomorrow is a full moon.”
“So, in effect, would you say that this is a perfect storm, of sorts?” the anchor questioned as the reporter was hit with another wave.
“He’s going to get knocked on his ass,” Garrett noted.
“Exactly. Hatteras has ordered all residents to evacuate, but we’ve been told that as many as fifty percent of the residents have not. All hospitals have been evacuated to the mainland, the ferries have shut down, and the bridges are only open to outgoing traffic. The residents here are being told that emergency services will not be available, and the governor has warned them that they are putting their lives at risk.”
“Shit,” someone cursed behind me.
“And yet this dumbass is standing out there,” Sawyer added.
My foot tapped impatiently in my boot, and I’d decided the pressure in my chest wasn’t going to ease up until we knew that Vivian had made it out.
“And we’ve heard that some streets are already flooding?” the anchor prodded.
“Yes! The low-lying areas are already taking on water, and as you can see, the sea is rapidly advancing!” He leaned back into the wind.
“Ryan, we’ve just gotten news that Ingrid has been downgraded to a three,” the anchor announced.
There was a small sigh around the table, but it wasn’t big. The difference of a couple of miles an hour in wind speed wouldn’t mean as much as that storm surge.
“That’s great—”
A wave slammed into both the reporter and the cameraman, sending them sloshing down the pier.
“We told you,” Sawyer said at the television, like they could hear us.
I followed Patterson out of the conference room. “Sir, you cannot expect those of us with families to sit here.”
“I don’t. I expect you to do your jobs. Jerry is still—”
“Jerry has been downgraded to a one, sir. Are you telling me that you think we’ll be effective at rescuing people here, knowing our families are in danger at home?”
His jaw flexed. “I’m telling you that until Jerry’s path is certain, I can’t do anything. Now, your daughter evacuated, right?”
“Yes, but not her grandmother.”
“I can’t do anything about that, Lieutenant.”
“This is complete and utter bullshit. I don’t care if you think Elizabethtown has this covered. It’s bullshit,” I snapped.
His eyes narrowed, and I knew I’d overstepped but couldn’t find it within me to give a shit. “There’s nothing I can do. Replacements are on their way, but until they get here or Jerry dissipates, no one is leaving this island. Do I make myself clear?”
“Crystal.”
I left him standing in the hallway and headed for my room, trying to calm down before I called Fin. The last thing she needed was me to worry her. Maybe she didn’t even know Vivian had stayed.
Once my pulse settled, I propped my phone up at the back of my desk and reached to dial Finley.
Claire rang through instead.
“Hey,” I answered, putting the phone to my ear. “I was just getting ready to call Fin.”
“I just checked on her—they’re fine,” she said, sounding out of breath.
“What do you mean you checked on her?” I snapped.
“Relax. I mean I called and checked in. That one’s mine!” she called out.
My stomach hit the floor. “Claire, what the fuck is going on?”
“I got a call for that sci-fi show! They want me!”
I sucked in a deep breath and counted to three.
“Please tell me that you’re not in L.A.”
“Just landed and got my bag. They said I could only have the role if I was here and ready to film this morning, so I caught the red-eye out of Raleigh.”