He saw her lips move and her eyes opened, but he couldn’t make out what she was saying for the buzzing in his head. He shook his head and Jenna pointed to her ears and mouthed, “I can’t hear you. I’m okay.”
Relief flooded over him and he nodded. “Me too, I thi
nk.” Then he pointed to his legs and winced.
Jenna held up a dirty hand in a waiting gesture, and then crawled to his side and her eyes widened. She shook her head. “You’re not okay.” She pushed him down onto his side. “Splinters.”
Kane blinked at her. She was yelling at him but he could hardly hear her through the buzzing in his ears. He raised his voice. “It’s nothing.”
“Don’t move.” Jenna pushed him hard on the shoulder. “I’ll call for help.” She pulled out her cellphone. “I’ll send Wolfe a message. I can’t hear a darn thing.” She staggered to her feet and peered around. “There’s fires breaking out all over. I’ll get Wolfe to call the fire department.”
Kane tugged on her jeans to get her attention. “Tell him to get a bomb squad out here as well.”
“Okay.” She sat down beside him and sent the text. Dirt streaked her face like camouflage paint and the explosion had scorched her hair light brown in patches. Long scratches over one cheek looked like red cat’s whiskers. She glanced at him. “Head okay?”
He touched his head, feeling for injuries and finding nothing more than a few scratches, he was glad he’d pulled his thick woolen cap over his ears. “Yeah, I’m good.” He checked his weapon and cellphone. “Phone made it too. Those new covers we found are worth their weight in gold.”
“What?” Jenna pointed to her ears. “I still can’t hear you. You’ll have to yell.”
The next moment Duke came bounding through the grass covered in soot and grime. The dog launched himself at Kane, and then walked around in circles barking. Not long after, Wolfe came running through the tall grass, face pale and eyes examining them like a hawk. Kane looked up at him and touched his ears. “We can’t hear a thing. Is Emily okay?”
Wolfe gave him a curt nod, then placed his bag on the grass. He pulled out his cellphone and made a call, then wrote a message and held it out to them to read.
I’ve called the fire department and told them it was a bomb. They’ll extinguish the wild fires but they’ll have to wait for the bomb squad to arrive from Helena. There’s a chopper on the way. As Jenna doesn’t want the media involved yet, they’ll say it is a training exercise. You’re not in any danger here, so sit still and let me take a look at you.
Kane nodded and the movement made him nauseous. “Sure, but Jenna first.”
Wolfe bent to examine Jenna’s eyes and ears, then turned to Kane and repeated the tests. Apparently, they had no permanent injuries but Kane had to push down his pride and allow Wolfe to cut off his jeans to remove the splinters. He’d suffered injuries in the field many a time but having Jenna hold his hand and fuss over him was a new experience. By the time Wolfe had finished, his hearing had returned apart from a strange humming.
“Here.” Wolfe pulled a foil survival blanket out of his backpack. “Wrap this around you and I’ll help you back to the road. I want you to lie down on a gurney in my van.”
Kane shook his head. Lying beside Lindy’s corpse was not going to happen. “Thanks but I’m fine.”
“Maybe not so fine when the local anesthetic wears off, but the penicillin shot will cover any infection.” Wolfe shook his head. “It’s just as well I keep a field med kid with me, with you getting injured all the time.”
“I’ve one in my vehicle too.” Kane sucked in a deep breath and glanced at Wolfe. “Did my truck make it?”
“Yeah.” Emily came through the trees and Duke ran to greet her. “Apart from a good coating of dust, I think it’s okay. The old barn protected it from damage.”
Kane breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, God.”
“You know Duke led us here. We turned back when we heard the explosion and Duke was going ballistic, running around in circles barking. So we followed him.” She dropped a backpack on the ground. “Dad insisted I wait back there in case he found you in pieces but I could hear you yelling at each other.”
“He tried to warn us.” He whistled to Duke. “Come here, boy.”
Duke ran over to him and did his happy dance. Kane rubbed the dog’s ears. “I’m sure glad you’re okay.” He touched Jenna’s arm. “Can you hear me yet, Jenna?”
“Just.” She sipped a bottle of water Wolfe had provided. “We have to get cleaned up and go and inform Lindy’s parents before the press gets wind of what’s happened here.”
“You’re not going anywhere but the ER. I’ll go speak to them and then I’ll put out a press release. We’ll say we found Lindy’s body but that no cause of death has been established.” Wolfe’s expression was grave. “I figure you’ll want to keep the fact she was murdered out of the press for a few days?”
“I would appreciate that, Wolfe, thanks.” Jenna leaned back on her hands. “I’m fine. I don’t need to see the paramedics.”
“I must insist you go to the ER. You could have concussion and Kane needs his shoulder X-rayed. You’ll be no good to anyone in this condition.” Wolfe patted Jenna on the arm. “Leave everything to me, I’ll arrange for the parents’ viewing as well and call you later.”
“I can’t thank you enough, Wolfe.” Jenna turned to Kane. “So our killer is not only a murdering SOB – now we have a lunatic planting IEDs.” She squeezed his hand. “Thanks for saving my life.”
Kane squeezed back. “I guess we should take more notice of Duke, not that I had any idea he was familiar with improvised explosive devices, but he could have picked up the scent of C-4. I’m guessing that’s what the killer used.”