Elise might have been uncertain before, but now that she could see Cate’s determination, coupled with her abilities as a nurse, she was fast realizing what an asset she could be. She’d be able to tend to Harry’s injuries far better than Elise herself could, which could inadvertently save them all in the end.

A cluster of gunshots cut through the air then, far enough away not to terrify her, but close enough to remind her that they weren’t alone out in the dark. As children, they’d run barefoot for miles, exploring and playing without adult supervision. They’d climbed trees and munched fruit out on the grass, staring at the sky and watching as the clouds passed by. Now, the same place she’d grown up in wasn’t safe enough for a dog to walk alone, let alone two women after dark.

“Just one foot in front of the other,” she heard Cate say, and she looped her arm more firmly around Jack as they started to walk.

He was only managing a very slow shuffle, but he was at least supporting some of his own body weight, which made it easier on them. Elise’s arm was against Cate’s now, pressed together as they walked, and it was a strange feeling to be touching someone. Again. In the past forty-eight hours, she’d had contact with four strangers, touching each of them: fingers brushing, skin colliding, tending to them, even; and it wasn’t natural for her. Two years ago, maybe even a year ago, she’d never have thought about it, but now it was as strange as could be. Although something about touching Cate felt a lot more natural than touching the men.

“You can leave me,” Jack said, grunting with every step.

“No, we can’t,” Cate snapped back. “I won’t.”

“You’re more . . .” he said, before coughing and seeming to struggle to catch his breath. Elise cringed. The cough sounded wet and choking from deep in his lungs, like nothing she’d ever heard before. “. . . important.”

Cate seemed to ignore him, not answering him, and Elise was happy to walk in silence. Cate was clearly determined to bring him with her, and although she didn’t know if there was a romantic attachment to the man or not, Elise admired her for it. And she suddenly knew without a shadow of doubt that she’d done the right thing in coming to help her with him.

“We don’t have that far to go,” Elise said eventually. “And we’re not leaving anyone behind, not if we can help it.”

She couldn’t see Cate’s gaze in the dark, but she could feel it, and she knew that whatever happened, this woman would fight to save anyone she grew close to, and that could be more useful to Elise than anything else.