“I’d say we found the fishpond,” Bane remarked, his voice deep with satisfaction.
“Where do we even look?” She didn’t want to go into the trees again. She felt safe here, secluded from prying eyes. In the jungle, she had felt as though someone was peering at them, especially in that place of utter quiet. Her grandmother gave a soft sigh and began to fall. “Bane!” Leia leaped to try to catch T?t?, but Bane was there first. He caught Ipo in his arms and eased her to the ground. Leia knelt beside her grandmother and felt the carotid artery for a pulse. “Her pulse is thready. We need to get her to the hospital.”
Bane whipped out his cell phone and looked at it. He groaned. “No signal.”
“I’m not leaving you here alone,” Leia said. “Can we carry her out?”
“We’ll have to.” Bane lifted Ipo in his arms and started for the path.
Seventeen
Check my cell phone and see if we have a signal yet,” Bane panted. His muscles burned from the strain. Though Ipo didn’t weigh more than a hundred pounds, she was hard to carry as a deadweight. He labored to pull air into his lungs as he rested a few minutes while Leia dug his cell phone out of his shirt pocket. At least she wasn’t refusing to use it.
“Still no signal.” Leia snapped it closed. She pressed her fingers against her grandmother’s neck. “Her pulse is still weak, and she has dyspnea. Shortness of breath,” she amended when he raised his eye-brows. “Classic signs of a myocardial infarction.”
At least he knew that meant heart attack. “Let’s get going again.” Bane picked up Ipo and followed Leia along the path with renewed urgency. “How much farther?”
“Not far. Just through the trees. I’m going to run and call the clinic.” She put on a burst of speed and disappeared through the monkeypod trees. Ajax ran after her. A few moments later, he heard the slam of the front door. The sound encouraged him. His arms and back aching, he hurried through the last of the trees and broke through the jungle into Ipo’s backyard. Pua honked and waddled to meet them. He’d never seen a more welcome sight. Nearly groaning under the weight, he labored the last few feet to the house.
Leia was coming back through as he reached the door. “I called the clinic. They’ll be ready for her. They have a defibrillator unit too.”
He nodded. “Open the backseat door to your grandmother’s car,” he gasped. She ran to the car and flung open the door. The stale odor of disuse rushed out. Nearly losing his grip on Ipo, he managed to get her on the seat then gently laid her down.
“I’ll get in back with her,” Leia said. She tossed him the keys and scrambled inside and slapped the door behind her.
Bane ran to the driver’s side. “Stay here, boy,” he told the dog. He started the engine and tromped on the gas. The car tires spit gravel as he accelerated out of the driveway. “How’s she doing?”
“I think she’s had a heart attack.” Leia’s gaze met his in the rearview mirror. “Pray, Bane. She has to make it.”
“I’ve been praying the whole time.” He pressed harder on the accelerator. They reached the edge of town, and he drove past the town sign that read Peace to All Who Enter. He hoped the mantra worked for Ipo. “Where is the clinic?”
“That building.” She leaned over the back of the seat and pointed to a small white building.
Bane parked and flung open his door. He grabbed Ipo’s arms and managed to get her upright. Putting his hands under her arms, he started to lift her from the car. His muscles screamed in protest. He gritted his teeth and kept on going.
“She’s coming to!” Leia put her hand on his arm. “Wait a minute, let her sit up.”
He steadied Ipo on the backseat. She was blinking her eyes, but she didn’t seem to be aware of her surroundings. “Any water?”
Leia nodded. “In the trunk.” He tossed Leia the keys, and she ran to get the water. When she returned, he held the bottle to Ipo’s lips.
She managed to take a sip, then coughed and waved it away. “Don’t fuss. I’m fine.”
“T?t?, you are not fine.” Leia peered at her watch. “You’ve been unconscious for nearly forty-five minutes. We’re taking you to the clinic.”
Ipo folded her hands over her chest. “I’m not going in, Leia.”
“You have to go. A nurse needs to check you out, and we’ll need to transport you to the hospital.”
“Take me home.” Ipo thrust out her chin.