My Great Escape Led Me to You (Emily Blair) novel Chapter 1229

Isabella’s parents scanned the crowd, their voices shaky with worry. “Where’s Isabella? Has anyone seen Isabella?”

Panic rippled through everyone. The kids were counted, but little Isabella and little Amelia were missing. When pressed, the other children fidgeted, looking everywhere but at the adults. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen them in a while.”

One of the kids spoke up in a whisper. “I think I saw them go into that building.”

“Which one?”

The child pointed straight at the burning guesthouse.

The Austins and Lanes nearly collapsed from fear.

Suddenly someone shouted, “Look over there!”

Everyone turned. A small girl, barely taller than the boy she was carrying, stumbled out the back door of the burning building, struggling under little Andrew’s weight.

That was Isabella.

Andrew hung limp on her back, completely out cold. Her white dress was smeared with soot and both of them looked like they’d rolled through ashes. Little Amelia followed behind, her face blank with shock.

Relief hit both families at once. They rushed in, gently lifting Andrew off Isabella’s back.

Sirens wailed closer and closer outside the scenic area. There wasn’t a moment to lose. Without thinking, the adults hurried off with Andrew toward the ambulance, almost forgetting about Isabella.

Just as they were about to go, Andrew’s hand reached out and grabbed Isabella’s wrist. He forced his eyes open, gaze unfocused. “Who… are you?”

His usually nice voice was rough and scratchy from the smoke, but he managed to get the words out.

Isabella wiped her face with her sleeve and spoke quietly. “I’m Isabella Austin.”

Andrew didn’t seem to really hear, but he kept looking at her. Isabella lowered her voice even more. “I told you my name before…”

Andrew tried to breathe, then his grip loosened and he faded out again.

Everyone hurried away with Andrew, hustling him into the waiting ambulance.

Isabella’s parents finally remembered her, pulling her close and checking her all over. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

Isabella nodded, being as good as ever. “I’m fine.”

Her mom’s brow furrowed, her face a mix of confusion and amazement. “When did you go in there? How did someone your size carry Andrew out?”

She glared at Isabella, who was staring at the ground, lost in her own thoughts. Liar, Amelia thought, rolling her eyes. She started to speak. “That’s not—”

Isabella suddenly grabbed her hand. “Amelia.”

Amelia tried to pull away, annoyed. “What do you want?”

Isabella leaned in, voice low. “Are you hungry? Let’s go get some spicy sticks. I’ll buy.”

To adults, spicy sticks were just cheap, unhealthy junk food, full of additives and all sorts of bad stuff. Amelia loved them, but her parents never let her have any. She’d been drooling over them ever since they got to town, watching the local kids share them.

Kids are easy to sway with snacks like that.

Amelia wanted to refuse, to stand her ground, but two packs of spicy sticks sounded too good to pass up. Plus, most of the adults had gone off with her brother. No one was watching her. She hesitated, then mumbled, “I want two packs. I’m not sharing.”

“Okay,” Isabella agreed right away. “Let’s go.”

Amelia’s sense of justice was no match for two packs of spicy sticks. That was all she could think about now. The real girl who had saved Andrew faded from her mind.

Because it wasn’t Isabella or Amelia who had carried Andrew out. It was Beatty, the staff girl Isabella’s mom had noticed—the daughter of the guesthouse worker.