“He pushed me.”
The words seemed almost impossible to say aloud.
“He pushed me off the cliff.”
For a moment, the only sound was the helicopter beating against the storm.
The rescuer looked at me carefully.
Then his voice changed.
“Was anyone else there?”
I closed my eyes.
“A woman.”
“Who?”
“Ashley.”
His expression hardened.
“And your husband?”
“Michael.”
The rescuer glanced toward the ridge above us.
“Michael Carter?”
My heart stopped.
“How do you know his name?”
He didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he looked at the radio attached
to his chest.
“Control, this is Alpine Three. I have one live patient, female, approximately full-term pregnancy. Possible traumatic injuries. Patient reports being pushed from the upper ridge.”
A crackle came through the radio.
Then another voice responded.
“Copy. Any identification?”
The rescuer looked at me.
I whispered my name.
He repeated it into the radio.
There was a long silence.
Then the voice on the other end said something that made the rescuer’s face change.
“Say again.”
The reply came.
This time, I heard it too.
“Search-and-rescue records show no missing person matching that description.”
The rescuer stared at the radio.
I felt a chill that had nothing to do with the snow.
