Arrin inched out onto the creaking and crackling ice and tossed out the coat rope again. But it was still out of Rory’s reach. Arrin cursed in frustration. He needed to speed up this rescue or they would lose the boy and he’d have another child’s death on his conscience.

“Pastor Willis, your help is needed. I must go out even further.”

Pastor Willis lay on his stomach and grabbed Peter’s ankles, and everyone inched further out onto the frozen lake until Peter and Arrin were completely on it and Pastor Willis was on it up to his waist. Arrin tossed out the coat-rope again and this time Rory grasped it. But when he pulled the makeshift rope back, it slipped out of Rory’s weak grip.

Arrin cursed again. “I’ll have to go all the way to him. Le...

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