Chapter Forty
Sirens cutthrough the roar of the fire, and horns blared as a pumper truck groaned its way up thedriveway.
Grady burst through the fiery bushes and shouted, “The trailer burned down. We can’t find Linx andJessie.”
He knew he was delirious, but it didn’t stop him from grabbing an ax. He would starve this fire if it was the last thing hedid.
A tanker truck scrambled up the hill, and Connor, Brian, and Larry flung themselves out. They grabbed fire gear from the storage compartments as the Colson’s Corner crew connected thehoses.
“We’ve a pump down by the creek, but the water stopped,” Gradyshouted.
“Got it. Let us put out the fire,” the chief commanded. “You guys search forsurvivors.”
“Flashlights,” Mark shouted. “Give usflashlights.”
The firefighters held the flames at bay with water, while Grady and his brothers dug a fire line, keeping the fire from spreading down thehill.
The burned ground was hot, and Grady felt the heat blistering the soles of his feet, but he ran toward the remains of histrailer.
“Linx! Linx! Can you hear me?” he shouted. “Linx!”
“We don’t even know if she’s here,” Mark put a hand on his shoulder. “I just got a call from Todd, he’s got a lock on her mom, and it isn’there.”
“But Cedar’s here. Linx’s Durango’s right overthere.”
“Her mother might have taken them hostage and set the fire as a distraction,” Mark said, dragging Grady back to the clearing where the fire engines were assembled. “Todd said he’ll have more intel when he moves in. They’ve surrounded the van with a SWAT team. Let’s getgoing.”
“Get out of my way. I’m standing my ground here.” Grady charged the fire line and chopped at the trees, trying to deprive them of fuel. Meanwhile, the pumps cranked up and fed a steady stream of water at the remaining flames. Little by little, they beat back the fire until it was reduced to steamingembers.
“The fire’s out,” the fire chief said. “If you want to help with mop up, be my guest. There’s nothing here but that burned out trailer. If they’re here, it’ll take us some time to open it up after it coolsdown.”
“They’re not there,” Mark said. “God promised to protect them. Let’s go back to town and wait for thesheriff.”
“You go ahead,” Grady said, stiffening every muscle in his body. “I’ll stay here to mop up and keepsearching.”
“You okay?” Dale put a hand on his shoulder. “You know Linx is a tough one. She’s probably hiking down the hill rightnow.”
“No, Cedar was still here.” Grady yanked his gaze around, looking for the two dogs. He’d lost track of Sam, too. “She would never leave withouther.”
“Animals are afraid of fire,” Dale said. “The dogs are probably hiding somewhere. Maybe withLinx.”
“Then I’ll find her, if that’s the last thing I do.” Grady grabbed a flashlight. “Give me a canteen of water and a first aidkit.”
“Sure, take some boots and gear,” the firefightersoffered.
Grady changed out of his singed clothes, noticing for the first time how he was almost naked. He slipped his blistered feet into the boots and donned the protective pants and jacket. They gave him a helmet with a searchlight attached and packed supplies into abackpack.
“I’m staying with you,” Dale said, putting on a jacket and grabbing the first aidkit.
“Thanks, bro,” Gradysaid.
“We’re staying, too,” Connor, Larry, and Brian said. “We can take over the cleanup and if she’s here, we’ll findher.”
The rest of the vehicles pulled away and Grady and his brothers and brothers-in-law spread out, each with a beacon of light, looking over the piles of smoldering wood and risingsteam.
“Linx! Linx!” Grady shouted until his throat was raw. He followed the ridge to the remains of his trailer and focused his beam on a shovelblade.
She had to have been here. That shovel didn’t pop up from nowhere. At the back of the trailer, he found the metal tip of a Pulaski. The door was hanging off the hinges, allowing Grady to shine hislight.
