Lord, please let us catch the culprit soon.
A long exhale seeped out. Cody adjusted his position, hoping to get more comfortable. Movement caught his attention. He squinted. Travis crept along the house low to the ground. Moments later, the barn door creaked. Travis still crouched ten yards away. Patrick moved from the shadows, taking cautious steps toward the barn.
Adrenaline bolted through Cody. He crawled toward the loft ladder, quiet and sure. The door creaked again, sliding open enough to let in more moonlight. A shadowy figure darted inside. The horses pawed the ground in their stalls. Preston let out a snort, one that signaled his nervousness. Even his faithful steed knew something was amiss.
The door shut behind the shadow. Cody gripped the ladder that would take him to the ground floor. His foot was on the first rung when a sloshing sound hit his ears. The scent of kerosene filled the barn. Gut clenching, Cody scurried down the ladder, no longer caring about stealth. When close to the floor, he jumped, landing with a loud thud. The shadowy figure jerked up.
“Hey!” Cody yelled. “What’re you doing?”
Light flickered in front of the man. A match. His features remained obscure in the dim light, but a sickening smile curled his lips. Cody raced toward him. With a laugh, the man dropped his match. Flames sprang up in the mounds of hay.
Horror pulsed through Cody as the fire spread. The arsonist bolted toward the door just as Travis pushed it open. Shouting ensued, but Cody didn’t pay attention to the words. His brother-in-law would take care of the man. Cody needed to put out the fire.
Patrick barreled in next. His sharp gasp sounded over the cackling of the flames. Cody grabbed an old blanket and beat the fire. Smoke rose in thick plumes. Preston whinnied, pawing at his stall. His other horses did the same. The cows bellowed. Panic filled the barn. For a horrible moment, Cody was paralyzed. He needed to save his animals. He needed to save the barn.
Patrick pushed him toward the stalls. “Get them out!”
Cody ran. He flung open the doors. Two horses pounded out at once. They rushed for the open barn door. Preston hung back. He butted Cody with his nose, nickering with a wild look in his normally gentle eyes. Cody slapped his horse’s flank. “Go, boy!”
Another firm slap sent Preston flying for the door. Cody turned to the cows. Both let out plaintive moos. “C’mon, girls.”
Sadie lumbered out of the stall, but Becky cowered back. He grabbed a rope. Looping it around her neck and nose, he tugged. Becky balked. Despite the heat in the barn, icy fear slithered through his veins. Smoke surrounded them. Cody coughed. He yanked on the halter again. This time, Becky moved. He led her through the smoke and flames to safety. Outside, he removed the rope and pushed her toward the other animals near the house.
At least the cows and horses were safe.
His gaze landed on the large man handcuffed to a porch rail. Travis had nabbed him.Good.Anger flooded Cody’s veins. He took two steps toward the smirking culprit.
Someone grabbed his arm. Travis stood beside him, horse blankets in hand. “He’s not worth it. Don’t do something you’ll regret.” He shoved the blankets into Cody’s hands. “Soak these at the pump. It’ll help extinguish the fire.”
The flames licked higher. If they leapt out of reach, the barn would be lost. He shot a last glare at the tied-up man, then raced to the pump. He threw the blankets to the ground. Pumping furiously, he drenched them.
“Cody!”
Ella flew down the porch steps. Her nightdress flapped around her legs as she ran to him. Her hair hung loose, her eyes wide with worry. She gripped his arm. “What happened?”
“The culprit struck. We couldn’t stop him before he lit the fire.” He pushed her toward the house. “Go inside, Ella.”
“I can help.”
“No!” Fear clutched him. “It’s too dangerous. I won’t risk losing you.”
His wife looked as though she wanted to argue, but she bit her lip. She enveloped him in a quick, fierce embrace. “Stay safe, Cody.”
When she made it to the house, he breathed easier. Grabbing the blankets, he dragged them back to the barn. Patrick and Travis each took one. They fought the fire for what felt like hours. The smoke burned his lungs as surely as the heat burned his skin. Blisters formed even as they continued their fight.
His vision grew hazy. He coughed more with each passing minute. The flames seemed to diminish, but the smoke wouldn’t quit. Was the fire finally under control? Had they saved the barn?
Cody swayed. He lifted the blanket to beat more flames, but he stumbled. A deep, racking cough wrecked his lungs. Travis yelled his name. It seemed to come from far away. Then he collapsed, hitting the ground hard. Pain shot through him before everything went dark.
CHAPTER 22
The morning after the fire, Ella stared in dismay at the remains of the barn through her bedroom window. The men had gotten the fire out, but a substantial portion of the structure was destroyed, the wood blackened and unstable. Would they have to tear it down and rebuild? Or did they only need to redo the burned part?
Cody groaned from their bed. Ella flew to his side. “Cody? Are you all right?”
He coughed, the sound harsh to her ears. “I’ll be fine.”
His voice, raspy from smoke inhalation, never sounded so dear. Ella grasped his hand and held it to her heart. “This is my fault.”
