She nodded and grabbed hold of the leather band around his waist, pressed the wet rag over her nose and mouth. Dylan did the same. He checked the door for heat, then opened it into a blazing inferno. It took every ounce of courage Summer possessed to keep from fainting and remain on her feet.
Her fingers tightened around the back of Dylan’s belt as they ran through the flames around the doorframe, Dylan in front as they moved down the hall. Both sides were on fire, flames climbing the walls and licking down from the ceiling overhead. Dylan kept moving, pounding on doors as he made his way along the hallway, dodging spouts of fire that erupted here and there.
It seemed impossible they would make it to the staircase.
A door swung open. A young woman and a little girl, their eyes huge in their faces, stared out into the smoke-filled hallway. The little girl was crying, tears streaking down her face.
Dylan grabbed the child and swung her up in his arms, while Summer grabbed the woman with her free hand. Their fingers linked, and the small group hurried on down the hall.
Another door opened, closer to the lobby stairs. A young Hispanic couple raced out.
“Stay low and head for the stairs!” Dylan shouted.
Bent over and coughing, the couple hurried to join the fleeing guests.
Dylan continued pounding on doors, and another door swung open.
“Get out now!” Dylan shouted. “Stay low and head for the staircase!”
A heavyset man and his wife stumbled into the hall in their nightclothes and followed them, but Summer could see it was too late—the staircase was engulfed in flames. The bottom half fell away as the terrified group approached.
“What . . . what about the emergency exit in the new wing?” Summer shouted, her voice shaking so badly she hoped Dylan could hear her. She was covered with soot, her skin hot to the touch.
Dylan looked toward the far end of the hall, but it was blocked by a wall of flame. “Can’t get through!”
Even as he said the words, Summer turned to see the thick wall of flames that now blocked the way.
“We’re all gonna die!” the heavyset man screamed into the roar of the fire.
“We’re all getting out!” Dylan promised, determination in every word. “We’ll use the old wooden stairs!” Dylan rounded up the desperate little band, turning them back the way they had come, moving toward a door Summer had never really noticed.
When he opened it, Summer could see an old wooden staircase she hadn’t known was there, probably the original exit out of the hotel. It was just beginning to burn, but the wood was dry and rotted and would quickly flash into flames.
With the little girl over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry, Dylan urged the older man and his wife down the rickety stairs. The young Hispanic couple followed. Summer felt Dylan’s hand cover hers on his belt and squeeze as he herded the little girl’s mother ahead of him; then Dylan and the little girl led Summer down the rickety wooden stairs.
The entire hotel was in flames. A group of firefighters working on the back side of the hotel spotted them and started spraying water on the old staircase.
One of the firemen helped the other couples, while another took the little girl from Dylan’s arms.
Just when Summer thought they had made it, just as Dylan reached back for her, the bottom dropped out beneath her feet. Summer screamed. She heard Dylan’s roar, then everything went black.
* * *
Jenny gripped Cain’s hand as they reached the street in front of the hotel.
“Get back!” one of the firemen warned. “This whole place is coming down!”
Windows shattered overhead, spraying shards of glass down on top of them. “All of you get back before you get hurt!” In unison, the crowd moved backward. Cain forced Jenny back out of danger.
She looked up at him. “My brother’s in there—and Summer! We have to do something!”
When she would have moved forward, Cain stepped in front of her. “I know you’ll probably hate me for this, but, honey, there is nothing we can do. We have to hope Dylan knows enough about fire to keep the two of them safe.”
She glanced around wildly, desperate to find them. It seemed the entire town of Jerome was on the street in front of the burning hotel, but there was no sign of Dylan or Summer.
“How many people in the hotel tonight?” Cain asked.
“I’m not . . . not sure. Fewer than usual, thank God. And the new section is empty.”
