Chapter Thirty
River
––––––––
Lori set the last container of food in the paper bag. "Okay, now that the food is taken care of, do you want to tell me what has you looking like you're lost?"
Her throat closed, fighting the tears. "I'm okay."
"Bullshit, baby." Lori placed her hands on her shoulders. "I've watched you go through every emotion through the years, and this is a new one."
She couldn't tell Lori about her relationship with Zane or that her dad was sitting on death row after believing he was dead for half her life. The pain in her chest throbbed, reminding her of the emptiness inside of her where her heart used to live.
"Are you having trouble with your sister?" Lori's eyes softened. "I have three. I'm the oldest, and most days, I wish I was an only sibling."
It wasn't that she wished her sister hadn't come to Gem Haven. She was glad Kenna was here. But the constant negative comments directed at Kingsley and even Zane wore on her.
Kenna's passion to find Dad opened a Pandora's box of questions and doubt. At this point, she had no idea who her dad was. What was his real name? What was his crime? Why were she and Kenna lied to?
Every day, she was caught between jubilation at his existence and fear of knowing what kind of man her father was.
"No." On impulse, she hugged Lori. "Thanks for caring. I'll be fine."
Lori frowned. "If your sister didn't create the sadness in your face, it must be Zane."
She stiffened. "What would make you say that?"
"Anyone within a half mile can see you love that man." Lori leaned closer. "And he loves you."
"I'm not so sure about that," she whispered.
"Every relationship has troubles now and then." Lori patted her cheek. "Just remember that love will fix everything."
She nodded, taking her advice to heart, and picked up the sack. "Thanks, Lori."
"See you tomorrow."
She left through the bar's back door and walked toward the house. Kenna was asleep in the bedroom after spending all day at the campground with her. Even though they knew Kingsley stayed outside the cabin to keep an eye on her, Kenna continued working at the computer, trying to find out any information she could on death row inmates. By the end of the day, she'd hoped to learn her father's legal name, but they were no closer to figuring it out.
And that's if her dad used a different name. It was hard to know which direction to believe because all she'd known was lies.
The Dad she remembered could never be the person who now sat on death row.
At the front door, the rumble of motorcycles grew louder. She looked up the hill at the clubhouse. Six or seven riders approached the building. Forcing herself to turn away, she opened the front door.
The silence within the house made the hollowness inside of her echo. She walked into the kitchen and put the bag on the counter. Getting two plates, she divided the food.
Kingsley strolled into the room. "Dinner?"
"I only got enough for Kenna and me." She grabbed a couple of sheets of paper towels.
She walked past Kingsley, feeling bad for not offering to get him any food at the bar, but she wasn't feeling nice.
At the top of the stairs, she used her elbow to push down on the doorknob and open the door. Kenna stood by the window, no longer asleep.
"I got us dinner if you're hungry." She set the plates on the dresser.
"There's a lot of smoke above the trees over there." Kenna continued to look out the window.
She hadn't noticed anything when she was outside. "Toward the campground?"
"No."
Curious, she went to the window and gazed out. Gray billowy smoke rose into the sky. That was no campfire.
"It looks like a forest fire." She turned from the window. "Zane needs to know—"
"Kenna. River," yelled Kingsley.
They both rushed toward the bedroom door and hurried down the hallway. At the top of the stairs, they stopped. Kingsley stood in the foyer with Big John and Razz.
"There's a new fire. Go over to the bar with Razz and stay there." Kingsley motioned them down. "I need to go and direct the firefighters on the location of the fire."
She returned to the bedroom, grabbed her backpack, and hustled down the stairs. "Is it close? Is Gem Haven in danger?"
"Not if I can help it." Kingsley stepped outside with them and turned to Kenna. "Stay in the bar. Don't move your ass. I'm serious, Kenna. If you so much as step out the door, I'll—"
"She won't." River frowned at Kingsley. "Is Zane still visiting your dad?"
"No, he rode in a half hour ago and is already riding to the ridge."
A new worry took hold. Zane would do anything to protect Gem Haven.
"We better go." Kenna pulled River's arm.
She jogged to the bar and entered through the front door. Razz pointed them to a table. The place was almost empty except for a few bikers standing at the counter.
"Are they evacuating the campsites?" she asked.
"Yep." Razz looked at his phone and held it up, trying to get a better signal. "There's a crew helping Phil get them all out."
Saving lives was the top priority, but they'd lose money. She swallowed. Of course, that was better than people losing their lives and belongings.
"Where are all the members?" she asked.
"Going to the fire. They're making a firebreak." Razz stepped away, typing on his phone.
She looked at Kenna. Her sister was worried.
"Have you ever had a fire here?" Kenna picked at her thumbnail.
"No. Not this close. Two years ago, there was a lightning fire, and we could see smoke, but they never evacuated because the fire was going the opposite direction." She spotted Lori coming out of the kitchen and waved to her.
The cook came straight over. "Any news?"
"Zane is on the ridge, and Kingsley will direct the firefighters once they arrive." She crossed her arms and cupped her elbows. "The bikers are going down and making a...a..."
"Firebreak," added Kenna.
"Bless those boys." Lori worked the dishcloth in her hand in worry. "The kitchen is shut down. I was told to shut down all the appliances and prepare to move out if the fire shifted in our direction. But I could put cold sandwiches together. Everyone will need to eat."
"We can help." Kenna inhaled deeply. "It'll give us something to do while we wait."
River was glad her sister volunteered instead of fighting against her. She informed Razz about their food plan and went into the kitchen with Lori and Kenna.
"This will make easy work with you two helping." Lori washed her hands.
River waited for her turn at the sink. "Where are the waitresses and kitchen help?"
"They split the moment Big John came in and yelled for everyone to leave." Lori lowered her voice. "Trent came in thirty seconds later and ordered me to stay, so here I am."
"He loves you." River put her hands under the stream of water.
Of course, Lori's husband would want her safe and where he could find her when it was over. She dried off her hands. Having Kingsley order them to stay here wasn't done in love. Since bringing Kenna back to Gem Haven, he'd watched over them like a hawk staking out his field mouse.
"Listen," said Lori.
She froze, looking at Kenna, who had her head tilted. In the distance, sirens were coming. The sound made the situation more real.
Fire was a threat where they lived. All emergency personnel would come and fight the fire to keep it from spreading to Gem Haven.
She stood in line at the counter and assembled sandwiches while Kenna wrapped them in Saran wrap and put them in a box. The busy work failed to take her mind off Zane. He was on the ridge, right in the path of the fire if it headed toward Gem Haven.