Chapter 50
Chapter Fifty
The field looked like a scattered crime scene—abandoned red cups, trampled grass, wisps of smoke rising from behind the barn. They parked next to a few vehicles in front, lights hitting the barn wall.
Gunner moved with practiced efficiency, his flashlight sweeping the ground. Evidence bags appeared like magic from his jacket—a half-crushed beer can, a baggie with suspicious green contents. His movements were deliberate, professional, but Chase noticed the calculated way Gunner's gaze seemed to look everywhere but directly at the contraband.
He sent a text to Destini as he jumped out of the car and rushed to the open barn door.
I'm here.
"Destini?" he called into the dark interior, Gunner's flashlight swinging through the barn behind him.
A gasp and a movement to his left drew his gaze. He turned but before he could process, his daughter jumped into his arms, wrapping him in a hug. "Dad!"
His chest squeezed tighter than she did, and he closed his eyes as tears burned.
Chase held Destini tight, breathing in the familiar scent of her shampoo mixed with bonfire smoke. Behind her, the two other girls huddled together, their faces a mixture of relief and lingering fear.
"Are you okay?" he whispered into her hair, his hands checking her for any signs of injury.
"We're fine." Destini pulled back, her eyes darting between her father and Uncle Gunner. "Those guys outside were getting really weird. They kept talking about 'having fun' and passing around something in a brown bottle."
Skye stepped forward, her soccer jersey torn at the shoulder. "Things got weird. Some of the football guys started doing shots. Then one of them brought out pills. They kept trying to get us to take some, kept shoving drinks in our hands."
Vi nodded, her hands nervously twisting the hem of her shirt. "We stood there with drinks but didn't drink anything."
"I thought you were staying with Kayla," Chase said, his arm around Destini's shoulders. He didn't want to let her go, needed the reassurance that she was alright.
"Kayla's out there. She's dating one of the football boys. She said we were chicken shit for not drinking or doing anything. Then she went off with her boyfriend."
Gunner stepped forward, his police officer demeanor shifting into protective mode. "How many people are out there?"
"Maybe ten or twelve?" Skye piped up, her voice trembling. "They seemed really drunk and out of it."
Chase felt the protective surge again, that familiar rush of adrenaline that had propped him up through the drive still flowing through his veins.
"Hey, get out here, soccer babes! You can't stay in there all night," yelled an overly loud voice from the back of the barn.
"I know how to get them out," came a muffled response.
Gunner pulled out his radio, speaking in low, calm tones to dispatch. "This is Officer Gunner Williams. We've got a potential underage drinking situation at Miller's field. Need backup to handle minors and potential drug activity."
Chase watched as his brother eased toward the back door of the barn, peering between the crack to assess the situation outside. The barn felt small, cramped with tension and unspoken fears.
Gunner came back on silent feet, swiftly pointing them toward the front. "We need to get you three out of here," Gunner said, his flashlight sweeping the barn's dark corners out of habit. "Those kids outside might get aggressive once they realize we're here."
As if on cue, a loud crash echoed from outside—glass breaking, followed by drunken laughter. Destini instinctively moved closer to her father, her hand gripping his sleeve. Violet jumped and just looked down, hands buried in the pocket of an oversized hoodie.
"I got you," Chase murmured, his hand protectively on her back. "We're getting out of here, but I can't leave Gunner to handle a dozen teens alone. Come on, y'all can sit in the car."
"Back up's on the way. You take care of the girls," Gunner whispered.
Chase met Destini's gaze and—though fear was still there—she was calm as she said, "No, they have to be stopped. I don't want them to keep pressuring us for the next few years of high school. I—I don't want them to lead to an accident like what put my dad in prison."
Chase sucked in a breath and hugged Destini tight, her small hands settling on his back as she squeezed.
"Fine, sit in the car and stay out of sight," Gunner said.
Chase led the girls through the door to the car, handing Destini the keys in case they got cold. "But if you turn it on, lock it so none of those dweebs can get in."
Destini nodded, and Chase went back into the barn to find his brother.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are," called a teen outside.
"Seriously, it's all in good fun. Are y'all alright in there?"
Another crash and a flash of light burst at the back of the barn. A symphony of teens cursing, yelling, and even some laughing echoed as a blaze of fire licked up one wall. Chase and Gunner glanced at each other, eyes wide.
Gunner reached for his radio and called it in. "Dispatch, the teens just lit the Miller barn on fire. Send the fire department."
Chase thought to what he'd seen when they arrived. "The grass is too close to the barn. It could catch the entire field on fire."
"Shit, and we're in a dry spell. Probably a burn ban too. Let's at least get these little fuckers to safety."
Together, they burst through the back door of the barn, taking in the scene around them. The bonfire was too close to the barn, but at least the grass had been cut away from it. A broken bottle lay against the wall of the barn, and fire licked up the dry, cracked wood.
Three boys laughed beside the fire, and another one threw a bottle at the barn wall. Glass shattered, and Gunner swung the flashlight into their faces. "Freeze, nobody move."
Teens scattered like startled birds, running in every direction as Gunner took off after the one who'd thrown the bottle. Chase followed another around the side of the building toward the vehicles, only able to tackle the kid because he slowed to navigate between them.
He opened the back door of Gunner's SUV and tossed the boy inside, shutting the door behind him before the kid knew what hit him. The door locked as Gunner pushed another boy toward them.
Gunner jerked his head. "The third one's cuffed. Bring him this way. We need to get the rest of the kids out too. Some of them look passed out."
Chase raced around the side of the barn, the heat from the fire hitting him first. The barn's wooden frame groaned, the fire spreading faster than Chase expected. Dry summer grass crackled and sparked, orange tendrils licking hungrily across the field toward where the teens lay sprawled.
Years of prison work and emergency training kicking in. He moved toward the cluster of teenagers sprawled near the bonfire's dying embers. Some were face down, others mumbling incoherently.
"Hey!" he shouted. "Fire! Everyone up!"
A few stirred, but most remained motionless. Gunner was already back, pulling the closest ones away from the spreading flames, his movements professional and precise.
Chase grabbed a young guy in a football jersey, hefting him over his shoulder. The kid was dead weight, reeking of cheap beer and something chemical. Two teens stumbled toward their vehicles, and Chase spied a truck.
He pulled down the tailgate and tried to gently put the footballer on it, but he just lolled and groaned, hitting his head pretty hard on the truck. He didn't wait but turned and steered the drunken teen girls toward the back of the truck too.
"Hey, who are you?" the brunette asked.
"What are you doing? Are we going tailgating?"
The first one giggled. "No, the season is over. No more tailgating, remember?"
"Just get inside and stay there where it's safe," he grumbled, offering them a hand. They sniffed and took his hand to climb into the back of the truck. When they saw the boy passed out, they both exclaimed and bent over him, poking and prodding. Satisfied that the distraction would keep them there for a few minutes, Chase turned back to the barn.
The fire had grown, consuming the barn's wooden frame with ravenous intensity. Sparks flew upward, creating a hellish constellation against the dark sky. Chase could feel the heat pressing against his skin, hear the crackle and pop of burning timber.
Gunner appeared at his side, radio in hand. "Fire department's five minutes out. We need to get everyone clear."
Chase nodded, scanning the field. More teens were emerging from various hiding spots, some stumbling, others looking terrified. The barn fire cast flickering shadows across their bewildered faces.
"Destini and her friends?" Gunner asked, his voice tight with concern.
"Safe in the car," Chase confirmed. "But we need to get these other kids out before this entire field goes up."
They worked in tandem, Chase moving and ushering several more into the tailgates of various trucks. He counted as Gunner appeared at his side, sweat streaming down his face. "I think we've got them all. Let's get these vehicles moved back. Can Destini and her friends drive?"
Chase nodded. "Destini can. I don't know about the other two. But there's two missing, even if we're only counting ten instead of twelve."
The barn was now fully engulfed, flames shooting skyward like angry orange tentacles. Heat waves distorted the air, making everything shimmer and dance. Chase could hear the wooden beams groaning, ready to collapse at any moment.
Someone stumbled out of the front of the barn, coughing. Gunner and Chase rushed to the kid, dragging her toward the vehicles.
"Danny's inside!" she screamed unconsolably, pounding on Gunner's chest as he held her to keep her from collapsing too close to the barn. "Oh my God, get Danny!"
"No." Gunner grabbed his arm. "Wait for the fire department. It's too dangerous."
But Chase was already moving, ducking low beneath the smoke. The interior of the barn was a hellscape of burning timber and crackling hay. His eyes stung, lungs burning with each breath.
"Danny?" he shouted, dropping to his knees and removing the shirt to yell before breathing back into it. "Danny!"
A weak moan came from behind a fallen support beam at the back of the barn.
Chase crawled forward, feeling the heat searing his skin. A wooden beam lay across what looked like a teenager's leg. Danny's face was pale, sweat mixing with soot, eyes barely open.
"I'm gonna get you out," Chase muttered, grabbing the beam and putting his shirt over Danny's face. "Breathe slowly into this."
His muscles screamed as he lifted, fighting back a cough, years of ranch work and prison fitness paying off. The beam shifted just enough for Danny to pull his leg free.
"Can you move?" Chase asked, yanking the kid's arm over his shoulder, the words triggering a massive cough.
Danny mumbled something incoherent, half-conscious. Chase dragged him toward the barn's entrance, the structure groaning around them like a dying beast. Embers rained down, burning small holes in Chase's pants.
Outside, he could hear Gunner shouting, the distant wail of fire trucks growing closer. Heat pressed against his back, and the door came in sight.
Chase stumbled through the doorway just as the first support beam collapsed behind him, sending a shower of sparks into the night sky.
Gunner grabbed Danny, pulling him away from Chase, who collapsed onto the grass, coughing violently. The fire department arrived moments later, sirens blaring and lights cutting through the smoky darkness.
Destini was out of the car in an instant, running toward him. "Dad!" she screamed, her voice cracking with fear. Chase raised a hand, signaling he was okay, but the movement was weak.
"Oh my God, Dad, I was so worried. Don't leave me like that. Never do that again."
Chase coughed and sat up, Destini throwing herself into his arms in a hug that strangled him. His eyes poured tears as he coughed, and Destini released him.
"Oh God, are you alright? Let me get the paramedics. I?—"
He grabbed her hand and shook his head, holding his throat. "I'm fine." His voice was scratchy and sent him coughing again.
"You're not. Look at you. Mom's gonna kill me?—"
"Me too," Chase grinned before coughing again.
She hugged him again, and he stroked her back. "I just found you, Dad. I don't want to risk losing you, alright? I kinda love you and stuff."
Tears poured down his cheeks and his eyes closed. "Love you too, kiddo."
This unconditional love that he'd felt for her since the first time he laid eyes on his daughter was unexpected—but it healed his soul in a way nothing else ever could. That he'd earned her love in return made him feel like the luckiest guy in the world.
Paramedics swarmed the scene, checking the teenagers sprawled in the backs of the vehicles. One approached Chase, shining a light in his eyes and checking his breathing. "You inhaled a lot of smoke," the paramedic said. "We need to get you to the hospital."
Chase tried to protest, but another coughing fit overtook him. Gunner stood nearby, giving a statement to another officer, his eyes periodically checking on Chase and the teens. All the while, the barn continued to burn.
* * *
When Chase dropped Violet off at her house, he was exhausted, his throat burning. He'd been afraid they would try to sneak home, so he'd made each of them call their parents first—and get permission for him to drive them without a license. Ana and Lola had agreed, and Lola had been waiting at their home with open arms when he dropped Violet off.
"Now to drop you off," he croaked to Skye.
"Actually, Mr. Williams, this car is right next door. Is this Mr. Salazar's car?"
He glanced in the rearview mirror and turned onto the quiet streets in town. "Yeah, he's a good friend of mine. I gotta return the car, since I rode Gladys to his house to borrow it."
"Oh, well, drop me off first then," Destini said with a yawn. "I'll shower and might even be passed out by the time you get home."
Skye and Destini chatted quietly about who was more tired now that the adrenaline had worn off. When he dropped Destini off, Skye grew quiet until he pulled up in Raul's driveway. She startled awake, but the porch light on next door shone bright.
He walked with her around the hedge and watched her walk up the steps. When Ana threw open the door and gathered her into a hug, his eyes teared up once more. If he'd known Ana lived next door, he might've woken her up to drive instead of stealing Raul's car.
A voice clearing behind him had him looking back into the driveway. Raul leaned against his car, arms and legs crossed.
"Graduated to grand theft auto, did ya?"
Chase rolled his eyes, but his stomach twisted. "Shit, I'm sorry, man. I tried calling, texting—I even banged on your window."
Raul grinned and stood up. "Hey, I'm just giving you a hard time. Are the kids okay?"
Chase ran a hand through his hair, ash falling around him. "Yeah, normal teenage shit that led to a barn fire and almost burned down a hay field."
Raul winced as they walked toward the back yard. "I'm sorry I didn't wake up to help. Did you get in trouble for driving? Call the cops or fire department to the fire?"
Chase sighed and explained what happened as he found Gladys and led her back through the fence. The chill of the fall air after such an inferno of heat had him shivering, especially with a charred and singed shirt. It scratched at his raw back where debris and heat had burned. It'd be a bitch to move for the next few days, but he'd had worse.
"Destini told me she loved me," he said as he patted Gladys' side.
"Of course she does. Both of them do. When are you going to tell Jewel you love her?" Raul asked as he swung up onto the horse bare back.
He looked up at the stars, thinking about the events of the night. Destini's reaction played on repeat in his brain, and he wasn't sure how Jewel would react. She might pretend it hadn't happened or bury herself in work for days.
"I don't know. It might scare her off. The last time I gave even a hint of my feelings, she literally ran out the door and peeled out."
Raul snorted. "That was how long ago?"
Chase settled the reins in his hands. "Months, I guess."
"Exactly. Tell her how you feel. What's the worst that could happen?"
Chase set Gladys to a slow walk and waved. "We'll see. Thanks for the car—and for not pressing charges for stealing it."
Raul laughed. "As if I would ever. You're always welcome to it, my liege."
Chase shook his head. "Dipshit. I'll see you tomorrow?"
Raul grinned and waved as Chase turned onto the street. The ease of friendship faded as he thought about the night. He could've been trapped in that fire, could've lost Jewel and Destini and his entire life in one fell swoop.
It was time, he knew, to confront Jewel about their relationship. They were past due. His stomach knotted at the thought of losing her though, and the entire ride back home, he prayed that she would stay.