Chapter 21 #2
“Honey, you could drop dead at any point in your life. You have to believe that if it’s your time to go, then you will no matter where you are in life or how safety conscious you are. Living your life as if walking on eggshells is no fun whatsoever.”
Why was it that she had it all figured out when my stomach was still doing flip-flops on a gymnasium floor? “I guess I never really had to worry before.”
“That’s called love.”
“Oh, no, you don’t. I am not in love.”
“Denial is the first sign. Well, after all the other emotions and sensual feelings ravaging your body. All I’m saying is that you’d get used to the worry, which you will have every time he goes out.
But it’s short lived. They will be coming home soon.
From what I heard, one engine company was already sent home, the wildland firefighters brought in ready to leave. You have nothing to worry about.”
“There you are.” Hearing Darlene’s voice behind me, some tension was eased.
“Go enjoy the night with your friends. Maybe by the time you leave, you’ll hear from him. I have a feeling you’ll be the first person he calls.” Shannon tapped the bar, winking as she did.
I mouthed a ‘thank you,’ hopeful she was right. “I’m right here.”
“About time,” my bestie teased. “We have a table. Come on.”
Darlene led the way, or I should say she danced her way through the crowd to a table close by. Cassie had already arrived as well as my assistant Tammy and another girl I didn’t know.
“Maggie, this is the girl I was telling you about. You can grill Grace to your heart’s desire about hot smokejumpers. She’s becoming the expert.”
I smacked Darlene on the arm, but I was grateful for both the interference with my mood swings and Shannon’s vote of confidence. She was right in that anything could happen at any time in someone’s life.
With the music lively and the crowd getting wilder with every passing minute, I was surprised that within no time, I was enjoying being amongst the crazy crowd and time with friends.
“Is he really hot in bed?” Maggie asked after our first conversation had settled down.
I spit out my wine, which caused the girls to laugh. “Okay, wow.”
“Here, goofy. This is a no-holds-barred table. We spill all the juicy stuff.” Darlene tossed a napkin my way.
“Juicy stuff? Do you mean sex?” Cassie continued teasing. “At least one of us is getting some.”
My cheeks were flaming, likely the color of one of several neon signs advertising a solid good time. “Well,” I managed. “Do you really want to know?”
“Hell, yes!” Cassie held up her glass.
“All I’ll say is that being with him is every girl’s fantasy. He’s hot, hard, and always in the mood.” Maybe it was the fact I was on my second glass of wine, but I even raked my fingers down the side of my neck in a saucy move.
“Oh, God,” Cassie whispered.
“That’s it. There has to be a smokejumper I can steal.” Maggie was adamant, even slamming her palm on the table.
“From what I know, they come in packs of twelve.” Darlene was serious.
“Packs?” I asked.
She shrugged as if I should know what she was talking about. “Like their toned abs?”
The girls squealed and I shook my head, sitting back in my chair and scanning the perimeter. There were people of every age inside the bar, with lots of single men for the girls to choose from. How fascinating that I didn’t find one of them even remotely good looking.
“There are some hot men here tonight too,” Cassie purred. “In case you’d like more than one for your fantasy.”
Darlene acted as if she was required to come to my defense. “My guess is Viper, and yes, that’s his name, is quite possessive. Right?”
“Yeah, yeah.” I shifted my thoughts to visiting the bar and what the bartender had told me. While I’d tried to find anything pertinent about the lighter or even anything that happened during that spring break, I was completely unsuccessful. I’d simply frustrated myself.
“What’s wrong?” Darlene asked, leaning in.
“Nothing.”
“Come on. Confess. Are you still angry with me?”
“Terribly,” I mused then squeezed her arm. “Life is too short to stay angry. No, just trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together regarding my parents’ murders.”
“You can’t keep driving yourself nuts. You know that.”
“What I know is that the fire is connected to the one at the sporting goods store. I’m positive. I just need to find a connection. I finally have a clue.”
She gave me one of her ugly frowns as I liked to call them. “What did you do?”
“It’s what I found.”
Her entire body stiffened. “What are you talking about?”
I debated telling her anything because I knew how she’d get, but maybe in her capacity as an attorney, she could help. “You owe me a favor. Unless you want me to stay mad at you forever.”
“You just told me you weren’t.”
“I lied,” I deadpanned.
“Fine. You drive a hard bargain. Talk or I’ll put you on a witness stand.”
Leaning over, I reached into my purse, finding the lighter. “Someone has been following me. I thought I saw them on my property, so I ran after them.”
“Are you out of your mind?”
“Stop. I know what I’m doing. I found this lying on a rock near where the fire scorched a two-foot pathway.”
“A lighter.” She turned it over. “Interesting.”
“I thought so, which is why I went to visit the bar.”
“You did not.”
“You bet I did. While I didn’t learn much, maybe you can find out more. Sam, the bartender was helpful enough, including tossing out the arsonist isn’t finished.”
Darlene appeared skeptical. “Well, isn’t that interesting.”
“I thought so. Remember, you owe me.”
She snatched the lighter. “Tell me everything and I do mean everything.”
So I did.
After I was finished, she glanced away briefly. “Fine. I’ll see what I find out. Maybe I’ll check on this Sam guy. And here I was hoping your hands were all scuffed up for a kinky reason.”
“You wench.” I tossed them a look, noticing someone was pushing their way through the crowd in an effort to get to the bar.
“Is he?” Maggie pressed.
Was that Landen?
When I ignored the question, Darlene pushed my arm again. “Are you paying attention?”
“Yeah, I am. I just…” Only when the tall male moved behind the bar did I know for certain I was right. Landen pulled Shannon aside and within two seconds, every fear that had started to slip away trickled into my mind again.
Whatever they were discussing appeared serious. When she placed her hand over her mouth, every nerve stood on end. But when she darted a look in my direction, catching my gaze, she wasn’t a good enough actress to hide the same fear I was experiencing.
I jerked to a halt.
“What’s wrong?” Darlene asked, pulling on my hand.
“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.” Before I had a chance to make it to the bar, both Landen and Shannon had disappeared from behind the bar, moving to a corridor beside it. I pushed my way through the crowd, my heart thrumming in my chest.
By the time I got to the hallway, I was fighting tears. I knew whatever was going on had something to do with the smoke-jumping team.
A closed office door. I stood just outside, catching my breath before knocking and turning the handle without being invited in.
Both Landen and Shannon were shocked, Shannon immediately turning her head.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, trying desperately not to become too upset.
“Grace,” Landen said, and I knew the voice all too well. The tone said that he was the adult and I was the child, but that wasn’t the case any longer.
“I asked… What is wrong?” I closed the door behind me, taking a single stride closer.
The two of them looked at each other and the girl who’d tried not to become emotional disappeared. A single tear fell and I trapped it with my fingers, wishing it was Viper collecting the salty bead.
“Tell her,” Shannon encouraged, her voice little more than a whisper.
He gritted his teeth.
“Tell me!” Now I was demanding.
After rubbing his eyes, he looked directly into mine. “Two jumpers were separated from the others. It was thought they could make it to the safe zone, but something must have happened.”
“Safe zone.”
“A predesignated area where they could avoid the danger.”
“And?” I took another step, my pulse racing.
“And contact was lost, but it appeared something happened. Maybe they found a hiker, but nobody knows for certain.”
“Is it Viper? Is one of them Viper?”
He moved around the desk, coming closer and I threw my hand out. The shock on his face tore at my insides. “They haven’t released any names.”
“Not even to you?”
“There are some communication issues. Some of the coms are down,” he insisted. “That happens sometimes.”
“What about the fire?”
Damn his hesitation.
“While the fire is eighty-five percent contained, it’s still burning hot and… And in the direction of their last known location.”
“But they can get out. Right? There’s another way. A plane? A helicopter?”
“Too dangerous to fly either one with the amount of smoke in the air,” Shannon answered, maybe to give my godfather a break.
“Then what happens now? Is someone going to go find them?”
“Not yet, Grace.”
“But what is going to happen? If they can’t get off the mountain then what? They’re forced to stay there?”
His nod was way too elongated. “There’s no other choice.”
“That’s dangerous. Right? What can they do?”
“They have specialty equipment and blankets that are fire retardant.”
“Fire retardant. That’s not foolproof though. Right? If the fire burns too hot, their equipment might not work. Right?” I had to look from one to the other. “Right?” I was exasperated, my heart thudding.
“Yes.”
Just like the phone call I’d received at one-thirty in the morning weeks ago, I had a sense that everything I’d considered precious had been ripped away. But this time I refused to collapse. “No. No…”