Chapter 8
EIGHT
The only thing she could do was wait.
Allie knelt on the sidewalk with an arm around each boy, their small frames the only solid thing she could hold on to. Smoke poured out the front door and drifted up. Sirens screamed in the night. The whole roof was on fire now. And Dakota was still in there. She’d already called the dispatcher and hung up with them. The longer they waited, the harder Nolan started crying.
Allie needed to distract them.
No, what Allie needed was for Dakota to walk out that front door in one piece with Jen Haroldson. But since that wasn’t happening…
“Mommy!” Nolan screamed and shot off into the shadows. Allie lunged after him and fell to the sidewalk as he disappeared around the corner of the house.
Ethan ran after him.
“Boys!” Allie jumped to her feet and took off.
If they kept clear of the burning structure, they’d be okay.
Giving the burning house a wide berth, she skirted around the corner to the side yard. “Ethan! Nolan! Come wait with me out front. It’s not safe back here.”
Between the roaring fire and nearing sirens, she could barely make it out, but she could still faintly hear one of the boys shouting from the backyard. She turned the corner…
Fire ate up the whole rear of the house. Flames shot out the windows. Sparks flew. Walls and siding were consumed by yellow-and-orange tongues. For a moment Allie couldn’t move. Couldn’t turn away from the destruction. How had this happened?
Dakota was in there somewhere.
But Nolan’s cry pulled her back to the moment. The yard was lined with a privacy fence. A tree in the corner kept that part of the yard in the shadows. She found Ethan on his hands and knees.
“Ethan! Where’s Nolan?”
Ethan pointed under the tree.
Fire trucks pulled onto the street, the sirens deafening now. Allie lifted the branch and gasped.
There, huddled against the trunk of the tree, was Jen Haroldson. Her eyes opened as they came closer but didn’t focus. Blood caked the side of her face from a gash on her temple. Nolan cried in her lap.
Allie moved closer. “Nolan, I need to be super gentle. Your mom is hurt, and we need to get her help. Ethan, go call one of those firefighters in the front. Tell them Dakota is inside and your mom is back here and needs medical attention.”
The boy nodded and ran off. Nolan cuddled up in Jen’s lap.
“Jen, can you hear me?” Allie hunched over to avoid the low tree branches.
Jen moaned in response. At least this time she kept her eyes open and made eye contact. Her thin arms wrapped around Nolan.
“Hey, we’re getting you some help, okay?”
A couple EMS workers ran over with Ethan. Allie coaxed Nolan into her own arms and backed out of the way. After a quick assessment, they shifted Jen out from under the tree and lifted her onto the stretcher.
Thank goodness Nolan gave her something to hold. She held him close and stood by Ethan. Surely Dakota was out of the house by now. He needed to know they’d found her.
They followed the EMS personnel back to the front yard. Two more paramedics took the boys to one of the rigs to look them over. While they headed to the ambulance with Jen, Allie stopped in the corner of the yard. Firefighters raced around, some dragging a hose across the grass, others talking into radios. Police pushed back onlookers. But nowhere did she see Dakota. She ran to the first firefighter she could find.
“Excuse me. Have you seen?—”
“Sorry, ma’am. I have to ask you to leave.” He gently pushed her back and turned back to talking to his coworker, an older man with a beard.
“No, wait. Someone is in there!”
They both looked at her. The one with a beard asked, “Who?”
“My friend, Dakota. He’s a hotshot. He went in to check on Jen Haroldson. This is her place.” Hadn’t Ethan told them?
The firefighter shook his head. “Ma’am, are you sure? Someone already checked and said there’s no one inside right now.”
“He went in there! I saw him. You have to get him out!”
At that moment, fire shot out the front window, and glass shattered on the porch. Everyone ducked.
The other firefighter pulled Allie farther from the house. “You need to stay back. We’re getting water on it now. As soon as we can get inside safely, we’ll?—”
“No! That’s not acceptable!”
A warm hand on her arm held her back. “Allie.”
She spun around. Dakota stood there, ash smeared across one cheek. His eyes were red and his hair was mess, but she’d never seen him look better. “Oh my goodness!” She grabbed him in a tight hug. “You’re okay. I thought…”
She squeezed her eyes tight against the sting of tears. He smelled of smoke and soot, but she didn’t care. He was alive. She almost collapsed with relief.
“It’s okay. I’m here.” He whispered the words in her ear.
She blew out a shaky breath and forced her muscles to relax. Once she was certain she could stand on her own, she stepped back. “I’m sorry. I was…worried about you. But you’re okay?”
He smiled and she soaked it in. “Yeah. I’m okay.” He pulled her back against his chest.
For a moment he just held her close. His embrace helped melt away the icy tentacles of fear that had wrapped around her. He was solid and strong, and Allie couldn’t deny the appeal. His arms felt like home.
“How did you get out?” Allie asked.
“I didn’t stay long. I saw a blood trail leading out the side door and figured Jen got out.” Someone bumped into them. Dakota pulled back a little. “And it looks like you found her.” He pointed to the ambulance, where they were lifting Jen inside.
“The boys did. I’m not even sure how. But we should find them. Nolan’s been inconsolable.”
“Let’s take them to the hospital so they can see their mom. I’m sure we’ll have to wait while she’s checked out. Then we can ask them if Paulson is the same guy they saw in the forest. But first, I need to talk to the fire chief.”
“Why?”
“Someone set the fire on purpose.”
“How do you know?”
“There was an empty can of paint thinner on the kitchen floor.”
Allie gasped. Who would’ve set that fire? And Jen’s injury. What had happened to her?
Dakota left to find the chief. She longed for her dog, a steady and calm presence to reassure her. But at least Dakota was here and okay.
But Ray was somewhere out there too.
Maybe now Jen would listen and tell her what was going on in their home.
Dakota could still smell the clean citrusy scent of Allie’s shampoo from when she’d hugged him. Her arms had squeezed him tight. And when she’d pulled back, her eyes had been shimmering, like she’d been truly worried about him and a little teary.
Not that he should read anything romantic into it. Even though she’d agreed to go out with him sometime.
Still, he couldn’t deny how the heart in his chest swelled at the sight of her. Especially right now, as she held Ethan’s hand and they walked into the hospital emergency department for the second time today. Nolan rested in Dakota’s arms, his little body still shuddering every so often. Dakota tried not to cough all over the kid, but he’d inhaled too much smoke today. His side hurt like crazy too. But Nolan was tired and worried, and Allie shouldn’t have to carry him.
After settling the boys with Allie in the waiting area, Dakota went in search of sustenance. There had to be a vending machine somewhere. Once the boys had had something to eat and were calmer, he could ask them about Paulson. He wandered into a small alcove off to the side of the hospital gift shop, the fluorescent lights of the pop machine glaring.
Ethan and Nolan were good kids. So why did Jen stick around a guy like Ray? Because maybe if he could figure that out, he could understand his own mother’s choice to stay with Buck for so long. Maybe she’d thought she could change him at first. But after the first few times of striking her, wouldn’t it have been obvious? Some men didn’t change. He probably should be glad she’d left him eventually, but ten years under a man like that did a lot of damage. Had anyone reached out to his mom like Allie was doing for Jen? Offered her help or a way out? Would she have turned them down?
No matter how much he tried, for the life of him he couldn’t understand how a mother could allow her own child to be harmed.
Thank goodness for strong women like Allie.
I don’t know what You have in store for her, Lord, but I’d like to be worthy of a woman like that. I know I’m not there yet. But with Your help, I could be. I could be Your guy .
He punched the buttons and grabbed the sports drinks that dropped down. After finding some chips and protein bars, he brought them back to the others.
“Any word on Jen?” he asked quietly by Allie’s ear.
“Nothing yet.”
But soon after chowing down on the snacks, the doctor came by to give a report that Jen was going to be okay. She wanted to see the boys, but they needed to clean her up and run another scan first.
Happy for the chance to see his mom soon, Nolan crawled into Allie’s lap with a picture book from one of the tables and asked her to read it. Ethan’s thin shoulders finally rested against the back of his chair as the doctor left.
“Your mom’s gonna be okay. We’ll stay with you until we know you’re safe. Okay?” For some reason Dakota wanted to reiterate that.
Ethan nodded. He was a strong kid. Probably because he had to be. And now that he didn’t have to worry about his mother, this might be a good time to get some answers. The cops would be here any moment. He could protect the boys best if he knew what they were dealing with.
Dakota pulled out the paper with Kurt Paulson’s picture and caught Allie’s eye before she started reading. She gave him a slight nod yes.
“Hey, Ethan, can I show you something? I was wondering if you could help me out.”
“Help how?”
He showed Ethan the picture. “When you talked about the scary man you said you saw in the forest, was he with this man?”
The boy’s eyes grew wide. “Yeah! That’s the one the scary man shot!”
The older woman sitting next to her husband by the wall perked up at Ethan’s loud voice.
Great. Busybodies. Dakota lowered his voice. “Are you sure?”
Ethan nodded emphatically. “The tall ponytail guy?—he has a tattoo of a gun and flag going up his arm—he was yelling at that man in the picture. When he walked away, he shot him in the back. This guy fell, and then the man shot him again.”
Dakota’s gut clenched. So it had been the murder they’d witnessed. The woman listening leaned in, probably hearing every single word. Allie paused in her reading and shared a look of concern. She turned the page and kept Nolan occupied.
Dakota looked back at the older boy. “What happened then?”
“We ran away. We…we tried to tell my mom, but she already had stuff going on. And I wasn’t technically supposed to be off the trail.” Ethan’s brows dipped in worry. “Are we in trouble?”
Not if Dakota had anything to say about it. This kid was a victim, not a troublemaker. “No, you’re not in trouble, bud. But we’re going to have to talk to the sheriff so he knows. They’re trying to find the man who shot him.” He nodded toward the photo. “You could be a big help in solving this case. But we also want to make sure you and your brother stay safe. Did the tattooed guy see you?”
“I don’t know. He yelled like he saw us, but we were pretty far away and uphill. And we ran fast.”
“What are you doing with those boys?” Ray’s yell cut across the room.
Dakota glanced across the waiting area and saw the boys’ stepfather at the entrance of the hospital. He stumbled in on his unlaced work boots, drips of something on his dirty T-shirt, and ran right into a chair. He swung a heavy arm and shoved the chair out of his way. The older couple sitting on the other side of the room watched, mouths agape.
Dakota jumped to his feet to put himself between Ray and the boys, but he didn’t move forward. He needed to be the clear-headed one here and defuse the situation.
“Ray, calm down. We’re just keeping an eye on them while Jen is being treated.”
“We don’t need any help from you.” The bald man lumbered forward. Even with twenty feet between them, Dakota could smell the cigarette smoke and alcohol. Great. He was a belligerent drunk.
The older woman in the loud purple-and-green shirt stood and approached Ray. “Now, Raymond, you’re in no shape to?—”
“Shut up, Betty. No one asked you. You’re a mean old gossip, and no one cares what you say.”
The man in a matching green golf shirt came up to the woman and stood beside her. “That’s no way to talk to my wife. You get out of?—”
Ray pushed the man aside. “You better stay out of my way, old man.” He kicked another chair away.
Nolan whimpered somewhere behind Dakota, and Allie tried to soothe him. Ray was terrifying the boys. Hopefully Allie had grabbed Ethan too. Dakota couldn’t risk looking or letting his focus drop. He was about to move in when the sheriff walked in with the same deputy that had been here earlier.
“Ray Haroldson, stand down,” the sheriff said.
“This ain’t none of your business,” Ray slurred.
“Sheriff, I insist you arrest this man!” The older woman stood and pointed at Ray. “He’s covering for a murderer and silencing these children.”
If that lady didn’t shush and stay out of this, things were going to escalate. Ray was on the verge of exploding. The vein on the side of his head pulsed fast. Dakota was poised to whisk the boys away if the man came any closer.
“Betty, Robert, I’ll take your statements in a second,” the deputy said.
Betty huffed. “Well, I never?—”
Her husband grabbed her hand. “Woman, would you sit down. Can’t you see he’s got this?”
The sheriff walked up to the drunk. “Let’s go, Ray. You need to sleep this off.”
“No one is taking those boys away from me! Where’s Jennifer?” His loud voice boomed. He tried to step closer to Ethan and Dakota, but the sheriff reached for his arm to stop him. The deputy closed in on the other side of Ray.
“I suggest you leave the boys alone right now. You’re drunk and you drove here. According to Tracy, you made quite the ruckus at the bar tonight.”
Ray swung at the sheriff and missed. He collapsed to the floor, where he blinked up at them.
“That was the wrong move, Ray.” The sheriff looked to his deputy. “He can sleep it off in holding.”
“Sure thing, boss.” The deputy cuffed Ray and hauled him away.
The older couple closed in.
“It’s such a shame.” The older woman tsked. “What kind of trouble did he cause at the bar?”
Sheriff Hutchinson held up a hand. “Let me stop you right there, Betty. Robert, do you want to press charges?”
The older man shook his head.
“Then I’m done here.”
Betty huffed. “I just want help, Sheriff. I know everyone around these parts.” She turned to Dakota and Allie. “So, what happened with Jen Haroldson? Did that man hurt her? Is that why you’re here with the boys?”
“I’m sorry. We’ve got to find a bathroom to wash this guy off.” Allie picked up Nolan. “Ethan, why don’t you come with me.” They went to the restroom on the other side of the waiting area.
Robert tugged his wife back to the corner they’d been in earlier, but their obvious interest in the conversation had Dakota gesturing to the sheriff to move as far away from them as he could.
“Sheriff, I think you should talk to Ethan when he gets back. He witnessed a murder in the forest not too far from the campground.”
“A murder?” The sheriff thankfully kept his voice low too. “What makes you say that?”
“He said he saw a man shot and killed. And I heard a dead body was found recently. It matches Ethan’s story?—”
“Let me stop you right there. I’m familiar with Ethan’s stories. He’s called the office multiple times with reports of bad guys. I think we know who the real bad guy is he’s worried about.”
“This isn’t a story about Ray. I’m talking about that Army Ranger.”
“And how do you know about that?” The sheriff’s eyes narrowed.
“I heard…something.” He didn’t want Felicia to get in trouble for sharing information. “Something is going on out there in the forest.”
The sheriff folded his arms across his chest and faced Dakota. “I appreciate you keeping an eye on Jen’s boys, but that’s where your involvement ends. If it will make you feel better, I’ll talk to the boy tomorrow. It’s late and he’s been through enough. Now, if you don’t mind, I’ve got a drunk and disorderly to book. But stay out of my murder case.”
The sheriff left with a nod to the lady in scrubs behind the counter.
So much for working with the local law enforcement to get some answers. What was it going to take for someone to take Dakota seriously?
Because once a cop, always a cop…at least, as far as he was concerned. He’d quit voluntarily because that was better than being fired. But he wasn’t walking away.
Not this time.