She pulled her head back inside and looked around. Thirty feet to the wall of flames. Thirty feet of hay and dry timber waiting for fire to consume and destroy.
She searched again for another way out. Sizzling flames obliterated the path to the window and the front door. A miracle or the doggie door were her only ways out.
Please, I can’t handle this right now. Coming back here is all I can manage. This is too much.
Why was she calling out to God? He’d never helped before. No—she was on her own again the way God seemed to like it. Well, she wouldn’t just lie down and die.
Drawing her legs up, she crammed her upper body back through the opening. The frame tore at the gash on her side. She bit her lip to control the pain as she squirmed and twisted.
Right, left, up, down, she pushed. Nothing.
“Face it, Mia, you’re stuck.” She relaxed to conserve her energy for another try and the irony of her situation struck her as funny. She laughed in tiny giggles that foretold a meltdown.
She’d summoned up all her courage to return to Logan Lake and face the people who’d hurt her the most, only to die in a fire.
TWO
Ryan’s two-way pager continued to emit details of the fire from the holder on his hip. No need to listen. He had all the information he needed. He tuned out the chatter and focused on Jessie’s terrified eyes begging him to stay.
“I have to help Mia,” he said, giving the sweet eight-year-old a comforting smile. He pulled her close for a brief hug. “Dupree will stay with you until I get back.”
He hated to leave this little squirt with the EMT, but he had no choice. The rest of his crew hadn’t arrived, and Mia might die before they did. He gave Jessie one last lingering look then rushed toward the barn.
Surging flames consumed half the building cracking and spitting out glowing embers. Life-sucking flames.
Man. This was bad. Really bad. Hopefully he wasn’t too late. Not like that horrible day three years ago.
No. Don’t think about that now. Today you’re on time. You will save her life.
Clumsy in his boots and turnouts, he charged at the radiating heat. He lowered his face shield and dodged raining debris like an Olympic hurdler.
Thankfully, Russ hadn’t been in the office, or Ryan would’ve been sitting there when his pager went off. The drive would have taken fifteen minutes. No one would be here to rescue Mia from the flames steadily licking forward in search of fresh fuel. He’d have another tragedy on his hands. He had to hurry.
He careened around the corner.
Whoa! There she was. Mia. His Mia. Crumpled and protruding from a pet door. But she was breathing. Alive. He should be able to pry her free before the flames reached her, but smoke inhalation could still claim her life.
His steps faltered. Uncertainty settled over him like the thick smoke billowing from the barn. This was too close for comfort.
God, don’t let this end as it did with Cara.
Ryan felt God’s strength surrounding him and urging him forward.
“Are you all right?” he called to Mia.
She craned her neck up at him, and her eyes fluttered open. Large green emeralds glistened likely from smoke-induced tears. “Did you find Jessie? Is she okay?”
Yeah, this was his Mia all right. Always concerned for others in distress. “Jess is fine. She’s with the EMTs.”
“Good, I wanted to—” A harsh cough tore away her words. The spasm intensified, racking her body.
This wasn’t good. With the way he ended things between them, a stubborn Mia would rather die in the fire than let him come to her rescue. She couldn’t know his identity.
He pulled his gaze away and studied the door. He’d use his pry bar to splinter the wood above her head and drag her to safety. At least he hoped his pry bar was tool enough to do the job. There was no one else to help and the blaze flared around them.
“Hold on, sweetheart.” Years of unspoken affection flowed unbidden through his tone. “I’m gonna get you out of there.”
Sweetheart? Was this guy kidding? She was trapped in a fire, struggling to breathe, and he patronized her with a chauvinist comment? She hated when men talked down to women.
A spark of recognition shot through her. Wait! Maybe it was Ryan. He used to call her sweetheart.
Nah. After the way they broke up, he wouldn’t dare use that endearment in her presence. Besides, Ryan would have identified himself.
“Keep your head down.” His bold tone spoke to his confidence and helped ease her concerns.
She fixed her eyes on his heavy black boots as rippling shocks traveled down the wood. Waves of pain reverberated into her injured side. She bit her lip. Held it fast between clamped teeth. One last tremor. Her body lurched forward, plunged toward the dirt. The metal tool thunked on the ground, and her freefall stopped.
“Got you,” he said, clutching her under the arms. “Think you can stand?”
“My legs are numb.”
“Then I’ll have to carry you.” He didn’t wait for her agreement but in one swift motion, pulled her free then slipped his hands under her legs.
Sirens screamed in the background as he gently settled her against his broad chest. His jacket reeked of burnt wood and scratched roughly against her skin.
Didn’t matter. Not a bit. She was out of that door. Snuggled warm against his chest. He drew her even closer. Umm, nice. She was safe. It had been so long since she’d felt safe like this. Not since she and Ryan were together.
What was with her? Back in town for a few hours and all she could think about was the man who’d sent her running away in pain. Not a good idea to go there. She concentrated on breathing the improving air into aching lungs.
The wall he’d freed her from groaned and shuttered as if heaving a last breath. He picked up speed and crossed the grass with sure footing until they arrived at a dented white pickup.
Squatting, he settled her against a rusted wheel well. “There you go. Not too comfortable, but it will have to do for now.”
“Thank you. If you hadn’t come along, I—” Her voice broke, and she couldn’t speak. She changed her focus to the screaming red truck bouncing down the driveway, followed by several personal vehicles.
He squeezed her shoulder, and she turned back.
“You doin’ all right?” He flipped up his visor and fixed penetrating blue eyes on her. It was Ryan. Her Ryan.
No, he hadn’t been her Ryan for years. This was the man who hurt her and now she owed him her life.
“I know you’re upset with me, Mia, but we have to put aside our differences and talk about the letter. The fire changes everything. You have to admit the letter wasn’t just a practical joke.”
“You’re jumping to conclusions.” Conclusions she’d reached, but wouldn’t speak aloud. “The fire could’ve started on its own.”
“Possibly.” He crooked his thumb at the barn. “Won’t take long until we know for sure. Until then, I want you to stay away from Pinetree.”
She sighed and leaned her head against the truck. She was so tired. Tired of carrying around the baggage of their breakup and now she’d do just about anything to make the heartache go away.
Even