Читать книгу Cowboy Sanctuary - Elle James - Страница 11

Molly’s revelation about Jennie’s marriage roiled around in Cameron’s thoughts as he traveled the road between the Morgan and the Ward ranches. How could Jennie put up with the abuse? She’d been a firebrand when he’d known her—full of confidence and a strong sense of family. How had he missed this piece of news? Molly had always kept him up to date on the goings-on in the small community of Dry Wash. Had she been too young to understand Jennie’s plight at the time?

All Cameron had heard was that she’d married shortly after he’d left for the military.

Shadows thickened as he rounded the curve in the road leading to the Flying W ranch house. Nearing the ranch, he caught a glimpse of flames and black smoke billowing above the treetops.

What the hell? His foot slammed the accelerator to the floorboard and the truck leaped forward, eating up the remaining distance.

By the amount of smoke filling the sky, the fire must be big and it appeared to be coming from the back side of the house. Cameron’s chest squeezed. Jennie was in the house with her father. Had the same person who’d taken a shot at Hank come back to finish the job?

Cameron slammed a palm to the steering wheel. Why had he thought it all right to leave the Wards without his protection? These criminals had already killed two people and probably others he didn’t know about.

As he skidded around the side of the house, he noted that it wasn’t the house on fire, but the barn. For a moment, Cameron breathed a sigh of relief. Jennie was given strict instructions to stay in the house with her father.

When Ms. Blainey burst out of the kitchen door and headed toward the burning barn, Cameron knew instinctively that Jennie hadn’t followed instructions.

Gunning the accelerator, Cameron raced the truck toward the inferno, reaching the barn a couple yards ahead of Ms. Blainey. He dropped out of the driver’s seat and ran for the barn door. “Anyone in there?” he called out to the woman behind him.

“Jennie!” Ms. Blainey kept running until she skidded to a halt in front of the barn door. “Jennie came outside a few minutes ago to take care of the horses. Oh God! She’s in there!”