Читать книгу High-Stakes Inheritance - Susan Sleeman - Страница 10

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 if it meant letting him help her through this… But she couldn’t trust him. Any man for that matter. They only disappointed her with their need to control and then bailed on her when she didn’t let them take charge.

She had to keep up the wall, or he’d hurt her again. “I really don’t want to talk about this with you.”

Laying a gentle hand on her cheek, he turned her to face him. “You’re letting your anger at me cloud the issue, and you’re acting reckless.”

She let his hand linger like a caress. The tender warmth felt right. Like old times, before the breakup. When she thought they’d be together forever. When she believed in the pure love of a man. When she could afford to take chances.

She shook his hand off. “My safety is none of your concern.”

“Given the way I treated you I can understand how you could think that, but I don’t want to see you get hurt.” He lifted his helmet and ran a hand over sweaty hair. “We should call Russ and tell him about the threat.”

“Russ?”

“He’s the police chief now. He can help.”

“I don’t want anyone to know about this. I’ll handle it my way.”

“But this is too—”

“I said no! I don’t want everyone in town gossiping about me on my first day back. If you care about me like you said, you’ll keep this to yourself.” She locked her eyes on his. “Promise me you won’t tell him. Or anyone. You owe me that much.”

“Fine.” He let out a frustrated breath. “I’ll go along with you, but you should reconsider and tell him yourself.”

“She okay, Morgan?” A firefighter with Chief lettered on his helmet hustled toward them, breaking the mood.

Ryan stood but kept his gaze glued on hers. “I sure hope so.” His double meaning didn’t escape her, but she forced back her feelings.

“You the only one in the barn?” The chief directed his question at her.

“I think so,” Mia said, blocking out Ryan and paying full attention to the chief. “There’s a truck in there, but it was completely engulfed in flames. I don’t know if anyone was in it, but at least Jessie got out safely.”

The chief faced Ryan. “Morgan, you go help Becker investigate that truck. Dupree can take care of Mia for now.”

“I’m on it.” Ryan let his eyes linger long enough to tug Mia’s emotions back to life, then he took off.

As much as she tried, Mia couldn’t keep her focus from Ryan battling his way into the south end of the building. Fear equal to finding Jessie trapped in the blaze crept over her. He was risking his life to check the truck for survivors. Something brave firefighters did every day. But her heart didn’t clutch under her ribs for those firefighters.

What was up with that anyway? Did she have residual feelings for him or had his kind, compassionate eyes caught her off-guard like they always had in the past?

One of the EMTs plopped down next to her, ending Ryan’s captivating pull.

Good. Now she could get her mind off him and on to figuring out how to follow up on the fire. She’d do what she always did, organize and control her steps so she didn’t let feelings get in her way. With Ryan threatening her emotional stability, she was going to need an extra-detailed plan so he didn’t derail her from her quest.

Planting his feet wide apart, Ryan gripped the pulsing hose and trained the spray in front of Becker as he neared the truck. Becker picked his way through the smoldering ruins and flare-ups before giving a thumbs-up indicating the truck was clear. No lives were lost in the fire today.

A wave of relief washed over Ryan as he turned the hose over to the other fireman and headed for the chief to tell him the news. Today had been a good day.

Being a firefighter in a small town meant if someone perished in a fire, you likely went to school with them, or to church—or served on a committee together. Worst case, you were related or in love with the person, maybe planning to marry.

Like Cara. Except she didn’t die in a fire. A madman ended her life. Much like the lunatic threatening Mia might do.

Ryan halted his steps and fixed his gaze on her. Even beaten down by her ordeal she had the same vibrancy in her personality as he remembered from high school. Sure she’d been unstable in so many ways back then, but her longing to be loved by her uncaring father fueled that behavior. Ryan had hoped his unconditional acceptance of her might have been enough. But it wasn’t. Couldn’t fill the ache left by the loss of her mother and an overbearing father.

Eyes fixed on her, Ryan resumed walking. He’d been wrong. So wrong to end things the way he did. Now he didn’t know how to get her to hear him out. He should just walk away with his guilt firmly planted in his gut. She didn’t deserve to relive the day just to relieve his suffering, but he had no choice.

If he had to make her suffer a little more so she’d listen to his warnings before the lunatic behind the threatening letter and the fire struck again, then that’s what he would do.