Page 137 of First Chance

It’s a fucking mad house.

People are running back and forth, dragging water hoses, and yelling into radios. I scoop Emory up so she doesn’t get lost in the shuffle and sprint over to the first familiar face.

“Hayes, I got her!” I yell and he spins around, his body deflating in relief. “Get a hold of everyone else, let them know to stop searching.”

“Got it.”

“Where’s Jo?”

“I don’t know, last I saw, she was with Sheriff Malec.” He nods his head towards the guesthouse fire, and I scan the crowd for Jackson. He’s taller and easier to spot.

“I think whoever did this is here. Emory saw him.” Hayes’ eyes widen and then darken. “I need a fucking fortress set up in the bunkhouse. Get my family. Get them guarded by every single one of the guys. I need to tell the Sheriff. Take Emory.” I hand her off, and the normally talkative little girl doesn’t say a word, but I watch tears fill her eyes.

“It’s okay, everything is going to be okay.” I wipe her wet cheek and smile, even when it’s the hardest emotion to pull off at a time like this. I nod at Hayes, and he takes off to the bunkhouse.

“Jackson!” I yell over the chaos, sprinting towards him. Hewhips his head to find me. “I found Emory. Where’s Jo?”

He relays to his radio that my niece was found, calling off whoever was searching for her on his end. “I don’t know. She was coordinating with the volunteer firefighters. It turned to chaos, and she took control.”

“He was here, the fucker who started the fire might still be here.”

A roar of frustration rips from his throat before he relays into his radio again. “Be advised, an arson suspect might be on scene. Keep channels closed.”

He wipes his forehead. “It has to be one of the volunteers. I swear I vetted all my LEOs, and none of them are involved in illegal activity. The fire chief feels the same about his guys.”

“I need to find Jo. Now.”

“I’ll start looking, too. Listen, Lochlan… If you find this guy first…” He shakes his head.

“Be careful what you ask for, Sheriff. I’m not a man who will be held back by laws if she’s in harm’s way.”

“I’m aware. Find my sister.” He yells over his shoulder, delving back into the shit show around us.

Chapter Fifty

Jo

One hour earlier…

“Where do you need me? How can I help?” I ask Jackson, jumping out of the way when someone sprints past me, pulling a water hose.

There aren’t fire hydrants this far up the mountain, and that means water is scarce. There are already three fire trucks on scene when a fourth pulls in through the gates.

There are too many cars and not enough room for the truck to get where it needs to.

“Start flagging all the volunteers to move their vehicles back into the field behind the house. We need this area cleared as much as possible.” He speaks into his radio, splitting his attention between me, the other deputies, and the flames billowing out of the guesthouse.

Thank God, Lochlan insisted that I stay with him in his house. I pulled all my stuff from the guesthouse last week, so I didn’t have to go back and forth.

“I’ve got it under control. Don’t worry.”

“Hey, Jo.” Jackson stops me. “Be careful,” he says offhandedly. I’m not doing anything particularlyrisky, so I know he’s just saying it as an impulse, but it makes me wish I could be more helpful.

“Sure thing.” I smile halfheartedly.

I don’t really have a plan once I start directing the volunteer firefighters out of the way, but convincing people that you’re in control isn’t that hard to accomplish. I’m flagging people to where they can park and coordinating with a couple of guys who are setting up a makeshift drinking water station.

“Excuse me,” a man’s voice comes from behind me.

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