Wild Fire (20 page)

K
ARA DIDN'T KNOW WHAT
had happened, but in the few days since she had seen him last, Greg had really changed. She sat in the cab of the truck between him and Bud Davis. Greg was quiet but polite. And he looked different
.
Resigned. That was the word. The anger that had plagued him since Mom had died was gone
.

He's accepted Mom's death
. With a feeling of shock, she realized that she had too.

Mr. Davis squeezed her arm. “Don't you worry, Honey. God's gonna get them two found. You just bet on it.”

They were getting closer. The horses in the big slant-load trailer started stomping around. “Hey, what's going on back there?”

Kara bent the mirror so she could see into the open window at the front of the trailer.
“
They smell something. Maybe the smoke's got them spooked.”

Greg shook his head. “Not these guys. They've been on fire cleanup crews. That's why I brought them.”

“There's your answer.” Bud nodded to the open meadow. It spread three acres wide from the dirt road to the trailhead. Two horses stood smack in the middle, munching on the sparse, green grass.

“Lily and Dakota!” Kara didn't know whether to laugh or cry. “No saddles or tack. That must mean Colin or Anne took it off. Which means they must be alive.”

She saw the set of Greg's chin and knew what he was thinking. Colin and Anne could have released the horses—turned them loose so they'd at least have a chance to escape.

When Kara jumped out of the truck, Lily nickered and trotted over. She rubbed her muzzle against Kara's shoulder. Dakota came willingly too. Kara let Greg check Dakota out while she ran her hands all over Lily's body, down her legs, even checking inside her mouth for sores.

“She's got a few scorch marks, but she's sound.” Kara felt the tightness building in her chest and pressed her face against Lily's side.
Not now. You don't have time to cry
.

“Dakota's got a cut above his fetlock,” Greg said. “It doesn't look like anything serious, and he's not lame. I say we take him in. He might be able to lead us to Colin.” He glanced at Bud. “Besides, he's strong. He can carry two if he has to.”

Bud nodded. “We'll ride him and pony one of the others.”

Kara patted Lily's flank, then followed Mr. Davis back to the trailer. “I'll get some gear for Lily too. I'd rather ride her than one of the others.”

When the horses were ready, Kara gripped Lily's mane, grabbed the saddle horn, and vaulted into the saddle. “Let's go. Anne and Colin are down there somewhere, or these two wouldn't have stuck around.”

Bud Davis frowned. “I don't know. We're supposed to wait for Sheriff Lassen and his men.”

In your dreams
.

Greg laughed. “When my sister gets that look in her eye, you might as well give up the fight.”

Lily danced along the trail, settling only when the path got too steep to do anything but slide. She needed to run.
Kara kept a tight rein and patted the mare's neck. “Easy girl. We'll get some exercise later. Right now we have work to do.”

The trail zigzagged for a hundred yards along a narrow ridge, then settled into easy curves for half a mile. Kara eased her grip on Lily's reins and looked around for any fresh tracks in the dirt and rocks. She grimaced as the familiar acrid smell stung her nostrils.

The fire had not reached this part of the mountain, but as they rounded a curve, she saw smoke smothering the tree tops like a thick, gray quilt. She couldn't see the bottom of the trail, but she knew it snaked with hairpin turns down into the murk.

Greg brought Dakota alongside Lily. “We won't get far in that.”

“Let's hope we don't have to.” She tried not to show her real thoughts. She wasn't giving up that easily. If she had to, she'd go on her own.

She clicked her tongue. Lily obeyed the command and moved forward, then once again tried to break into a trot. Kara held her in check until suddenly the mare put on the brakes, and nothing Kara did could make her budge.

Dakota whinnied, coming up on Lily's tail. Both horses jigged in place. “Back him off!” she yelled at Greg.

“I'm trying.”

Lily spun around on the narrow trail, and for one terrifying moment Kara thought they would both go over the side.

Bud's horse stood calmly a few paces behind Greg and Dakota.

Bud held his hand up for silence. “Shh. Listen.”

Even the horses quieted, but both Lily's and Dakota's ears were twitching like radar. A low whistle, weak and thin, sent them dancing once more.

“It's them,” Kara whispered, “it's got to be.” She jumped out of the saddle and began searching the brush. Greg was right beside her when she saw a pair of boots sticking out of a rock. As she slid down the rocky slope, she was glad to be wearing her heavy jeans.

Colin was propped in a sitting position, half in and half out of what looked to be a small cave. He grinned at her. “Hi there, Indian Princess. I see you brought the cavalry.”

Before she could think of anything to say, he closed his eyes.

Greg pushed past her and pressed two fingers against Colin's neck, then lifted one eyelid. “He's alive, just out cold.”

“Wakara?” The whispered question came from inside the cave.

“Anne! He found her. Colin found Anne. She must be hurt, or she would have come out.” Her pulse throbbing wildly, she pushed past Greg and Colin and rushed into the cave.

All they had to go on was Colin's story. Anne couldn't remember anything after lightning struck a nearby tree and sent her rolling down an embankment into Otter Lake. He had found her lying partially in the water, one leg twisted up and under her at an impossible angle.

“She was so white I thought she was dead. But she screamed like a wildcat when I tried to move her.” He grinned at Anne, who lay in a hospital bed, her right leg swathed from toes to hip in a hard plaster cast.

She glared at him, but Kara could see the spark of humor in her dark eyes. “You would not make the best nurse, I think. Better you stick with horses.”

“Hey, the doc said I did a good job setting that leg.”

Everyone laughed, and Dad shook his head. “Tree bark and fishing line. What's that old saying? ‘Necessity is the mother of invention.'”

Colin doubled over with a coughing spell.

“I'll get some water.” Kara grabbed a paper cup and filled it at the small sink, then waited until he caught his breath.

“I think we've stayed long enough,” Dad intervened. “Kara starts school tomorrow and Colin needs to get home. He's not even supposed to be out of bed yet.”

Kara heartily agreed. Colin had already described their ordeal to the doctors, to Sheriff Lassen, and then to the rest of them. She shuddered every time she thought about it.

She could almost feel the heat of the flames closing in, the embers catching Colin's shirt on fire. He had rolled in the lake, then soaked Dakota's saddle blanket, wrapped it around Anne, and laid her in front of him across the horse's back.

“I have to tell you I was scared,” Colin had said. “Dakota wanted out of there bad, and I couldn't see two feet in front of me. He took off, and I figured we were headed in the right direction when we ran into Lily.

“Her reins had snagged a tree limb. It slowed her down, but it sure didn't stop her. When I cut her loose, she took off like an arrow straight up the side of the mountain. That's when I knew we'd found the Pine Creek trail.”

He had swallowed enough smoke to make him dizzy and had fallen off Dakota twice. The second time, Anne slid off with him, and he knew he couldn't get her back on. He had cracked three ribs. “But I didn't even feel it then. I just knew we had to head for cover.”

He had taken the saddles and bridles off the horses, turned them loose, and dragged Anne down the slope into the shallow cave. “I figured if the fire hit us we were goners. If not, someone would be along sooner or later to get us out of there.”

Kara felt tears well up in her eyes. She turned away and tossed the empty paper cup in the trash can. Every time she thought about how close Colin and Anne had come to death, she lost it. She had come to realize just how much they both meant to her—Colin maybe more than she wanted to admit.

Greg and Ryan pushed past her on their way out the door. “See ya at home.”

Bud Davis slapped his hat on his head and shook Dad's hand. “I think I'll head on out too, Harley. You just let me know if there's anything more I can do.”

Kara caught the look the men exchanged and realized her suspicions had been right. Mr. Davis had been shepherding Greg.

Dad's words confirmed her thoughts. “I can't thank you enough, Bud. Lord willing, we won't be needing you for a while.”

Mr. Davis squeezed her shoulder as he left. “You have a fine family here, Wakara. You take care now.”

Dad was helping Colin to his feet. “Okay, okay, I'm ready,” Colin was saying.

He grinned at Kara, then straightened and looked at her dad, his face more serious than she had ever seen it.

“I've got exactly two weeks to get well. The youth group at church is busing it to Bend for the football game. Thought I'd tag along and keep Wakara company,” he said quietly. “If that's okay with you.”

T
IA SQUEALED
. “J
UST LIKE THAT
?”

“Shh!” Kara nodded, laughing. “Yeah. Colin said it just like that. You should have seen the look on Dad's face. I thought he was going to say no. Then he smiles and says, ‘Well, son, it's fine with me, but you'd better clear it with the boss.'

“At first I thought he meant Anne, but he was looking right at me. I was so embarrassed I could have died.”

“Whoo,” Tia shouted, “I am totally impressed. I can't believe you didn't tell me before!”

“When? Between Colin and Anne, we've been at the hospital every day, then I had to get Ryan ready to start school. I haven't seen you long enough to say hi, let alone tell you about a football game.”

Tia threw her an exasperated look. “Whatever.” She whirled around and walked backwards. “Whooee, wait 'til Amber and Heather find out.”

Kara snagged an apple from the tree at the end of the driveway and snapped the stem off with her teeth. “Find out what? It's not like we're going on a real date. Besides, Mr. and Mrs. Andrews will be along.”

Tia groaned and picked an apple for herself. “Mr. and Mrs. Eagle Eye.”

Kara laughed. “It's okay. Colin won't be able to do much more than sit and cheer. His ribs are still taped.”

It was only the second week in September, but already the weather had changed. The trees were turning color and Kara's boots crunched over a few red-amber leaves scattered across the gravel road from the bus stop to the ranch.

“Look.” She pointed to a trail of smoke that spiraled upward from the chimney. “Anne must be here. Dad sent Colin after her this morning before he took off for the lodge.”

After her short stay in the hospital, Dad announced Anne was coming to the ranch to stay.

“We need her, Sugar Bear. This way you can concentrate on school, and Ryan can have someone here when he gets home.”

Kara had to admit she was glad. It would be nice to not always have to be the one in charge.

Dad and Greg had been back and forth from Lariat to Eagle Lodge several times since the fire. Dad had said this morning that they were almost finished with the repairs. Well, except for the barn, which, according to Colin, would take a six-man crew and a hunk of money to restore. Dad wasn't sure it was worth it.

Kara stopped to take off her boots, and Tia beat her to the kitchen. Anne was sitting at the white oak table peeling apples. Her bare toes were sticking out of the walking cast she had propped on a chair.

Tia's eyes lit up. “Pie?”