Chapter 10

“Hold.”

From up the hill, Samuel—the older twin nephew of Dakota—said, “Holding.”

Charlie found his footing on the loose dirt and rocks, secured by a rope back up to the top of the hill. “Orion?” He shifted his weight and got the webbing ready to haul his son up the little hill. Had he hit his head? Been hurt worse than that?

Orion lay curled away from him, a knot on the back of his head. Charlie patted his shoulder. “You awake?”

He tried to keep his tone light, but it didn’t work.

“Is he conscious?” Jayne called down from the top, worry putting that quiver in her tone.

Orion moaned but didn’t rouse.

“Let’s get him up.” Charlie wrestled the webbing around his son and hauled him up under his arms. “Okay, bring us up.”

The teens on the rope up the hill started to pull back, which gave Charlie the momentum to take a step. Holding Orion like this wasn’t easy. Not that he’d let on how much it took out of him to haul a guy who probably weighed about the same as he did.

They trudged up the hill, Charlie doing all the stepping. Until halfway up, when Orion moaned aloud and grasped at him. “Hold!”

The teens stopped pulling.

“Orion.” Charlie shifted his son in his arms. Orion got his feet under him. “Don’t back up. We’re clipped together.”

Orion blew out a long breath.

“And we’re walking.” Charlie called out, “Okay, bring us up.”

They reached the top of the hill, and the kids unhooked Orion from him and laid Charlie on the ground. Charlie stepped out of the harness, and Jayne slammed against him. The hug was brief, just a relieved squeeze and a nose full of the scent of her shampoo. Then she went to kneel by Orion.

Alexis crouched, and they all looked Orion over.

The hotshot shifted on the ground and lifted a hand to shield his eyes from the glare of the flashlights. “I’m good.”

“We’ll see about that.” Jayne shifted from her knees to a crouch. “Let’s get you inside and we can take a look at you.”

She directed the teens to help Orion stand, and the twins got under his arms to help him walk to the main house—though it did seem like Orion did most of the walking himself.

Charlie put his arm around Alexis’s shoulders. “I’ll need help too.”

He tugged her to his side.

She chuckled. “Right. What about rescuer safety? You shouldn’t have gotten hurt just now. You should be able to walk on your own.”

Jayne got under his left arm and held his wrist over her shoulder. “We all need support sometimes.”

They walked together like that after the rest. Charlie sank into the feel of his two girls—his arms around them. Holding them close.

“That was a pretty great rescue.” Alexis sounded almost nervous.

“I’ve done ones that were a lot worse and ones that were little things. You never know, when you go into the firehouse, what a shift is going to be like.”

Jayne said, “At least out here we have the weather report and the fire forecast. I’d rather be prepared and see it coming.”

“That’s why you’ve got to be prepared for anything.”

Alexis squeezed his waist, which hurt his back more than he’d let her know. “You can’t possibly be prepared for anything.”

“I can try.” Just like with the plan. “Like making sure everyone around me is going to get through it if things go wrong.”

“So you take the danger just to safeguard others?”

“Some rescues don’t need more than one person. If anyone else had come down with me to get Orion, it could’ve made it more complicated, which opens you up for more chance something could go wrong.” But that wasn’t what he’d been talking about. “I put my life on the line every day, but I do it knowing that you’re going to be okay no matter what happens to me.”

They stopped on the porch, and she turned to him.

“You think there’s a chance in this world that I’ll be okay if something happens to you?” Her eyes filled with tears.

He touched her cheek. “I guess not. But I can be certain there will be people around to support you.”

“And that’s going to take the place of having a father?”

Maybe they had no choice. “We can’t change what might happen. Sometimes you do everything you can, and things still go wrong.”

Alexis lifted her chin. “Would you give up firefighting if I asked you?”

“That might not be enough to keep me alive,” he said. “But I’m not going to be a burden on you, Lexi. I’m going to make your life good—the way I should’ve been able to all along. I’m going to give you what I was never able to.”

“What’s wrong with you?”

Jayne touched his arm.

Alexis said, “And don’t tell me everything is going to be okay. I know you. There’s something wrong.”

A tear slipped from the corner of his eye. “I’m not going to be a burden.”

“Guys.” Tiger appeared at the open door. “Oops. Sorry to interrupt, but Orion is asking for all of you.”

Alexis said, “This conversation isn’t finished,” then turned and strode inside.

Jayne slid her hand down his arm to clasp his fingers. “You need to tell her you’re going to fight this illness with everything you have.”

Charlie looked at her. “Being here with you makes me want to.”

He let go of her hand and followed Alexis. The teens had crowded around Orion, who lay on the couch in front of the TV. He looked exasperated more than anything, but when he saw Charlie, he lifted his chin. “Thanks.”

Charlie nodded, too choked up by everything to speak.

“Okay, let’s give Orion some space.” Jayne cleared out the kids, and Bridget shone a tiny flashlight in Orion’s eyes.

“I don’t see any indication of a concussion,” Bridget said. “Any injuries?”

“Just bruises.” Orion shifted and grabbed his opposite arm, then rolled his shoulders. “I landed funny, but I’ll be all right.”

Charlie said, “Don’t worry. No one is gonna sideline you from firefighting. But you did get knocked out.”

“Only for a few minutes, right? I just have a headache.”

Alexis had left with the kids, so it was just him and Jayne, Bridget, and Orion.

Bridget sank into the armchair. “You should still see a doctor. When you can get to one.”

Orion nodded. “Sure thing.”

“At least we can get a helicopter out here to pick someone up if there is an emergency.”

Jayne nodded. “Or get the victim to the road for a pickup.”

Charlie didn’t like either option, since it meant someone was hurt more than a minor injury. “What happened?”

Orion bent and unlaced his boots, pulling them off one at a time.

Charlie said, “It’s important.”

“I know.” Orion sat back, leaning his head against the couch. “I just feel dumb. He snuck up on me, whoever he was. Shoved me. I felt the guy, then I smelled him.” Orion wrinkled his nose. “Then I was falling.”

That explained why the dog had run back to the house. The animal hopped onto the couch and put his head in Orion’s lap.

“So you didn’t see the guy?” Charlie said, “Could you describe anything about him?”

“He was bigger than me.” Orion shrugged.

That ruled out “Roger”—Sophie’s brother Crispin. Did that mean it was the ponytail guy, their murderer at large, Earl? Or someone connected to Earl? “Did he say anything?”

“Nope.” Orion closed his eyes. “Maybe he was as surprised as I was.”

Bridget got up. “I’ll check on the kids.”

“I need to do the same. Make sure they’re all good.” Jayne squeezed Orion’s shoulder over the back of the couch.

Charlie watched her walk away. Her son had been in danger, and she’d weathered it. Kind of like the way she weathered the threat of the fire.

He watched her go. “She didn’t lose her cool. She was worried, but it seems like that might’ve been good practice for her. With you potentially being in danger.”

“You mean with smokejumping?”

Charlie shrugged.

“I doubt she’ll ever be okay with it since it’s how her father died.”

“History doesn’t always have to repeat itself.” He eased into the chair Bridget had vacated. Alexis had asked, and he’d told her he wasn’t going to be a burden. “And whether you become a smokejumper or not, I’ll always be proud of who you are.”

And not one ounce of it was because of him.

“Thanks…Dad.” Orion pushed out a breath.

Charlie had to sniff. “Will you take care of Alexis and your mom?”

Orion frowned.

“Just in case anything happens to me.”

The minute he told them what was really going on, both Orion and Alexis would want him to do whatever it took to live. That just wasn’t an option. No matter how much it made his heart squeeze in his chest to even think about what he’d be leaving behind now.

It had been almost unbearable when it was just Alexis. Now it was Jayne and his son as well.

“If you do the same,” Orion said. “Just in case.”

Charlie nodded, choking out the word “Deal.”

Orion held out his hand. Charlie clasped it. His son said, “God brought you here this summer for a reason, and I’m glad He did.”

Charlie squeezed Orion’s hand.

Before he could say anything, screaming erupted in the hallway.

* * *

Jayne took a half step back, then surged toward the two girls who had launched at each other in the middle of a spat that had turned physical. “Both of you back off.”

She got between them—Shelly from California, and Aria, who Alexis knew from Last Chance County. They’d been roommates all summer but barely talked to each other outside of the time they shared that space. When Jayne had knocked on their door, she hadn’t thought she would find this.

All she could do was thank God she’d discovered it before it got much worse.

Shelly cried, one hand on her cheek. “She slapped me.”

Jayne wasn’t going to point out that from her vantage point it had looked like Shelly had started the entire thing. “One of you tell me what’s going on.”

Aria fisted her hands by her sides, her face red. “She said my parents obviously don’t care about me since I haven’t been able to get ahold of them. But the team has gone radio silent. There are rules.”

Aria wasn’t going to say Chevalier Protection Specialists aloud, but Jayne had all the information on the kids who applied here.

Shelly wailed. “She didn’t need to slap me!”

Jayne said, “Go get some ice or a cold washcloth for your face.” She watched Shelly leave and spotted Charlie at the door, concern written on his face. “Aria, what would your mom and dad say about you slapping someone?”

“If they deserved it?” She sank onto the edge of the bed. “You don’t want to know. But I get what you mean.”

“You haven’t been able to reach them?”

Aria shook her head, her straight black hair swinging side to side.

“I can call the number in your file, but I don’t recall getting a reply to my emails.”

“Aria Hondo, right?” Charlie leaned against the doorframe. Right now he looked as calm as he had bringing Orion up from the riverbank. How did he do that? The focus seemed to give him the ability to push everything else out and give whatever was in front of him his full attention.

Was it wrong that she adored when it was directed at her?

“You’re from Last Chance County?” He paused. “Your parents are Eas and Karina?”

Jayne frowned. “You know them?”

Charlie said, “You think your mom went with them on a mission?”

Jayne had no idea what they were talking about.

“Mom is at home with the baby.” Aria bit her lip. “I should be able to reach her. But she hasn’t called me back since yesterday.”

“You want me to see who I can rouse at Chevalier?”

Jayne had heard of that group from the male campers, and all of them had awe in their tones when they discussed the team of protection specialists. Almost like they wanted to get in trouble on purpose, all so they could be rescued. She hadn’t realized Aria’s parents were part of the team, but if it was based in Last Chance County, it made sense that Charlie knew them.

Aria said, “Can we call Conroy and ask him to send someone to check on the house?”

“Let’s do it.” Charlie waved her out of the room. “Chief Barnes loves to visit folks and make sure they’re all right.”

Aria trailed out of the room.

Shelly wandered back from the kitchen with a washcloth pressed to her cheek. She lifted her chin as Charlie and Aria passed her, went into her room, and slammed the door shut. Okay, then .

Alexis rolled her eyes. Her roommate, Shelly from Alaska, was already asleep.

“You good?”

Alexis shrugged. “Everyone I care about is here and alive.”

The door to the lower level swung open, and Samuel came out first, followed by his brother and Tiger, then Niall and Pablo—Mr. Romance.

Alexis came with her to stand with them at the end of the girls’ hall. She also knew Pablo from Last Chance County, some EMT or firefighter’s little brother, but didn’t talk much with him.

Samuel said, “We wanna help fight the fire tomorrow.”

“We know it’s gonna be bad,” his twin, Joshua, said. “That’s why we want to help.”

Tiger said, “Isn’t that what you trained us to do?”

Alexis was the one who said, “Fighting fires is dangerous. It’s not like training.”

Pablo folded his arms, showing off his use of the weight bench downstairs. “We can handle it.”

Alexis sighed. She turned to Jayne. “I’m going to bed. Good luck.”

Jayne coughed so she didn’t laugh aloud. The kids were a team when they wanted to be, but the natural divide between guys and girls became clear in moments like this.

She faced the boys. Practically men, but not adults. Yet. “I know you all want to help out.”

“We listened to the weather report,” Samuel said. “We know it’s going to be bad tomorrow. And on the scanner we heard Miles call the smokejumpers back in for the day. He said they’re deploying here tomorrow to help us.”

“That’s good.”

“So we can go with them and help.”

Jayne stared down five teen boys. In some cultures they’d be considered full-grown, but they weren’t all adults. She had to balance what they believed they could do, their natural exuberance, and the liability of putting minors in danger.

In the end, she said, “I’ll think about it.” And pray about it. “I don’t like putting any of you in danger, but that might be the reality of our situation tomorrow if things get bad.”

Samuel and Joshua both nodded. Pablo shifted, about to say something. Tiger shoved him back. “Thanks, Jayne. We appreciate it.”

They all disappeared back downstairs.

Jayne blew out a breath.

Aria appeared again. “The police chief in Last Chance County is gonna call my phone. He’s going to my house, but he said he saw my mom at the coffee shop in town this morning with my little sister.”

Jayne smiled, her attention pulled away by Charlie at the end of the hallway.

He studied her, then he waved her over. “Come here.”

They were alone in the hall now. She didn’t hesitate, moving all the way into his arms.

She wanted to burrow in and hide from the world?—but that hadn’t been a good idea when they’d done it at seventeen.

She tried to live a good Christian life these days. Not because it was what she was supposed to do, but out of respect for what God had done for her. She wasn’t going to be ungrateful, but wanted to live a life honoring the choice she’d made to be a follower of Jesus.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was the least she could do.

Still, the feel of his strength wrapped around her was always going to be something her heart needed. “Thanks.”

He held on. “You’re welcome. Looked like you needed a hug.”

“I really did.” She leaned back so she could look at his face. He did look a little worn at the edges. They both did these days, but he’d had a long day. “I left another message with the sheriff, but we can’t actually say definitively that it was Earl up here.”

“When the smokejumpers show up tomorrow, everyone gets a buddy.”

“All right.”

“We need a plan for if the worst should happen.”

Jayne had one. “I’ll walk you all through it if we can’t get evacuated.” She figured the call would come in first thing, and they’d be walking down the road past the propane so they could get picked up.

She would head to town with the kids. Charlie would get back to his job.

Their lives would diverge again, and they would have to put in the work to see each other. He had a medical issue that she wanted to be there for as he fought to live a long life. But Charlie lived in Last Chance County. The drive would take hours—maybe even all day. She could hardly commute back and forth from here.

“What’s that look about?”

She scrunched up her nose. “Just thinking about what the future holds. Do you have doctor appointments or whatnot coming up?” Presumably with kidney failure, that meant dialysis. If she wanted to be with him, she’d have to move so she was close to where he lived—which would be close to his medical care team.

“I don’t know yet how it will all go down.”

“Did they give you a treatment plan?” She frowned. “Do you need a kidney transplant?”

Charlie flinched. “I’m not taking anything from anyone.”

She stepped back. “If you need a kidney to save your life, what else can you do?”

He shook his head. “I’m not taking one.”

“So you’d let yourself die rather than admit you need help?”

“That’s not what this is.”

She stared at him. “Doesn’t seem like that to me. Seems like you think you know better than medical professionals.”

Charlie shushed her, pulling her out into the hall. “Alexis doesn’t need to know. Okay? I don’t want her to worry.”

Jayne gaped. “You might die, and you haven’t told her.”