Chapter 73

The truck bumped hard over the rutted road, jarring Delaney's teeth as Sean sped toward the fire. He'd been on the radio, reporting the blaze, giving coordinates, and asking for backup. All of it was a blur against the fear. He couldn't raise Eli on the radio. Eli, who was nearest the source of the fire. Exactly where Sean was supposed to be. Delaney was terrified about what they were going to find. Everything was so dry from the drought. Already the thin wisp of smoke had thickened against the cloudless blue of the sky. How far had it spread? How fast?

As he made a hard, skidding left onto another gravel road, Delaney prayed that it wouldn't be Val and there was some other explanation, like some campers who were ignoring the burn ban. But when they passed Val's car, wedged against the brush at the shoulder of the road, she knew all hope was lost.

A little further on, Sean pulled the truck to the side and leapt out, already tugging on turnout gear.