Gold in the Fire and Light in the Storm

by Margaret Daley

“I’m only telling the truth. You shouldn’t be around horses.”

  Darcy was glad she was standing between them, because she was sure if she hadn’t been, they would have started a fistfight. She felt her father’s tension and anger. She saw Mike’s as he glared over her shoulder at her father. Mike huffed, then whirled about and stormed toward the entrance.

  The tension remained. Darcy slowly pivoted toward her father, understanding where his anger was coming from, but realizing if he didn’t control it, he would have another heart attack. “Dad, this isn’t good for you.”

  “My heart’s ticking just fine. I’m going to the arena to make sure everything is in place,” he muttered, then stalked off in the opposite direction from Mike.

  Joshua placed his hands on her shoulders and kneaded. “I don’t think Mike Reynolds is capable of setting the fires.”

  “He isn’t doing very well. He’s lost several jobs because of the way he handles the horses. Maybe he blames the animals or the owners for his troubles.”

  “I suppose it’s possible. He’s certainly hotheaded enough, but it just doesn’t feel right to me.”

  “I hope you find the person responsible soon. I don’t know how much longer my father’s going to be able to take this.”

  “Since everyone heightened security at the farms, there hasn’t been a fire. And right now, with what we have, we don’t have a suspect. I’ll let the police know, though, about Angus showing up out here. It may be nothing—”

  “Or it may be something. I want the person caught but not at the expense of another fire. I guess there is no easy answer.”

  “Not with arson, I’m afraid.”

  Even though it was hot, Darcy felt cold to the bone. She and her father had their differences, but she was so afraid that if the arsonist wasn’t caught soon, the stress would cause another heart attack.

  Lord, please help my father deal with his anger better. Show me the way to help him and put a stop to this arsonist. I know I haven’t prayed much in years, but I don’t know what else to do anymore. He and Sean are all the family I have.

  Darcy relaxed on a bale of hay that sat against the wall of the barn. The second day of the horse auction was over and it had gone very well. One more day and they would be finished with this big annual event. Her gaze swept the long aisle down the middle of the fairground barn, checking each stall that was occupied with a Shamrock Stables horse. One yearling stuck his head out, looking around. Several were eating. She heard the one in the last stall neighing. They had six horses left to auction off; two still had to be picked up by their new owners—they were the only animals in this barn. In the other two there were six farms represented, but Shamrock Stables was the biggest one at the county fair this year.

  Everyone had worked overtime, especially her father, and she had volunteered to stay the night with the last batch of horses. Sean had wanted to join her, and she had decided at the last minute that he should go home with her father. He would have kept her up the whole night with his excitement. She couldn’t afford to lose that sleep. Besides, it wasn’t as if she was alone here. Every other farm had someone staying with their horses.

  Darcy rose, stretched her cramped muscles and rolled her head in a full circle, trying to work the tension out. She walked to the door of the barn and looked out. She saw several grooms sitting under the large maple, talking and laughing. The noise from the fairway was diminishing as the crowd left for the evening.

  Darkness had settled over the area where the barns were, but the lights from the fairway were a beacon in the night. Their brightness comforted her. Her last two years living at home, she had stayed with the horses at least one of the nights at the fair, but this year she felt edgy.

  “Hi, Mrs. O’Brien. How’s everything going?” One of the guards the farms had hired for the fair stopped in front of her.

  “One more day and I can collapse.”

  “Have you even gone home since this began?”

  “Yes, Friday evening.”

  “But you were here this morning at five, so you couldn’t have been home for long.”

  “Just long enough to catch a few hours’ sleep.”

  “Where are you sleeping tonight?”

  “I’ll be in the tack room if you need me.”

  “Except for a few teenagers who didn’t go home when they were supposed to last night, it has been unusually quiet. Good night, Mrs. O’Brien.” The guard ambled toward the next barn.

  Darcy took a deep, fortifying breath and turned back into the barn. After walking its length and checking on the horses one final time, she made her way to the tack room, leaving the door open to give some light. Sitting in the corner was the cot her father had brought—a hard, uncomfortable cot with a thin blanket and a small pillow. Darcy eased down on it and listened carefully while untying her tennis shoes and removing them. The sounds of the fair were far away and faint.

  Lying back, she threw the cover over herself and closed her eyes. The image of Joshua danced into her mind and brought a smile to her mouth. He had been wonderful this afternoon and evening, helping her with the horses and even bringing her something other than fattening food from the fairway to eat. The hot roast beef sandwich with cole slaw had been delicious. He was awfully good to her, she thought as she felt the effects of too little sleep. Joshua’s image wavered and faded as sleep descended.

  A horse’s neigh pierced her dream. The scent of something burning accosted her. Darcy shot up, yanking off the blanket and surging to her feet. She rushed from the tack room into the main part of the barn; smoke billowed from the far end. The sounds of the frightened horses filled the air as quickly as the smoke did. Several were kicking their stalls. She saw one with wild eyes. She hurried to open the stall doors, trying her best not to breathe too deeply.

  But still the smoke choked her as she reached the first stall. She coughed, placing her hand over her mouth and nose. Throwing the door open, she moved to the next one. She heard the horse bolting out. One down, seven more to go.

  When she came to the fourth stall, she pulled the door open, but before she could get out of the way, the horse charged forward, the whites of his eyes all Darcy could focus on. He reared up and brought his hooves down, catching her on the shoulder. A sharp sensation like a knife cut shot through her, and she spun back against the wall. His front hooves came down again, clipping the side of her head. She sank to the dirt floor, pain radiating to every part of her. Through the smoke a man emerged, small and familiar looking, but Darcy had a hard time remembering who he was. His features wavered as she reached out to grasp him, to plead for his help. There was a searing pounding in her head as though someone were playing the bass drum inside her skull. Then darkness swallowed her up.

  Chapter Eight

  The insistent ringing of the phone invaded Joshua’s dream about Darcy. He fumbled in the dark for the receiver, found it and brought it to his ear. “Yes.”

  “There’s a fire at the fairgrounds. One of the barns. You need to get over there. I’m betting it’s the work of the arsonist,” his captain said, the sound of the sirens in the background.

  “Are you on your way?” Joshua asked.

  “Just about there. Get over here.”

  Joshua slammed the receiver down and jerked back the covers. Five minutes later, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, he raced for his truck, fear gripping him so hard that his heart hammered against his rib cage. Darcy was in one of those barns. Please, Lord, let her be okay.

  Thankfully there was little traffic at midnight. He sped toward the fairgrounds, thoughts of Darcy trapped in a burning barn spurring him to drive faster than was safe.

  Darcy’s head throbbed; every part of her was sore. A cool breeze brushed her face. When she opened her eyes, she saw that she was outside the barn, at the back, a few feet from the entrance. In the distance she heard the wail of sirens. Closer, the frantic shouts of several people and the smoke-filled air reminded her of the fire.

  She starte
d to rise and her vision blurred. Squeezing her eyes closed for a few precious seconds, she held her head, trying not to breathe too deeply. Then she attempted again to stand, this time more slowly. Her head still pulsated with pain, but she dismissed it. She had to get back inside and make sure all the horses got out.

  With her gaze trained on the flames licking their way toward the back of the barn, Darcy darted inside toward the nearest stall. Nausea rose up in her and she swayed. Gripping the nearest thing, a pole, she stopped to get her bearings. She couldn’t see beyond a few feet as the smoke thickened.

  Please, Lord, help me rescue the horses.

  The sounds of frenzied horses propelled her forward. She reached the nearest stall and swung the door open. Moving as fast as her throbbing head would allow, she got out of the way of the charging horse. It disappeared out the back door. Hugging low to the ground, she felt along the wall to the next stall and thrust it open. Plastered against the side, she watched that yearling escape to safety. She repeated the same actions at the next one.

  Over the noise of the firefighters arriving and the fire engulfing the wooden structure, she heard her name being shouted. Joshua. “Over here.”

  He appeared through the haze, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, but with a mask and helmet on his head. In his right hand he carried an extra set. He immediately thrust the helmet and mask toward her and helped her to put it on. “Come on. You’re getting out of here. The fire is out of control. It won’t be long until this whole building goes,” he shouted through the mask. He gripped her arm.

  “No. Can’t yet,” she rasped, her throat burning with the effort to speak.

  She only had one more stall. She wrenched herself from his grasp and started for it. Her eyes stung, her lungs seared as though the fire consumed her. But she thought she could make it and still get out. Three feet. Two.

  A crashing sound behind her sped her heart to a thundering pace. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Joshua right behind her. Beyond him part of the roof near the front had fallen. A shudder ripped down her length.

  “Get out. I’ll get the horse.” His voice vibrated with his anger. “Now, Darcy.” He shoved her toward the rear door, not giving her a chance to think or respond.

  She started back to help him—it wasn’t his animal—but hands grabbed her and pulled her from the barn. Two firefighters headed into the blaze; a third, Ned, indicated she should move away from the building.

  Darcy stared at the entrance, the images swimming before her eyes. She couldn’t pass out. She had to make sure Joshua made it out. He was in there because of her. When she spied the last horse racing from the barn followed by Joshua, she sank to the ground, her legs no longer able to support her. Her whole body shook from exhaustion and spent adrenaline. Her stomach roiled; her lungs felt tight, the last good breaths squeezed from them. Ripping off the helmet and mask, she began to cough.

  Across the smoky expanse, Joshua’s gaze connected with hers. He walked toward her, anger marking his features and his long strides. She blinked. There were two of him, then three. The throbbing in her head intensified and each breath hurt. She cradled her face, her fingers touching a sticky substance where the horse had kicked her.

  Blackness nibbled at her consciousness. She blinked again, trying to calm her reeling stomach, to push away the dark mist before her eyes.

  “I can’t believe you did that, Darcy,” Joshua said, halting in front of her, his legs planted a foot apart, his hands on his hips.

  She made the mistake of tilting her head back to peer up into his face. The blackness gobbled her up once more.

  Anger gripped Joshua so tightly his muscles hurt. He stared down at Darcy, wanting to shake some sense into her. She could have died in that fire. He could take risks. She couldn’t! She closed her eyes, heaved a deep breath and fell over. He stooped to catch her in his arms.

  Cradling her against his chest, he felt his rage slip from him. All his thoughts were centered on getting help for Darcy. She’d been inside too long. He brushed her hair away from her face and discovered blood oozing from a wound on the side of her head. His heart plummeted.

  Dear Heavenly Father, please don’t let her die.

  Joshua shouted for help while laying her back on the hard ground. One of the paramedics rushed over and kneeled to check her.

  Stan glanced at Joshua. “Smoke inhalation and most likely a concussion. We’ll transport her to the hospital.”

  While Stan fetched the stretcher, Joshua stayed next to Darcy. His eyes burned from the smoke and something else he didn’t want to think about. They were friends. That was all. Hadn’t he told himself that enough times over the past few weeks? But…he didn’t want anything to happen to her.

  Joshua touched her dirt-smudged face, brushing his fingers over her skin. He laid his palm against the curve of her jaw and remembered her laughter. When she smiled, his whole world brightened to the point that it scared him.

  Stan, accompanied by another paramedic, returned and they transferred Darcy to the stretcher. Joshua walked with her, holding her hand even though she had not awakened.

  At the ambulance Stan asked, “Coming with us or staying?”

  Torn between his duty and desire, Joshua stared at his friend, trying to decide what he should do. He had to stay. Everything inside of him demanded he do what he was good at and find the person behind the fires, and yet he didn’t want to leave Darcy’s side, even though there was nothing he could do for her at the hospital. He could, however, gather information and evidence to track down the arsonist before someone died. That had to be his priority.

  He knew he had to remain at the fire; in his heart he would go with Darcy, at least in spirit, and he would pray for her fast recovery until he could be with her.

  “I’m staying. Let me know what the doctor says, Stan.”

  “Will do.” Stan peered at the barn, partially destroyed by the flames. “It looks like we’ll be able to contain the fire to just this one barn. That’s good news.”

  “Thank goodness there wasn’t any wind this evening and someone quickly called in the fire.”

  “I’ll take care of her. You go do your magic.”

  Joshua watched the ambulance pull away from the barn area, his heart heavy, his thoughts with Darcy. Lord, I need Your help. Who is burning these barns? Why? Please guide me to the truth. I don’t want to see anyone else get hurt. Please watch over Darcy for me and heal her. Be with her.

  The pounding in her head threatened to overwhelm Darcy and push her back into the darkness. She felt something over her mouth and wondered if she still had the mask on. No, she’d tossed it on the ground. Noises, people’s voices, machines beeping and an antiseptic smell dragged her toward consciousness. She eased her eyes open.

  Pale-blue walls met her inspection. A television was mounted on a shelf high in the corner. A sound to her left shifted her attention in that direction. Her father, his eyes closed, sat on the small tan sofa with Sean curled up asleep, cradled against his grandfather’s side. In a chair next to the bed sat Joshua, his chin resting on his chest, his body completely relaxed in sleep.

  She was in a hospital room, and from the looks of the bright sunlight streaming through the partially opened drapes it was probably late morning. Did all the horses make it? Were the firefighters able to save the other barns? Questions inundated her, demanding answers.

  She removed the oxygen mask from her face and nudged Joshua’s hand, which rested near hers on the bed. He stirred, lifting his head to snare her with his tired eyes. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, kicking her heartbeat into a faster tempo.

  “I’m not sure if I should yell at you or kiss you.”

  “Well, if you want my opinion, I would prefer a kiss,” Darcy said, her voice raw as though she hadn’t used it in a long time. Her throat hurt as much as her head.

  She leaned toward the bedside table to get the pitcher and pour herself some water. Joshua motioned her back and poured it for her. He
supported her while she took several long sips, soothing her searing throat. His scent of musk played havoc with her senses. He was so near she could even smell his mint-flavored toothpaste. Visions of that kiss he’d mentioned danced in her mind.

  When she was through drinking, he placed the glass close to her on the table. “You shouldn’t have gone back in after the horses. You were lucky.”

  “I know, but I couldn’t stand by and listen to the horses dying.”

  His eyes gentled. “I know.” He covered her hand with his. “But you almost died last night. You gave me quite a scare.”

  “You weren’t exactly easy on me. I thought I might never see you again when the last horse came out and you didn’t.”

  “I wasn’t far behind him.”

  “Those seconds seemed like an eternity.”

  “Then you know what I went through when I called your name and you didn’t respond.”

  “But I did.”

  “Not at first. An eternity passed before I heard you.”

  “Mom, you’re okay?” Sean asked, hopping up from the couch and rushing toward her. He threw his arms around her and hugged her. “I was so worried.”

  Darcy caught Joshua’s “I told you so” look while she pressed her son close to her heart. Her father moved slower toward the bed, his face haggard, exhaustion evident in his expression. He bent down and kissed her on the cheek.

  “Child, don’t ever give us that kind of scare again. I can replace the horses. I can’t replace you.”

  Darcy’s mouth fell open. In her heart she knew her father loved her, but he never said anything to her about his feelings. There had been times she had felt the farm was more important to him than she was. For him to say otherwise made her throat constrict. She reached for the glass and took another sip to ease the tightness.

  “Did all the horses make it?”

  “Yes,” her father answered, stepping back to sit again on the couch.