by Karen Foley
She’d met Randy in the parking lot of the hospital, where he’d given her the discouraging news. He’d called every sanctuary he could think of, without success. Callie had hoped to find someone in the local area who might be willing to keep the pack while she attempted a return to her father’s ranch. She spent several hours calling those friends of her father who owned ranches in the area, but none of them were willing to take the wolves.
Callie sat in cab of the pickup truck, wracking her brain for options. There must be someplace nearby where she could safely place the wolves. Not for the first time, she wished she hadn’t stayed away from Montana for so long. There had been a time when she’d known everyone who lived in St. Mary, and she’d had friends in nearby Browning, as well. But when she graduated high school, she’d been anxious to leave and establish a new life for herself in California, where her mother lived.
On sudden impulse, she flipped through the contacts on her cell phone until she found Shayla Bullshoe’s number. Shayla had been a childhood friend who had lived on the Blackfeet reservation, but she and her family had been frequent visitors to the wolf sanctuary. Eventually, Shayla had trained to become one of her father’s veterinary assistants, helping with everything from feeding the wolves to performing routine checkups and minor surgeries, when required.
In the weeks since Callie had returned to Montana, she’d learned a lot about the sanctuary from Randy and Sarah, the two assistants. When Callie had asked about Shayla, she’d learned that she had stopped working at the sanctuary after the birth of her second child, claiming the drive was too long and, in the winter months, too treacherous. Now she worked at the local veterinary clinic, just outside of Browning. If the clinic couldn’t take the wolves, Callie hoped Shayla might provide some recommendations on where else she might try.
When Callie pulled up to the clinic, she was taken aback by the tiny size of the facility, so unlike the sprawling animal hospital where she worked in Monterey, California. There, she was one of four veterinary physicians, and there was a support staff of more than a dozen people. They routinely saw sixty or more animals each day, mostly small pets, but Callie found the job fulfilling. Maybe it wasn’t as exciting as raising wolves, but it paid her rent, and enabled her to be close to her mother, who lived in nearby Santa Cruz.
There were only three cars in the small parking lot, and when Callie pushed through the entrance door, the small waiting area was empty. A young woman sat behind a counter, and she looked up expectantly as Callie entered.
“I’m here to see Shayla, if she’s in,” Callie said, keeping one eye on the window, where she could see her pickup truck.
The girl’s eyes widened slightly as they traveled over her, and Callie realized she looked as if she’d been battling the wildfire single-handedly. As the girl disappeared into the back of the clinic, Callie freed her long hair from the ponytail holder and combed her fingers through the tangled strands, before securing it again. She swiped her hands over her shirt and jeans, trying to erase the worst of the dirt and soot. But there was no time to worry about her appearance, as the door swung open, and Shayla emerged.
With her glossy black hair and wide, dark eyes, Callie would have recognized Shayla anywhere. Twelve years had changed her, adding fullness to her face and putting fine lines of experience at the corners of her eyes. She looked at Callie with a pleasant how-can-I-help-you expression on her face, before recognition hit her, and her eyes rounded with surprise.
“Callie!” Shayla pushed the swinging panel aside and came into the waiting area, arms extended.
Callie hugged the other woman briefly, before stepping back, smiling in spite of herself. “Shayla, it’s so good to see you! How are you?”
Shayla grinned widely and put her hands on her swollen midriff. “Expecting baby number three in a few months. But enough about me! What is going on with you? I had no idea you were back in town.”
The sight of Shayla’s protruding belly caused something to hitch in Callie’s chest. Something aching and bittersweet. She didn’t need to examine the feeling to know what it was.
Yearning.
Maybe it was her own biological clock ticking, but lately Callie found herself thinking more and more about babies and family. She’d just turned thirty. Considering she didn’t even have a boyfriend, she didn’t hold out much hope that she’d have either anytime soon. While her work as a veterinary physician was both fulfilling and challenging, there were days when Callie thought she would cheerfully give it all up if she could just go home to needy, little arms that wanted hugs, and a pair of muscular arms that wanted to hold her. Instead, she had a dark, empty townhouse.
She’d been an only child. Her mother had left when Callie had been thirteen. She couldn’t use the word abandoned, since Nancy McLain had invited Callie to spend several weeks each year in California with her, but at thirteen years old, it had sure felt like abandonment. And then there was her father…
The truth was, her father had abandoned her very early on, at least emotionally. His entire life centered around his wildlife sanctuary, and that didn’t leave much room for an emotionally needy wife, or a young daughter.
Pushing the unpleasant memories aside, Callie hugged Shayla again. “I’m so, so happy for you,” she said, meaning every word. “I can’t wait to meet your other two children.”
“I’ll remind you that you said that.” Shayla laughed. “They’re a handful.” She grimaced and reached out to swipe a thumb across Callie’s cheek. She held it up to show her the blackened smudge. “What on earth have you been doing?”
Briefly, Callie explained what had happened at the ranch, glossing over the seriousness of her father’s condition. Shayla had always admired Frank McClain, and Callie didn’t want to upset her, not in her current state. Even so, Shayla’s expression was one of shock and dismay.
“So dad’s in the hospital undergoing some tests,” Callie said quietly. “His house is likely gone, and I have two wolf packs in the back of the truck, and nowhere to bring them.” She gestured helplessly. “I was hoping you might have some ideas.”
Shayla moved to one of the plastic chairs lined up against the wall, and sat down heavily. “I can’t believe it. I brought the boys up there a just a few months ago. Everything seemed to be going so well for him.”
Callie took the chair next to Shayla. “Yes, I think it was. He mentioned that he was finally turning enough of a profit to hire a third assistant. I think he recognized that he couldn’t do as much as he used to, and was trying to step back into more of an administrative role, letting someone else handle the day-to-day care and feeding of the packs. But then he had a massive heart attack.”
Reaching out, Shayla squeezed Callie’s hand. “I’m so sorry. If only I’d known…”
“There was nothing you could have done.” Callie assured her. “You have a family and a business to take care of. My father’s been overdoing it for years, and he doesn’t take care of himself. This was inevitable.”
“But what about your own job? Your dad said you ran a vet clinic in California?”
Callie smiled. “I don’t run the clinic. I work there with three other vets. They have someone covering for me while I take care of my dad. He was doing so well in his recovery that I actually thought I might go home next week. And now this…” She scrubbed her hands over her face. “I’ll have to stay until we can find another place for my dad to live. There’s no way the house could have survived.”
Callie’s thoughts turned again to the men who had been fighting to keep the flames back from the ranch, and to the man who had helped her. Was he okay? Had he and his crew managed to wrestle control of the inferno, or had they put themselves in more danger by attempting to save the sanctuary? The images that rose to mind were horrifying in their clarity, and Callie had to push them aside. Just the thought of those brave men putting themselves in harm’s way to save the ranch and the wolves made her feel ill.
“Most of the emergency responders ar
rived the day before yesterday,” Shayla said, interrupting Callie’s morbid thoughts. “I was shocked to see them. I’d no idea the wildfire had spread so far, or so quickly. The news reports made it sound as if the fire was under control, and that it wouldn’t spread beyond the Lincoln Pass.”
So Callie hadn’t been the only one taken by surprise. “Yes, it was something of a shock to realize we were right in the path of the fire. We were warned two days ago that we might need to evacuate, but I didn’t listen. One of my father’s assistants, Randy, drove up to the sanctuary early this morning and helped us transfer some of the wolves to the kennel truck. Another assistant, Matt, tried to reach the sanctuary an hour later, and was turned back by the sheriff’s men. He called us, and that’s how we learned we were right in the path of the wildfire. Thank goodness Randy was able to leave when he did.”
Shayla looked shocked. “I can’t believe they didn’t escort you out earlier.”
Callie made a wry face. “They did try. My dad refused to leave. The only reason they didn’t forcibly remove us was because the wildfire wasn’t an imminent threat at that point, and I promised we would go the following day. They may not have realized we were still on the property.”
“So what are you going to do now?”
“I don’t know. I need to find a safe place for the wolves. I can’t keep them in the truck indefinitely.”
“There’s a wolf sanctuary in Missoula.”
“I called them. They said they can’t take the pack, not on such short notice.”
Shayla’s eyebrows shot up. “Not even under these circumstances?”
Callie gave her a helpless look. “They already have three packs; they would need to construct more pens for our wolves, and that would take them a couple of days, even if they were willing to take them—which they’re not.”
“Hang on,” Shayla said, pushing to her feet. “Let me make some phone calls. I may be out of the wolf business, but I still have some connections.”
Smiling gratefully, Callie waited while Shayla went behind the counter and made a phone call. She spoke into the receiver, too low for Callie to hear. When she hung up several minutes later, her smile was triumphant.
“Missoula will take your pack, but only until you find a permanent home for them.”
Callie leapt to her feet. “Shayla, thank you! How did you do it? They would barely talk to me! They said they had no room for five wolves.”
Her answering smile was sly. “I’ve always had a fascination with wolves, you know that. For a time, I dated the owner of the Missoula sanctuary, so I called in a favor. Besides, I know for a fact they have extra enclosures, in case they need to separate the wolves. In fact, don’t be surprised if they agree to keep them permanently.”
Callie laughed and hugged her friend. “Thank you, thank you.”
Shayla pulled face as she stepped back. “There is a catch. They want you to pay for their upkeep while they’re in Missoula.”
“Of course, I’d expect nothing less.” Relief flooded her. This was one less thing to worry about. “How soon can I bring them over?”
“Whenever you’re ready. But there’s another catch.” Shayla actually looked embarrassed. “Call me shameless, but I could use your help here, if you have time.”
Callie only barely concealed her surprise. The clinic was small, and it didn’t look as if they were overrun with customers.
Seeing her expression, Shayla ran her hands over her burgeoning stomach. “My doctor said I need to rest more with this baby, but my assistant can’t handle the work here on his own. He’s capable, but he’s not a physician.” Her expression was pleading. “It doesn’t seem as if you’re going back to California anytime soon, and I could use an experienced vet to cover for me on the days that I can’t make it in.”
“Of course, just let me know what you need.”
“I’ll be here full-time through the end of the week, and will go part-time beginning next week. But we’ve also set up an animal rescue center over by the lake, for animals that have been burned or displaced by the fire, and that’s where I could use your help. We have a dozen or so volunteers building shelters and feeding and caring for the animals, but we could use another vet for some of the more critical cases.”
Callie nodded. “Absolutely. I’ll head over there as soon as I can and check on the animals.”
As she left the clinic, Callie pulled her phone out to contact Randy and let him know the good news. They could drive the wolves to Missoula that very day, and ensure they were settled into their new, albeit temporary, home. She just hoped everything else would be resolved as quickly.
Chapter Five
The Lincoln Pass wildfire was as vicious a fire as Tyler had ever seen. After the woman and her elderly father had left the property, he, Vin, and Ace had done what they could to protect the house and wolf enclosures, but the blaze had been too massive. The pens were constructed entirely of steel posts and wire, so there was a chance the fencing might withstand the intense heat of the wildfire. They’d called in for two water buckets to be dropped over the sanctuary, and then they had gotten the hell out of there. The house was a lost cause, and Tyler just hoped the wolves survived inside their concrete bunkers.
That had been almost four days ago.
Four days of battling one of the biggest fires he had ever seen. They’d rejoined the main group of smokejumpers on the southern edge of the fire, and had spent the last several days cutting fire lines and taking down rogue trees that had caught fire as the result of drifting embers. They’d been using coyote tactics, a progressive line construction duty that entailed building fire lines until the end of the day, and then bedding down wherever they ended up, without the benefit of even a sleeping bag.
Tyler figured he’d had about six hours of sleep in the last four days, snatched when the winds had died down during the night. They’d set up a field camp a little farther to the south, and the base had dropped in some additional supplies, since each firefighter only carried enough food and water to last for a couple of days.
Now they were positioned about a quarter of a mile ahead of the main fire, digging lines and removing as much flammable material as they could. They were working on a slope, and Tyler could hear the crackle of the flames as the front moved closer. His back and shoulders ached from swinging the pickaxe, and it was only his training and commitment to his crew that kept him going.
As he worked alongside Vin, methodically clearing the undergrowth, he thought again about the wolf sanctuary, and the woman he’d encountered there. He still couldn’t believe she and her father had waited so long to leave. The nightmarish scene kept playing over in his head. The flames had literally been at the back door and yet there they were, dicking around instead of hightailing it out of there.
What the hell had the woman been thinking?
Why she hadn’t moved her father and the wolves down the mountain days earlier?
He loved his job, but these were the kinds of situations that made him crazy. He’d take on a wildfire any day over a stubborn woman. At least he’d been able to talk sense into the old man, telling him his daughter would die if he didn’t get her down the mountain. The warning seemed to give the old guy a start, as if he hadn’t once considered the danger to his daughter.
After the girl and her father left the sanctuary, Tyler had radioed ahead for an ambulance to meet them at the bottom of the pass. He’d waited another thirty minutes before he’d contacted the emergency personnel who were manning the pass. They confirmed the kennel truck had arrived safely, but only with the help of an aerial water dump.
After reassuring himself that the woman and her father were safe, he’d called in for a second water dump over the sanctuary, in an attempt to protect the pens. Beyond that, there hadn’t been anything more they could do for the wolves, and he hoped they had retreated underground, to the bunkers. Once the wildfire was under control and the area around the sanctuary was safe, he intended to go back and chec
k on the wolves himself. With luck, he could do that the following day. He didn’t hold out much hope for their survival, but there was always a chance.
“Hey, boss,” he called over to Sam, who was digging a hell of a trench. “Any chance I can take some guys and check on that property we evacuated?”
“There’s nothing left, I guarantee it,” Sam replied.
“Still, I’d like to check on those animals, see if they made it.”
Sam stopped digging and leaned on his pulaski, looking exasperated. “And what? They’re wolves, Dodson, not lapdogs. Even if they did survive—which is unlikely—what could you do? You’re not going to be able to throw a leash on them and walk them out.”
“Is that a yes?” Tyler gave him a level look. “We’re only a couple of miles from the site. I figure the fire has already passed over the area, and we can at least go in and do some mop-up.”
Sam removed his hard hat and used his arm to wipe the sweat and grime from his face. “Let’s see how far we get cutting this line, first. If we can get this bitch under control, then we can talk mop-up.”
Tyler returned to swinging his pickaxe, feeling a little better. Even if they discovered the worst, at least he would know.
Overhead, a helicopter carrying an enormous bucket of water from nearby St. Mary Lake, dumped the contents over the leading edge of the wildfire, sending thousands of gallons of water into the conflagration and causing a cloud of steam to hiss through the air. Heat rolled over Tyler. His exposed skin felt tight, and even with the protective goggles, his eyes were fried. Despite drinking gallons of water, his body felt as if all the moisture had been sucked out of it. More than that, the air pressure was changing as the monstrous wildfire consumed the available oxygen.
They needed to retreat. Tyler had been fighting wildland fires since he was old enough to carry a pulaski, and there wasn’t anything he’d rather do for a living. He’d battled blazes throughout the country, including Alaska, and Canada, but nothing propelled him into action faster than when a wildfire that threatened his own home state.