Felicity’s heart pitched, then burst as a loud boom thundered across the quiet of night. The calm had evaporated. Shock seized hold as they stared at one another in question. What just happened?
Chapter Fourteen
Travis whirled at the noise. For a second he thought he’d imagined the sound. But every expression around him registered the hit. In the distant sky, a golden red glowed above the tree line. Oh no...
It was the direction of the stables. Travis took off running.
“Travis!”
Someone yelled his name, but he didn’t stop. He had to get to the source of the glow. Fire! There was no longer a question in his mind as to what had happened. That sound had been an explosion. Images of a lighter flashed in his mind. Lost horses. Paid markers.
A meeting in the slum of town.
“That’s coming from the stables!” Troy shouted, running to catch up with him.
Jeremiah Ladd. Jack Foster. Felicity. Her mother—
Pumping his arms and legs, Travis pushed himself through the darkened trail. Shadows swallowed the woods, can lights the only illumination on their path. The stables were on the other side of the forest. This trail would take them there. Both knew the way by heart. Both knew what was at stake. Travis’ heart beat wildly as he powered over the gravelly trail. He could hear his brother’s breathing, could feel the pound of their boots as they raced toward the stables.
Let it not be the stables. Let it not be the horses or Miss Delaney.
The exertion tightened his lungs. Adrenaline fired his limbs. He couldn’t stop. They couldn’t stop. Troy passed Travis as the trail opened up. Across the clearing, the impact of what happened punched him in the chest. Flames licked high into the night sky. The stables were on fire. Struggling to keep up with Troy, Travis understood his brother’s drive. Hay, wood, locked stalls—there wouldn’t be time for the animals to get out.
Shutting the thoughts from his mind, Travis hammered forward. He could only hope the damage could be contained.
Troy made it to the stables first. Through the main opening, flames could be seen spilling from Delaney’s office. Smoke rose from the scene, a chalky orange billowing up into the black of night. A sickening mix of shrieks and whinnies pierced the quiet. Troy’s dark figure hesitated for an instant as he changed direction, entering from the side. He was headed for the stalls.
Travis barreled straight in. Lights were on. People were here. If Delaney was here, it’s likely she would’ve been in her office. “Delaney!” he shouted as he ran. Shooting a glance down the corridor, he felt relief to see the fire was confined to this section. But ripping across the ceiling, it was quickly making its way toward the stalls.
He neared the stable office, where the doorway was engulfed. Unable to gain access, Travis prayed she wasn’t inside. Catching sight of movement, he turned and saw her running from stall to stall, unhooking gates. An Appaloosa reared as Delaney charged in, shooing the horse clear.
“Delaney!” he yelled. That’s when he noticed the flames climbing the back of the building. The fire had spread farther than he thought. Or had it started in multiple points?
Travis had no idea. None of it mattered. He had to get her out of here.
Beyond her, horses cried out in fear. Travis could hear Troy’s shouts as he forced the animals, one by one, from their stalls. Running toward Delaney, Travis noted several remained locked in place. One was a black horse. Travis froze. Licks of flames jumped in the reflection of the animal’s wild eyes. It was Blue.
Rushing for Felicity’s horse, Travis heard Delaney cry out. He turned in time to see a frightened horse storm from its stall, knocking Delaney to the ground.
Delaney.
“Travis!”
He whirled, coughing against a thickening smoke. Felicity ran toward him. “You have to save Blue!”
Blue. Yes, the horse was still locked in its stall—but Delaney could be hurt. Travis’ heart caught. His gaze shot to the ceiling. A rafter was pulling away, flames coiling along its timber. Delaney lay directly in its path. Felicity, following his gaze, shrieked, “Mom!”
Delaney looked up. Felicity rushed toward her.
Wood cracked and Travis sprang forward. Ramming a shoulder into Felicity, he shoved her out of the way in a dive toward Delaney. He tackled her in a roll as the beam swung down, sinking its fiery mass into the stall. Flames crawled up wooden siding, raced over and around everything in their path as Travis remained huddled over Delaney’s body. Heat blazed hot against the bare skin of his arms, the shirt on his back. The fire was devouring the stall beside him. He had to get Delaney away but where was Felicity? Was she okay?
“Felicity!” he cried out.
She didn’t respond.
Fear pummeled him. Was she okay? Travis choked in a chest full of smoke, the acrid smell burning his throat. He buried his face into Delaney’s body, noting with alarm that she wasn’t moving. He had to get her out of here. But where was Felicity?
Felicity’s shrill voice called out to him, “Travis!”
Thank God she was okay.
“Where are you?”
Warning bells sounded in his skull as her voice neared. She couldn’t come over here. She had to stop. It was too dangerous. “Go away!” he commanded. “Stop—go back!”
“Travis! Mom!”
Men were shouting. Commands punctured the chaos, Troy’s voice distinct among them. Horses whinnied and ran. They had to get out of here before they were trampled. Or burned. The fire was growing. Spreading. In a split decision, he scooped up Delaney’s petite figure and yelled, “Troy, get Blue!”
“Travis?”
Felicity’s voice snapped him to a halt. “Felicity.”
As they locked gazes through the smoke-filled air, time stood still. He peered into her face. The chaos around them dissolved. Her horse was in danger. Felicity needed him. Delaney lay unconscious in his arms. Instinct warred with need. Felicity’s mom could be seriously injured. He had no way of knowing the extent of her condition without thoroughly evaluating her. He had to get her out of here but he couldn’t leave Felicity. Sirens echoed in the distance. “You’ve got to get out,” Travis urged her.
“My mom—is she okay?”
“I don’t know. I’ve got to get her out of here. You, too. We’ve got to go.”
“But what about Blue?” her voice quaked.
“Troy will get Blue.” Suddenly sucked in by the sight of her mother’s lifeless body, Felicity hesitated. “Felicity, go. Run!” When she didn’t respond, Travis yelled at her, “Move, Felicity! Get out. Now!”
“I can’t leave Blue here!”
Travis couldn’t grab her but they had to get out. “C’mon. Let’s go!” he ordered, running determinedly from the stables. He had no other choice. Delaney was hurt. Unconscious. He had to get her to safety. Felicity would follow. She had to.
Carrying Delaney clear of the building, Travis looked back, disturbed Felicity had not followed him. Where was she?
As soon as he thought it, the answer occurred. She’s saving Blue. At risk to her life, she was staying behind to get her horse. Dammit!
Troy would get Felicity. One of the men. Someone!
But he couldn’t think about Felicity. Delaney wasn’t moving. Closing his mind to everything but her, he set her gingerly on the ground, scanning her body for signs of injury. Was anything broken? Was she breathing?
Despite the backdrop of frantic shouts and whinnies, the jeopardy of his girlfriend and her horse, Travis forced himself to remain calm. Think. Check her vitals. Placing an ear to her mouth, he searched Delaney’s chest for signs of movement. For a moment he thought he detected a faint breath, a slow rise and fall of inhalation. Could she be moved? He didn’t recall the horse kicking her head. But the fact she lay unconscious said otherwise.
“Travis!” Malcolm’s solid voice cut through as he rushed over. Dropping to a knee, he skimmed over Delaney’s body. “Is she all right?”
“I don’t
know,” Travis replied. “She was unlocking the gates when one of the horses ran out, knocking her to the ground. A rafter above was on fire and about to fall. I pushed her out of the way. She’s breathing.” It was the quickest summation he could manage.
Malcolm nodded, the growing fire casting his tanned face in golden tones. “Ambulance is on its way. Let’s not move her.”
Travis rose to his feet. “Are the horses out?”
“I think so. Troy and a few of the stable staff were in there getting the last of them.”
“I’ve got to go find Felicity.” Delaney would be okay now that Malcolm was here and he had to go after Felicity.
“Go.” Malcolm set a hand to Delaney’s lifeless body. “I’ll stay with Delaney.”
Guilt and duty washed through Travis. Delaney wasn’t out of danger but she was in good hands. Unlike Felicity. Travis had to get to her. “Thanks,” Travis said, then bolted off to find his girlfriend.
Making it to the front of the stables, a squawk of siren blasted from the valley below. Flashing red lights flared against a wall of dark forest. The fire department was here. Searching the faces of those leading horses from the stables, he saw no sign of Felicity. Travis’ heart sank. Half the building was consumed by flame. Felicity. Running to the edge of the building, there were no more shouts, only sheets of smoke billowing free. He panned over the growing crowd of faces, dread lodging in his throat.
Felicity was not among them.
As firefighters decked out in full gear leapt from the fire engine, Travis ran to the opposite side of the building, inundated by “what ifs.” What if one of the rafters had fallen on Felicity? What if he’d managed to save her mother at expense of her life? Travis wouldn’t be able live with himself. If Felicity suffered because of his actions he didn’t know what he would do. Fighting a rising tide of panic, he looked inside the stables. The flames had yet to reach the back end. “Felicity!” he called out, his heart pounding anew with panic. “Felicity!”
Behind him staff members were corralling horses, leading them to the paddocks, a few being taken to the barn. Backing away from the stables, Nick Harris raced up from the trail. Travis knew he’d be looking for Delaney and waved him over. “Mr. Harris! Mr. Harris—she’s over there!” Travis shouted, pointing in the direction of Delaney and Malcolm.
His sharp eyes drilled into Travis as he demanded, “Where?”
“Over there. Near the fence.”
At sight of Delaney’s body lying on the ground, alarm swamped Nick’s gaze. “Is she okay?”
“I think so,” Travis replied. But Mr. Harris didn’t hear him, already en route for his wife.
Travis’ heart skipped a beat as he glimpsed Troy’s black hat. Sprinting toward his brother, he wondered, had he gotten Blue? Did he have Felicity? Dodging firefighters lugging hoses, Travis made a beeline for Troy. Cutting around them and a collection of curious guests, he called out, “Troy!” Frozen expressions didn’t so much as register his passing, transfixed as they were to the inferno before them. “Troy!”
His brother was leading a horse in circles as Travis ran to him. “Troy!” Recognition sharpened in Troy’s gaze as Travis neared. “Where’s Felicity?”
“Headed for the barn,” Troy replied, his voice taut and controlled.
“Did you see her?”
The horse yanked its head against Troy’s tight grasp on a lead rope fastened around its head. “Yes.” His attention was clearly aimed on his animal, not Travis or Felicity.
But the animals needed Troy right now. Spooked by the fire, they were understandably jittery. But Felicity needed him. As he glanced in the direction of the barn, the knots in his chest loosened. If Troy said she was by the barn that meant she was safe.
Jogging past a few loose horses, Travis shifted his focus between the fire and Felicity. He hadn’t asked Troy about Blue. Had she made it out? Would he find Felicity in tears?
Pulling up to the barn, he scanned the exterior. No sign of her. Striding inside, he saw a couple of horses with one of the older staff members, but no Felicity. Hurrying over, he asked, “Have you seen Felicity?”
The man looked to him briefly, the horse he held bridling between skittish and calm, and shook his head.
No? Travis whipped his head around. But Troy said she was here. If not here, where?
Travis turned on his heel, his frustration over Troy’s misdirection welling hot and fast in his chest. Hustling outside, he paused at the sight of burning stables, the sky above them glowing orange-gold, spits of charred wood floating into the black. Where had Felicity gone? Where was Blue? Without wasting another second, Travis ran back toward the stables. Troy had seen her, which meant she was okay, but Travis couldn’t relax until he laid eyes on her himself.
Around the edge of the building, Travis caught sight of medics wheeling a gurney toward the ambulance. Nick’s imposing figure trailed behind, partially obscured by the emergency personnel. They were transporting Delaney. At the pace they were rolling her, Travis thought it must be critical. His heart pinched. Please let her be okay. That’s when he saw Felicity. Lagging behind the cluster of medics, her face appeared blank. In shock. But relief flooded him. She was safe. Travis rushed over to her. “Felicity!”
She glanced up at him. Her mouth was set in a firm line, her usually soft gaze hard and impenetrable. Unable to read her expression, his pulse jumped. Was she upset with him? Was Blue okay?
When she didn’t stop or call out to him, he yelled, “Felicity!” As if the sheer force of his voice would stop her in her tracks. It didn’t. The group continued its course, leaving Travis no option but to follow.
Catching up with them as they arrived at the ambulance, Travis hovered by Felicity’s side, watching in silence as three men hoisted the bed up and slid it into the rear of the vehicle.
“I’m going with her,” Nick declared to the lead medic. Meeting no protest, he climbed into the back of the ambulance and they closed the doors.
Felicity raced forward. “I’m her daughter—I want to go, too!”
Securing the door shut, one of the medics replied, “I’m sorry. There’s not enough room.”
Travis grasped her arm. “I’ll drive you, Felicity. I’ll take you to the hospital.”
Trembling, Felicity stared at the rear of the ambulance. It was as though he hadn’t spoken, like she took in the closed doors with a chilling finality. Felicity cried out beneath her breath, “I have to go. I have to be with her!”
Travis firmed his hold of her. “I’ll take you. She’ll be okay.”
Felicity looked up at him, a vein of anger pulsating to life in the soft heather of her eyes. “She’s not okay, Travis. She’s not okay!”
Chapter Fifteen
Felicity wanted to scream, she wanted to shout, yet she could hardly move. Her mother was unconscious! She had not responded to the paramedics. Nick was the calmest man Felicity had ever met. Nothing ruffled him. Yet he was ruffled now, she mused, staring in despair after the departing ambulance.
“C’mon, Felicity.” Travis tugged her arm. “Let’s go. We’ll get to the hospital right behind them.”
The hospital. Felicity’s breathing grew shallow. Her mother was on her way to the hospital, yet none of it felt real. Red lights flashed through the night sky. Firefighters aimed arcs of water over the building, heavy streams that doused leaping flames. Guests gathered around them, gawking as the stables succumbed to fire.
“She’s not okay.”
“She will be.”
“They said she’s unconscious. She might be in a coma.” Felicity felt gutted by the words. Her mother looked dead. She didn’t move. She didn’t respond. Not to the medics, not to Nick.
“They’ll take care of her at the hospital.”
“She shouldn’t even be at the hospital!” Felicity exclaimed. “This should never have happened!”
Her mom would not let the animals burn to death. They were her life. Her world. Felicity shuddered. A horse had been
burned. She’d seen it trotting out with several others. At least Blue had escaped harm. When Travis left the stables, Troy had grabbed her, shouted that he had Blue. Resentment twisted Felicity’s heart. Travis had not come back for her. She was grateful to him for saving her mother but after he rushed outside with her mother he never came back. It was Troy who had come to her rescue, not Travis.
Her heart split. Troy had saved her when Travis had not.
“We need to go,” Travis pressed.
The desperation in his voice pulled at her. Thoughts of her mom lying on that gurney, being whisked away by strangers began to unravel her. Latching onto sight of Troy, her heart started to pound. He was walking two horses around the inside perimeter of one of the pens, calming them, reassuring them everything was okay. The horses had been hurt. Her mom had been hurt.
Behind them, Malcolm approached. He was usually so easygoing and relaxed, but at the moment his eyes were scored by concern, the blue paled to a flat gray. His expression was hard, his posture tense. Was it a wonder? His hotel stables were going up in flames. “Aren’t you going to the hospital with your mom?” he asked.
“Yes. Yes, as soon as I make sure that Blue is okay, I’m driving over.”
“She’s fine. Troy has her and several others over at the paddocks.”
Felicity felt light-headed. Dizzy, relieved, her head felt like it was spinning.
Glancing between her and Travis, Malcolm asked, “Is there anything you need?”
“Where’s Casey?” Felicity asked abruptly, struck by the thought she hadn’t seen the others since she abandoned them at the bonfire. “Are she and Cassidy okay?”
“They’re fine. Cal sent them home with Annie. He’s down at the hotel now, fielding questions and directing response teams.”
Losing Ladd Page 12