Jayne ate the last couple of bites. Alexis took her dishes with a grin, handing Jayne a soapy, wet rag in exchange. She washed this long table, then the others. Four kids were already halfway done washing the dishes. She checked in with them, but by now they knew the drill. “Thanks, guys.”

  She walked out to where Charlie waited by the kitchen door. “Do you always pitch in?”

  “Do you always quit your meal unfinished and leave to go do something?”

  He hesitated. “Hazard of being a firefighter at a busy house, I guess. I can’t count the number of meals I haven’t finished over the last twenty years.”

  They headed outside, following the same path they’d taken the night before. Four deer—a doe and three fawns—grazed in the field by the river. If they followed the river they’d reach the lake, but this path sent them up the side of the hill.

  She glanced at Charlie, wondering about that pinched look on his face. “So, why give up rescue squad to come here for the summer?”

  She knew Alexis’s mom had passed away over the winter. Maybe the girl just needed a break from her life for the summer. But it also looked a whole lot like Charlie might’ve wanted to dump her somewhere she’d be watched out for, occupied with a training program while he still got to fight fires.

  “We needed a change of scenery.”

  Jayne lifted a branch and stepped under it. If fire rolled through this section of forest, it could be devastating. The whole place was dry from months of drought. They couldn’t clear the forest floor of every bit of brush.

  All they could do was protect lives. Property was always the secondary concern.

  “And Alexis wants to be a firefighter?”

  “Actually, I think last she said a paramedic, but only because that’s faster than being an RN.”

  Jayne chuckled. “I recall her saying something to that effect.” Still, Jayne wasn’t sure it had been Alexis’s idea for her to come here. “We do cover some medical aspects of firefighting and basic rescue scenarios. Like what they’re doing today.” She glanced back, but it didn’t look as though Charlie was going to say anything.

  He looked deep in thought. Or in pain.

  She didn’t know him well enough anymore to figure out which it was.

  “I’m glad Orion agreed to take the class this morning. The kids respond better to him than they do an old lady like me because he’s closer to their age.”

  “If you’re old, then so am I.”

  She stopped to scan the area around the cabin. Charlie did the same—standing much closer to her back than she’d have thought was necessary. She glanced over her shoulder and found his face. Close.

  Having him here was such a surprise after not seeing him for so many years. Not only because it meant Orion could meet his father but because she got to know Charlie now, as an adult. Sober. Wiser. Steady like an old oak—though she didn’t think he would appreciate that description.

  He looked down at her mouth. “What’s funny?”

  Something moved at the edge of her awareness. “I’ll tell you later.”

  She stepped away from him and tried to find whoever she’d seen just now—or whatever it had been, though she didn’t think it had been an animal.

  “I saw someone over there.” She pointed in the right direction.

  “Let’s keep walking.”

  His voice had an odd tone. She wasn’t sure what to make of it. “Is there something going on?”

  “I figured the sheriff might’ve filled you in at some point, but there was a murder a few weeks back, and before that, the explosion in a trailer, or cabin, which initially started the fire.”

  She scanned the ground as she walked so they didn’t pass Roger and miss him. “I think I heard about the murder. But why would that have anything to do with my guest?”

  “Who knows? The whole thing has me on edge.” Charlie sighed. “There’s this smokejumper, Booth. He tells the craziest stories, and they’ve gotten in my head. Houston and Sophie found that body they thought was her brother, and Dakota and Allie found those kids who saw that guy get popped.”

  She turned back, one eyebrow up.

  “That’s how they say it!” He looked completely exasperated. “Dakota used to be a cop. I don’t wanna hear another SWAT story the rest of my life.”

  Jayne pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. Charlie was going to be an adorable grandpa, all grumpy old man. She thought it was cute.

  “Anyway, the guy’s name is Earl. Some local thug around Ember, and he’s got a brother, I guess. Floyd. They double-crossed a cartel, so there was no way for them to get cheap drug shipments from south of the border. They had to start making it themselves again. One of the hotshots—Emily, who is dating your TV boyfriend now⁠—”

  “Spenser Storm is not my TV boyfriend! He’s practically Orion’s age.”

  Charlie chuckled as they approached the cabin. “The guy who Earl murdered turned out to be an ex-Army Ranger or some kind of clandestine operative the government is denying all knowledge of?” He said it like a question. “Dakota has been following the case after Houston and Sophie found the body in the woods. Everyone is interested since I guess it involves Sophie’s brother.”

  “I’m used to being out of the loop because I’m up here most of the time. I only go down to town for supplies, but all this actually makes me want to stay up here more and not get involved.”

  “Good call,” Charlie said. “Keep yourself and those kids safe.”

  They agreed about that, at least.

  She searched the cabin again and came out to find Charlie sitting on the front step. “He’s not inside, but if he left, he didn’t take any of his stuff with him. I can’t tell if he slept here last night or not.”

  She wanted to sit by Charlie, but they needed to keep looking. “I hope he’s not hurt. Or out here somewhere all alone.”

  “I’m sensing a theme with you.” Charlie stood, touching her waist in a comforting gesture. “You take care of people. You worry about them being safe.”

  “I’ve prayed for you a lot over the years and made a lot of ‘unspoken’ prayer requests.”

  He shook his head. “What does that mean?”

  “Just that I didn’t want to share what was private.”

  “But you prayed, and you had other people praying?”

  She nodded.

  “You realize that probably saved my life, right?” He wound his arms around her waist.

  She held on to him, her hands just above his elbows—not wanting to venture too far. They’d barely just met each other again.

  “More than once would be my guess.” He studied her. “You ever have that feeling someone is praying for you because you have no idea where the peace you have is coming from?”

  She could use some of that peace right now. Her heart pounded so hard she could hear it in her ears.

  Behind her, to the east, she heard the crack of a branch.

  A gunshot exploded through the trees.

  Charlie whipped her around, and they fell into the cabin. He covered her with his body as bullets zipped through the air above them.

  SEVEN

  Pain ripped through Charlie’s right side. He groaned and had to roll over—off Jayne—so he didn’t collapse on her. The gunshots cut off abruptly.

  He stared at the ceiling and tried to breathe through the pain. He’d seen the man’s face and a ponytail of hair that’d told him exactly who it was.

  Someone yelled. Another shot cracked outside, but it didn’t hit the cabin like the others all had. Someone is trying to kill you. But who, and why? And had the target been him, Jayne, or both of them? This could be about getting rid of the camp director specifically for all he knew…or something entirely different.

  He glanced over. You okay? The words wouldn’t take hold, but he mouthed them.

  She leaned over him. Touched his face. “Charlie?”

  He could only gasp a breath.

  “Did you get shot?”

  Certainly felt like it. “No.” He breathed. Come on. The last thing he needed was for her—or anyone else⁠—to realize he wasn’t as fine as he claimed. But getting up would be just about impossible for the next few seconds.

  She felt around his torso and under his sides. “I don’t see blood.”

  “I didn’t get shot.” He’d just jarred everything in his back, and his failing kidneys showed no mercy. Charlie squeezed his abs and planted his elbows. Managed to get up that far.

  She lifted an envelope with her name on it. “What is this?”

  Charlie snatched it so fast he nearly landed on his back again. He ignored how much it hurt and stuffed the letter into his pocket. Now that he’d met Jayne again, he should rewrite it. Explain better so she wasn’t as confused at the end of summer.

  The fact was, he’d nearly been shot just now.

  Charlie could have stepped into the path of one of those bullets and taken the hit. Ended it all. No more pain and suffering…for him.

  And yet instinct had him diving on Jayne. Keeping her from being shot had saved both of their lives.

  A wasted opportunity, depending on how he looked at it. But ideally, no one would witness his death—then he could keep the truth a secret.

  “Talk.” Jayne eyed him. “Why do you have an envelope with my name on it in your pocket?”

  Charlie needed to get up, not be dragged into this.

  “You were going to leave me a note?” Jayne backed up and stood.

  They needed to make sure they were safe. Not get into a discussion.

  Too bad he didn’t have it in him to stand yet. He had to sit here, close enough he could shift over and lean his back against a bookshelf of battered paperback thrillers. The lamp above teetered a little, then settled. There was a bullet hole in the lampshade. More bullet holes in the wall on the far side. The gas camp stove was on the floor, and the coffee pot lay askew nearby.

  “I think you should tell me what that was.” She stood by the front door, effectively taking cover. Apparently not so worried about what had gone on outside—and had since moved away from them, given what he’d heard.

  “It’s just a letter.” He blew out a breath. “It’s not for now, and you don’t need to worry about it.”

  “What’s going on with you, Charlie?”

  He’d never been able to turn down that look in her eyes. He pulled the tin from his pants pocket. “Can you get me a glass of water?”

  She pushed off the wall and came back with a cup.

  He swallowed two pills.

  “What do you have?”

  He tucked the tin back in his pocket. “It’s my kidneys.”

  “And no one knows?” She folded her arms.

  He shook his head. “I don’t want Alexis to find out.” Before she could object, he said, “You didn’t see her with her mother. It was a messed up situation before Helena was diagnosed with cancer. It got worse. Alexis watched her mother deteriorate, and Helena made everyone’s lives miserable every minute of it. Manipulating Alexis. Trying to do it with me. Twisting the doctors and nurses into it, weaving a web.”

  He wanted to believe his daughter was smart enough to see through the façade, but that would only make it so much worse for Alexis. She would realize just how much her mom had delighted in manipulating everyone around her—often for no reason other than that she could.

  “I’m not going to let her watch me die as well.”

  “Good.” Jayne nodded. “But is fighting wildland fires really what you should be doing? Seems like you might be better off on medical leave. Do you…need the money?”

  “It’s not about that.” He couldn’t even tell her out loud what he planned to do. She agreed with his choice to not cause Alexis more pain. Most likely, she thought he intended to fight to live.

  The truth was quite different.

  She would never agree it was the right thing. And apparently his instincts felt the same, driving him to dive out of the way of bullets.

  Which made him wonder…would he be able to go through with it?

  But the alternative would be to drag Alexis into watching another drawn-out medical battle. She couldn’t handle that. Her mother’s death had broken her in a way he would never be able to fix. His daughter needed to be free to live her life, not dragged into his problems. He would never let her give up a kidney for him. Not when she would suffer for years with the repercussions.

  It could ruin her life.

  A tiny niggle in the back of his mind wanted to point out that he had Jayne here with him. That he had Orion, a guy Charlie desperately wanted to get to know⁠—but never would. That he’d never get the chance to see Alexis fall in love or walk her down the aisle to the man she chose to spend the rest of her life with.

  Plenty of reasons to fight.

  But he couldn’t take the risk he would mess their lives up all over again. The way he had so many times before.

  He’d been so certain. Instead, now it seemed like God wanted to offer him a choice.

  Charlie managed to stand. “Let’s get back to camp. We need to make sure whoever was outside didn’t go that way.”

  Jayne frowned but came outside with him. “From the direction of the crashing through the brush, it sounded like they ran off toward the ravine, away from camp.”

  They had only walked a few steps before she said, “You good?”

  “I will be after I call Dakota and get him to send me the photo he has of the guy the sheriff is trying to find.” Had it really been the same guy?

  “You saw the shooter.”

  He nodded.

  “That’s not good.”

  He touched her shoulder. “We’ll be okay. Someone protected us, and we’re going to be smart about safety now.”

  As long as no one else got hurt.

  At least he knew they hadn’t brought danger up here with them. Instead, it seemed like they’d come just in time to make sure the kids stayed safe. “Did the guy who rented the cabin have a ponytail?”

  “No, he had short, dark hair. I have a copy of his driver’s license in my records. I’ll show you.”

  They emerged on the far side of camp to a bunch of commotion and cheering. Charlie nearly reacted but caught himself when he realized it was the kids and a bunch of hotshots.

  Two lanes and a cheering section. Orion had a hose and periodically sprayed the contestants in the face while they were dragging dummies across the gravel down the lanes, then raised it to rain down on them.

  Jayne chuckled. “That’s not exactly what the training schedule says.”

  Charlie only had eyes for Alexis. She hauled her dummy to the end of the line, just a fraction slower than the hotshot—the youngest of the bunch, Mack. The other Trouble Boys hollered from beside the kids.

  Mack and Alexis high-fived, then lowered their hands. Still clasped. The touch lingered a little longer than it needed to before they separated, and two camp kids jumped up to take a turn.

  Alexis spotted him and grinned.

  That was a smile he’d never thought he’d see again.

  And pretty soon he wouldn’t get the chance. Ever. Unless he changed the whole plan.

  One of the hotshots strode over to meet them. Given how Charlie seemed to struggle to walk, she pointed at the porch chairs. “Let’s sit down.” She sighed long as she settled into it.

  The hotshot said, “You good?”

  “It’s been a day already.”

  Charlie settled in the chair beside her. The hotshot leaned against the rail. Built in a way that looked like he’d been carved out of stone, he had a square jaw and the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. If it wasn’t for his eyes, he would look lethal with that tight haircut and the tattoos on his forearms. His sleeves were pushed up past his elbows, and she spotted TROUBLE inked onto the blade of his forearm.

  Wasn’t that the truth.

  He reached over and shook her hand. “Hammer.”

  “Jayne Price.”

  “Camp director.” A dark-featured man with his hair pulled back in a bun ascended the stairs but kept his distance. “And Orion’s mom.”

  “That’s me.” She nodded.

  The dark-featured man glanced at Charlie, then at her, a tiny smile on his face. Over in the gravel, the kids started to chant. “Ti-ger, Ti-ger, Ti-ger…”

  Two more boys raced, pulling weighted dummies along the strip they’d marked out.

  Alexis sat with the others, but the youngest hotshot Jayne had ever seen stared at the teen like he wanted the courage to go talk to her.

  Charlie showed her a picture on his phone. “Is this the guy you rented to?”

  Ponytail. Still, she shook her head. “No. That’s not him.” It could be their shooter, though. “Is it who you saw?”

  He nodded. “That’s the guy.” He stowed his phone. “Dakota said everyone else is headed here as well.”

  Hammer said, “That’s right. Commander Dafoe doesn’t like the weather conditions. We scouted the fire this morning, and it could move this way if the wind picks up this afternoon.”

  Once night fell again, the fire would reduce to a slumber with the cool temperatures. But it was the high afternoon temps that would be the most dangerous, especially with unpredictable winds.

  Jayne scanned the camp. She would stand behind the preparations they’d made, but a fire could still tear through the area. The cabins she rented would be destroyed. Lives could be lost. People. Animals. The dangers were numerous.

  Charlie said, “The fire is ten miles from here. How’d you get over here so fast?”

  Quiet guy by the porch steps said, “We jogged.”

  Charlie chuckled. “Of course you did.”

  Hammer said, “Once we all meet up, we’ll head back out there and start working up a defensive line.”

  He didn’t speak like a hotshot. More like a guy with military background, which matched his bearing⁠—and that of his friends. Except the youngest one, now staring longingly at Alexis when no one was watching. Meanwhile, Orion seemed to be soaking everyone at this point, whether they were competing in the training exercise or not.