by Laura Scott
When she stood, the swirling smoke burned her eyes. “It’s worse,” she croaked. “The smoke is getting worse.”
“I know.” Reese’s grim tone surprised her after his previous determination to remain positive. The serious expression reflected in his eyes couldn’t be denied.
She knew what he was trying to tell her. That it was possible that they might not make it out of here after all.
She closed her eyes for a moment and prayed.
Dear Lord, please give us the strength and courage we need to get out of here, and guide us to safety. Amen.
Reese wished more than anything he could reassure Katy that they would be fine, but he couldn’t bear to lie to her. Not now. Not after she’d offered her unconditional trust. Something no one else had done for him, ever.
Maybe that’s why he’d spilled his guts about Suzanne, when he hadn’t told anyone else the full story, not even his boss.
No, the real reason he’d told Katy the truth was that he didn’t want her to think the worst about him, like he was some sort of closet gambler or something. If he were honest, he’d admit that he cared about what Katy thought about him.
Ridiculous to even worry about that now, when they weren’t anywhere close to being safe. What did it matter what she thought about him if they died?
No, they weren’t going to die. He refused to believe they’d fail. Somehow, someway, they were going to find a way out of here.
Looking down, he noticed Katy’s eyes were closed and knew she was praying. He reached out and took her hand.
“Let’s pray together.”
Her emerald-green eyes opened in shock, but she nodded, holding on to his hands tightly.
“Dear Lord, we have faith in your strength and goodness,” Katy said.
“We seek your mercy and guidance to help us find safety,” Reese added.
“If it be Thy will, amen.”
“Amen,” Reese echoed.
“Thank you,” Katy said. “I know faith is new to you, but we have to trust in God’s plan.”
“All right,” he agreed. It had never occurred to him before that Suzanne’s leaving him for Will Fischer was all part of God’s master plan. At the time, he’d been angry and hurt, burying himself in work. But now that he looked back, he knew for certain that if his wife hadn’t left him and cleaned out their bank account, he wouldn’t be here today.
And he wouldn’t have met Katy.
Even in the midst of the desperate situation they were currently battling, he was glad he was here with her.
“We better keep going,” she said. Even though they were both dirty, sweaty and smelled like smoke, he wanted nothing more than to kiss her.
Duke barked again, urging them on. “We’re coming, boy,” he called to the dog. He followed Katy with a renewed sense of peace and determination.
Between Duke’s instincts and God’s support, he firmly believed they’d find a way out of here.
“The force of the stream is dwindling,” Katy said, a frown puckering her forehead. “It can’t be good if we run out of water.”
He’d noticed the water seemingly drying up too. “It doesn’t mean we’re headed in the wrong direction,” he pointed out. “Could just be that the fire behind us is interfering with the water source.”
“Maybe.”
He could tell by her tone she wasn’t convinced. “We agreed to have faith,” he reminded her. “Duke wouldn’t lead us into fire.”
“True,” Katy agreed. “You should have seen the way he kept barking and circling around me when we were still on the trail. It was as if he was trying to talk to me.”
“Three barks means danger, which is his way of warning you not to go closer.”
“Very effective.” She slipped again but quickly regained her balance, with the help of his hand holding hers.
“Is your ankle okay?” he asked.
“As good as your arm, I’m sure,” she said dryly.
“Let me know if you need to lean on me.” He didn’t want to think about how difficult it would be to carry her through the smoky haze, making his way across the rocks and tree branches littering the ground. He would if necessary, but he’d rather she lean on him before her ankle got to the point she couldn’t walk on it.
Duke abruptly changed course, heading southwest, a direction that would take them even farther from the hiking trail. As much as he trusted the dog’s instincts, he couldn’t help a gnawing sense of worry.
“Good boy, Duke,” Katy called encouragingly. Apparently her faith in Duke hadn’t wavered. “Home. Take us home.”
“I think you’re going to have to get a dog of your own,” he said. “You’re going to miss Duke once we’re out of this mess.”
“I’d love one, but he’d have to be as well trained as Duke,” she said. “Although my schedule isn’t the greatest when it comes to owning pets.”
“My schedule can be challenging, too, but trust me, having a pet is worth the effort.”
“I never understood that, until today.” Katy’s comment ended on another coughing fit, and Reese put his hand on her back, alarmed at the fact that he could barely see more than two feet in front of his face.
He wanted to have faith, but it wasn’t easy. Duke wouldn’t lead them astray, but it was possible the smoke was interfering with the dog’s ability to follow a scent.
“Reese?” Katy’s hoarse voice worried him, although his wasn’t much better.
“I’m here, Katy. Hang on to me, I’ll help you.”
“No, that’s not what I mean. Don’t you hear it?”
He paused, straining to listen. Maybe he was losing it, but he didn’t hear anything. “No, what do you hear?”
“A roaring sound, like a fire that’s out of control. What if we’re heading into more danger?”
He didn’t want to think that Duke would lead them farther into fire, but before he could respond, a loud bang pierced the air.
“Get down,” he said hoarsely, tugging on Katy’s hand.
Katy dropped down to the ground, and Duke rushed toward them, a low, growling noise rumbling in his throat.
“Was that a gunshot?” Katy whispered, her red-rimmed eyes wide with horror.
“I’m not sure,” he admitted. “We need to find cover just in case.”
“What about over by that fallen log over there?” she said, pointing to a spot near the edge of the dried-up stream.
“That’s good. But keep your head down as much as possible,” he urged. “You go first, and I’ll follow behind you.”
“Okay.” She stayed bent over as she picked her way back over the rocky streambed. Duke stayed right beside her, while Reese covered her back.
He was thankful that they didn’t hear any more gunfire as they moved toward the downed tree. Katy reached it first and sank to the ground. Duke stood beside her, and he had to smile when she said, “Sit, Duke.”
Reese sank down beside her. “Down, Duke.”
Normally, the dog always followed his commands, but this time, the dog simply stood there for a long minute, nose in the air, his ears twitching as he listened.
Then, abruptly, the dog took off, racing across the terrain like a wolf scenting food. Reese shouted, “Stay, Duke. Stay!” but his voice was little more than a hoarse croak and had no impact on the dog whatsoever.
Duke disappeared from sight, leaving them on their own.
Chapter Eleven
Katy gasped and then coughed as she watched Duke disappear into the smoky haze. “Why is he leaving us?”
“I’m not sure. Could be the smoke is making him confused.” Reese sounded upset, and she didn’t blame him.
She had no idea how they’d get out of here without following Duke’s lead. Especially after they’d heard that loud bang. She shivered despite the heat.
“Do you think that was really a gunshot?” she asked, voicing her fears out loud. “Maybe we were wrong and it just sounded like one.”
“Maybe. Possibly a br
anch dropping from a tree or something like that,” Reese agreed. “But I don’t want to lead you into danger, either.”
They were already smack dab in the middle of danger, but she understood what he meant. It was hard enough to battle the smoke from the fire; what could they do if someone was waiting for them in the woods with a gun? She strained to listen, hoping Duke didn’t become the gunman’s target.
But there was nothing but silence and smoke surrounding them.
Katy wasn’t sure how long they huddled behind the downed tree branch—time held little meaning at this point—but there was no denying the smoke was only getting worse.
“I think we’d better keep going,” Reese finally said. “We can’t stay here forever.”
“Which way?” She agreed with his decision to move on. What difference did it make if they died from smoke inhalation or from a bullet? A bullet might be a quicker death.
She shook off the morbid thoughts. They needed to stay positive.
And keep praying.
“The same direction Duke took,” Reese said, slowly rising to his feet. He held out his hand to her, and she took it, silently praying they were making the right decision.
Reese didn’t let go of her hand, and she found she was grateful for the human contact now that it was just the two of them making their way through the woods.
She found herself reciting the Lord’s Prayer again under her breath as they made their way in the general direction the dog had taken. Soon, Reese joined her, their voices gaining strength, despite their hoarse throats.
She stopped praying when she couldn’t hear herself anymore because of the roaring sound that seemed to swell in magnitude as they wove their way between trees and over rocks. Katy couldn’t help wondering if they were heading straight into the fire rather than away from it.
She wished she knew why Duke had taken off like that. She never would have imagined the dog would totally abandon them.
“Wait a minute.” Reese tugged at her hand, halting her progress. “Look at the smoke.”
She blinked, her eyes tearing up from the constant assault from the smoky haze. “I know. It’s been getting worse all along.”
“Not that. It’s getting lighter in color. It’s not black but more gray.”
She shook her head, not understanding. “What difference does that make?”
“When you douse a fire with water, the smoke gets lighter.” Reese coughed again. “Come on, maybe this is the way to the firefighters.”
She wanted to believe they were close to being rescued, but Reese’s color-of-smoke theory seemed lame. Besides, she couldn’t really tell much difference.
Woof! Woof!
“Is that Duke?” she asked, half afraid she’d imagined the sound. If three barks meant danger, what did two mean?
“I think so, come on.” Reese changed direction, as if trying to aim for the spot where the barking had come from. She followed him blindly, still hanging on to his hand as if it were a lifeline.
A few minutes later, Duke came running out from the trees, heading straight toward them.
Reese crouched low, giving the dog a huge hug. She reached down to pet Duke’s fur, overwhelmed with relief.
“He’s back,” Katy murmured. “Good boy!”
“Look, he’s brought the firefighters with him,” Reese pointed out.
Sure enough, several firefighters, covered head to toe in black and yellow gear, emerged from the woods directly in front of them. The firefighters picked up their pace, rushing over to meet them.
Her knees buckled as realization dawned.
They were safe! God and Duke had saved them!
Katy didn’t remember much of the trip back out of the woods beyond the worst of the fire. Soon she and Reese were placed on side-by-side stretchers, wearing identical oxygen masks. She recognized Sam Torretti, the paramedic who was also the son of Sheriff Luke Torretti, when he bent over her.
“I don’t like how red your lips are,” he muttered.
“I’m sure we don’t have carbon monoxide poisoning,” she assured him.
“But you do have a headache, right?” Sam persisted.
She slowly nodded. The headache had only just started after they’d heard the loud noise they’d mistaken for a gunshot.
“Then I hate to tell you, but you might be worse off than you realize, Doc,” Sam said in a dry tone. “We’re taking you to Hope County Hospital first. From there, you may be transferred to Madison if you need hyperbaric treatments.”
She didn’t like being on the patient side of the stretcher, and she especially didn’t like being told what kind of medical procedures she needed. She knew very well how to treat smoke inhalation.
“Hyperbaric treatments are only for severe cases,” she protested. “We’re not that bad off.”
“I think I’ll let another doctor make that decision,” Sam said with a stern look. “You’re my patient now.”
“I’m not going to the hospital,” Reese spoke up. “I need to take care of my dog. Can you give me a ride to the veterinary clinic?”
Sam glanced over with a frown. “Your boyfriend needs to go in for treatment, just like you do.”
She was about to point out that Reese wasn’t her boyfriend, but why bother? The whole town probably knew they’d spent time together. And soon, they’d hear about how they’d been rescued together too. “He’s right about the dog needing care. Duke saved our lives.” After everything they’d been through with Duke, no way was she leaving the dog behind. “Surely there’s some sort of treatment you can do for him.”
“Here, we can use a face tent to provide some oxygen,” the other paramedic spoke up.
“Try it,” Reese urged.
Duke didn’t like the mask hanging around his neck, but at least he didn’t paw it off his face. Reese kept the dog close at hand.
“Bring him along in the ambulance,” Katy said.
Sam looked exasperated. “You know I can’t bring a dog to the hospital.”
“You can, trust me. Duke is highly trained. He won’t be a problem. You can tell everyone he’s Reese’s therapy dog. Per ADA rules, they’ll have to let him in.”
“Okay, fine,” Sam agreed with a heavy sigh. “But if there’s any trouble once you arrive in the ER, keep me out of it.”
“I’ll make sure you don’t get in trouble,” Katy promised. Her throat was still sore, but the dull headache that had settled in the base of her skull seemed to be getting better with oxygen. Maybe putting the wet clothing over their faces had helped. She knew there were many potential long-term effects of severe smoke inhalation, especially if their lung tissue was badly scarred from the smoke.
But right now, she was happy to be alive. Safe from the fire and alive.
The ride to the hospital didn’t take long at all, or maybe she’d slept for a good part of it. Now that the adrenaline rush had faded, her body felt as if she’d been run over by a truck. Exhaustion weighed on her limbs, and it seemed to take every ounce of strength she possessed just to lift her hand to adjust the oxygen mask on her face.
“What time is it?” she asked when Sam’s face reappeared in her line of vision.
“Just past twelve thirty,” Sam said. “We’re going to have to secure the safety straps to get you out of the ambulance and into the ER, okay?”
“Sure.” She kept her arms down along her sides and tried to remain still as Sam buckled the straps across her body. She took several deep breaths of oxygen, thinking how incredible it was that they’d only been in the woods for a few hours when it had seemed like a lifetime.
Sam and his colleague gently set the gurney on the ground and then hit the lever to bring it up to its full height. She craned her neck, trying to get a glimpse of Reese and Duke, but the other ambulance was just pulling in.
They wheeled her into the trauma bay, and she felt dizzy looking up at the bright lights overhead and hearing Sam recite her vital signs. She’d had no idea how vulnerable it felt to be
a patient like this. She felt bad that she hadn’t done more to reassure her patients in the past.
She wanted to protest that her condition wasn’t serious enough to warrant being in the trauma bay, but when she tried to talk, no one was listening.
Since when did patients call the shots? Yeah, since never.
The straps across her chest loosened, and she looked up to see Janelle leaning over her. “Hi, Dr. Katy, I’m just going to get you connected to the heart monitor, okay?”
She was embarrassed at the thought of being undressed in front of her colleagues, but Janelle did a good job of keeping her well covered as she connected the EKG leads.
“What’s my pulse ox?” Katy asked. She wished she could see the display on the heart monitor, but it was located well behind her, out of view.
“A little on the low side, ninety percent right now,” Janelle confirmed. “Apparently it was down as low as eighty-seven percent when Sam first checked it.”
A normal reading would be closer to one hundred percent, but at least it was improving. She wondered how Reese was doing. She missed having him close by.
Hard to believe she’d only known him for a few days. It seemed much longer.
As the medical staff placed an IV, gave fluids, took blood and discussed x-rays, she battled a wave of helplessness.
She needed to see Reese. To make sure he and Duke were okay.
The thought of not seeing him again was painfully unbearable.
Reese was grateful Katy had insisted the ambulance crew provide oxygen to Duke and to bring him along, but he still wanted to find a vet. And soon.
He knew there was a small veterinary clinic located just outside Crystal Lake, but he had no idea if they were even open. Had people been evacuated from the town? Or did the firefighters have the blaze under control?
For the second time in three days, Reese found himself back in the trauma bay of the Hope County Hospital ER. Only this time, Dr. Katy was in the spot next to him, rather than Marcus Boyle.
“Duke, stay,” he ordered. Then he glanced up at the nurse hovering over him. “He won’t hurt you,” he said.
