THIRTY-TWO
Jack had received news that the preliminary comparison of shoe prints from the woods behind Neva’s home didn’t match prints near Terra’s home the night of the break-in. He’d been hoping for that answer.
Regardless, he was late to meet Terra when he parked his vehicle next to hers on the Maverick Trailhead.
Of course she had already hiked up the trail without him. He wouldn’t have waited on him either. Before he got out of his vehicle, he thought to text her to let her know he was on his way, though she might not receive it up the mountain.
He noticed that she’d beat him to it with a text of her own.
The words jumped out at him and grabbed him by throat.
Alarm ignited.
Oh no.
Jack called 911 while he still had a signal and reported the information Terra had relayed—the woods were on fire and she was trapped in the cabin—then ended the call.
He hopped from his vehicle and instantly smelled the smoke. Heart pounding, he rushed up the trail, hoping he hadn’t just wasted seconds making that emergency call. Seconds that could make the difference in saving her life.
“Terra!” Jack’s leg muscles screamed as he pushed himself faster up the trail, then he slowed before his heart burst. He picked up the pace again. If he survived this, he would take up trail jogging.
His lungs burned as he sucked in oxygen and smoke. The acrid stench thickened as he drew closer. He stopped in his tracks to catch his breath.
He kept going as far as he could go, but it wasn’t nearly far enough. The forest burned, creating a wall of flames and heat so he couldn’t push deeper into the woods.
Terra.
The blaze crackled and hissed, its fiery fingers hungrily reaching for more as sparks swirled into a sky already darkening with toxic smoke.
No ... Terra...
His heart spasmed.
He hadn’t realized he’d fallen to his knees. Shock. Grief. He didn’t know. He couldn’t let that cripple him now. He wouldn’t give up. Because if he knew anything about Terra—she was a fighter. She would find her own way out. Please, God, let it be so.
Jack got to his feet and moved around the edge of the fire, heading northwest from the trail, to find a way to get closer to the cabin if he could. The smoke and heat caused his eyes to water, his lungs to convulse. Still, he searched for a possible way closer, belying the obvious hopelessness building in his heart. Denying what he knew to be true. And finally, through the burning trees, he saw what he feared.
The cabin was gone.
If Terra was still inside, she was gone too.