he were trying to calm her, too.
âDonât worry, youâre safe,â Quinn said.
âWho cares about my safety?â she began.
âYouâre always safe in the black,â Quinn went on, as he pointed. âThe first flames burned along the fence line. So even if the wind shifts and the fire comes back this way, youâre okay. Thereâs nothing for it to burn in the black.â
When Sam waved her hands, he stopped talking, eyebrows raised in surprise. âIâm not worried about getting hurt. The fire is going up the canyon.â
Quinn shot a quick glance at his brother, but Jakeâs expression reminded Sam of a closed door.
âIt might burn that far, depending on the winds,â Quinn said, squinting toward the hills. âLuckily,thereâs only cheatgrass between here and there. Really, itâs doinâ a good job of clearing things out. Lots of ranchers apply for permits and do a controlled burn so that they can plant. Mrs. Allen doesnât have to go to all that trouble.â
All at once, Jake and Quinn stiffened, shrugged, and went back to work as their dad approached.
Luke Ely was taller than Dad. His pronounced cheekbones and long jaw made him look like a man who was used to giving orders and having them obeyed. Sam knew Jakeâs dad had a great smile, but it was hard to picture it. As he came her way, he looked every inch a fire chief.
âItâd be a good idea to get those older horses out of here,â he said to Callie. âThey suffer from smoke inhalation just like people.â
âGot it,â Callie said, and her car keys were already in her hand as she left.
âNow, whatâs up with you?â he asked Sam.
Jakeâs dad sounded impatient, but faintly amused. Maybe.
âQuinn and Jake were both telling me thereâs no reason to fight the fire over there,â Sam said, pointing. âAnd, I understand about you having to stay here and protect homes and barns first, but since itâs all burned offââ
âIt isnât,â Luke interrupted. âItâs burninâ spotty, because of moisture in the low places.â
Sam swallowed hard as he indicated the placewhere sheâd left the paint cans. She couldnât see them from here, but she could imagine dampness from the passing storm. It probably wouldnât be damp enough, Sam thought, as she heard more crackling.
âThereâs plenty left to burn if it turns back this way,â Luke said. âThatâs why I left Nate down there with what equipment I could spare, and thatâs why weâre taking a stand here.â
The sound of a distressed neigh made Sam turn away from Luke. She squinted back toward the ranch yard. She could make out Callie in the corral and see Ace trotting uneasily around it. She could see only one pinto. Callie must have already loaded the other, but now she was battling Judge. Tossing his black mane, the old gelding reared, huffed, and resisted the pull on the halter rope.
âSamantha.â Lukeâs voice jerked her attention back. âI need you to return to the house and stay there, if youâre not leaving with Callie.â
âIâm not,â she said.
Callie drove past, windows rolled up against the smoke, but Sam could see she was frowning.
Sam didnât wave. She drew a breath, trying to ask more, explain more, but her eyes were fixed on a tower of smoke mingling with the gray clouds. She couldnât tell them apart. Smoke veiled the sun, turning it into a tan disk surrounded by a dull yellow ring. Everywhere the smoke wavered.
Fire didnât have a mind of its own. If it did, sheâdthink the flames were trying to decide in which direction to charge next.
âSam, youâre going to have to spit it out,â Luke snapped. âIâve got duties here.â
Samâs fists curled so tightly, her fingernails bit into her palms.
âIf the fire
Annabel Joseph
Susan Cooper
Lorraine Heath
Sharron Gayle Beach
Julie Anne Lindsey
James Maxey
Kit Pearson
César Aira
P.S. Brown
Jennifer McNare