Page 65 of River Justice

Moments later, Birdie and Brand were helping her to her feet. The three of them, arms wrapped around each other, moved through the smoke and out into the fresh air as the sheriff ran toward them.

“Is there anyone else inside?” the sheriff cried.

They all shook their heads as they stumbled away from the house, into the cottonwoods, sucking in air, coughing and finally dropping into the grass as they fought to breathe. The sound of sirens and fire trucks couldn’t drown out the roar of the flames. Holly Jo could hear crashing inside the house, feel the heat even this far way.

She lay in the grass, staring up at the darkness filled with sparks and smoke. She was alive. It didn’t seem possible. For so long, she’d thought for sure that no one would find her, no one would rescue her from her kidnapper, no one would ever be able to get to her in time.

“Holden,” she said between coughing bouts.

“He’s fine,” Brand said. “Everyone from the ranch is fine.”

She nodded, fighting tears. “My horse,” she said, her voice a scratchy whisper.

“The horses are fine,” Brand assured her. “The flames are far enough away from the stable.”

She closed her eyes and began to cry in huge body-shaking sobs. As she did, Birdie put her arms around her and pulled her close. “You’re safe now. You’re safe.”

When the EMTs insisted on taking all three of them to the hospital, it was Brand who said, “Holly Jo needs to see her horse first.” The EMT started to argue.

“You have no idea what this girl has been through. She sees her horse first.”

Holly Jo saw Birdie smile at him and Brand reach over to squeeze her hand.

“You’ll come with me,” Holly Jo said, not wanting to let either of them out of her sight. They’d saved her life. She still couldn’t believe it as she looked toward the house engulfed in flames even as the firefighters pumped water over it.

If it hadn’t been for them, she would have still been inside there—on fire.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

ELAINEWASWITHHOLDEN, along with his doctor, when the sheriff walked into the room. He saw Holden’s anxious face and was immediately waved forward.

“Tell me everything,” the rancher demanded.

Stuart didn’t know where to start since he was sure that Elaine had filled the rancher in on the high points. “Darius Reed burned down your house. It couldn’t be saved.”

“I don’t give a damn about the house. How is Holly Jo? I want to see her.”

“She is being held for observation here at the hospital.” He raised his hands quickly and hurried on. “For smoke inhalation. She’s fine. The doctor also wanted to check her over, given what she’s been through.”

“I need to see her,” Holden repeated and started to get out of the bed.

“You aren’t going anywhere yet,” the doctor said. “We’ll bring her to you just as soon as we can.”

The rancher growled at the doctor but lay back on the bed. Turning to the sheriff, he said, “Tell me about Darius Reed.”

“He’s dead.” Stuart thought about the figure he’d seen running out of the house in flames. “He was caught in the fire.” He cleared his throat and continued. “The ransom money was found in his pickup. I didn’t count it, but I suspect most of it is still in the briefcase.”

Holden waved that away. “He never wanted the money. He just wanted to destroy me.”

The sheriff hated to point out the obvious. “He almost killed you.”

“But he didn’t. So he burned down my house.” Holden waved that away, too. “I can build another house. I’m just worried about Holly Jo, what she’s been through because of me.”

“I’m sure she was traumatized, but from what I can see, she’s tough, like you,” Elaine said.

Stuart nodded. “Brand Stafford and Birdie Malone saved her life. If they hadn’t gotten to her when they did...”

The rancher frowned. “I need to see my son, too.”

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