Amanda's Wolves(101)
Chapter Thirty
“Where are you?” Sawyer said into Logan’s head.
“Just finishing a hike. You okay? Fire?”
“It’s spreading. Not sure we can get it under control. And Logan…”
“Yeah?” Logan stopped moving to concentrate better on what Sawyer had to say. He motioned for Sharon to finish without him. They were within minutes of the bottom of the trail anyway.
“This bad boy started about a mile above that logging site.”
Logan flinched. “You think it’s going to reach that low?”
“Might. It’s moving slowly, though. I’m hoping we get the upper hand before it comes to that. My boss is calling in a voluntary evacuation now. Hoping to clear out the logging site and everything below it.”
“Including my brothers’ homes.” Logan sighed as he realized the implications.
“Yes. You should head over there and help them get their important documents out. Photos. That kind of stuff. Just in case.”
“I’m on it.”
“Where’s Amanda?”
“At the condo I assume, where you left her. I haven’t communicated with her since early this morning.”
“She isn’t responding to me.”
Logan chuckled. “She’s probably pissed we won’t let her leave and pouting. I bet she punishes us for leaving her there by shutting us out.”
“Probably. Listen, I can’t talk any more. Too dangerous. I need to focus.”
“Of course. Don’t worry. I’ll head over to my brothers’ homes and help them get out. You focus on putting the fire out. And stay alive.”
The connection was broken immediately. Logan understood. He hated thinking about Sawyer up there on the mountain fighting a blaze that seemed to have a life of its own.
When he lifted his gaze to the sky and scanned the horizon, he saw the giant plume of smoke in the distance and cringed. Without hesitating, he hurried down the rest of the path. He needed to get to his family’s homes and make sure they all got out safely.
When he reached his car, he shouted out to Sharon to let their parents know what was happening and then ducked inside and took off.
He tried to reach Amanda, but she didn’t respond. He smirked and shook his head. “Stubborn woman,” he muttered.
Logan drove faster than the speed limit to make the twenty-minute route in fifteen. He headed for Melinda’s house first and found her loading her car. She waved as he approached.
“You have more?” he yelled as he jumped down from the cab and jogged in her direction.
“Yes. Boxes. Just inside the front door.”
Logan ran toward his brother Trace’s home, grabbed the load of photo albums and keepsakes, and hurried back to his truck. There was no way for Trace to be available to help, and there was also no guarantee the fire wouldn’t reach all the way to his brothers’ homes at the base of this mountain.
Melinda ran in and out also, despite the number of times he’d told her to get in her own car and evacuate.
They could see the giant plumes of smoke rising in the mountains, growing incrementally closer by the minute. It was almost two miles away, but the smoke and soot were blowing in their direction and falling around them. It wasn’t safe to breathe.
“Do you really think it will come this far?” Melinda asked.
“No. Sawyer doesn’t think so, but better safe than sorry.”
A car pulled into the driveway, making Logan stop and lift his gaze. Who was crazy enough to come to the house at that moment?
Mimi stepped out of the car. She ran toward Logan and grabbed his arm. “I can feel her in my soul. She’s okay. She needs to wake up. My gut tells me she’s unconscious, but not dead.”
Logan froze, neither moving nor breathing. Something on his face must have registered his complete lack of understanding.
Melinda stepped up to his side. He could see her in his peripheral vision, but even that was narrowing. “What happened, Mimi?”
Mimi shook her head. “You didn’t know.”
Logan stared at her, willing her words to evaporate.
“Mimi?” Melinda prodded.
Mimi swallowed hard and squeezed Logan’s arm harder. “Amanda. She’s missing.”
“What?” Melinda shouted. “That’s not possible. How do you know?”
“I can feel her.”
Logan’s own head began to shake back and forth, slowly at first and then picking up speed. “No,” he shouted. “No.”
Melinda yanked out her cell phone and held it up. “Fuck.” She shook it. “Fuck,” she yelled louder. “No goddamn signal.”
Logan turned his head to stare at her, but the world was spinning around him, and he couldn’t make it stop.