“Yeah, I am. I just…” Only when the tall male moved behind the bar did I know for certain I was right. Landen pulled Shannon aside and within two seconds, every fear that had started to slip away trickled into my mind again.
Whatever they were discussing appeared serious. When she placed her hand over her mouth, every nerve stood on end. But when she darted a look in my direction, catching my gaze, she wasn’t a good enough actress to hide the same fear I was experiencing.
I jerked to a halt.
“What’s wrong?” Darlene asked, pulling on my hand.
“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.” Before I had a chance to make it to the bar, both Landen and Shannon had disappeared from behind the bar, moving to a corridor beside it. I pushed my way through the crowd, my heart thrumming in my chest.
By the time I got to the hallway, I was fighting tears. I knew whatever was going on had something to do with the smoke-jumping team.
A closed office door. I stood just outside, catching my breath before knocking and turning the handle without being invited in.
Both Landen and Shannon were shocked, Shannon immediately turning her head.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, trying desperately not to become too upset.
“Grace,” Landen said, and I knew the voice all too well. The tone said that he was the adult and I was the child, but that wasn’t the case any longer.
“I asked… What is wrong?” I closed the door behind me, taking a single stride closer.
The two of them looked at each other and the girl who’d tried not to become emotional disappeared. A single tear fell and I trapped it with my fingers, wishing it was Viper collecting the salty bead.
“Tell her,” Shannon encouraged, her voice little more than a whisper.
He gritted his teeth.
“Tell me!” Now I was demanding.
After rubbing his eyes, he looked directly into mine. “Two jumpers were separated from the others. It was thought they could make it to the safe zone, but something must have happened.”
“Safe zone.”
“A predesignated area where they could avoid the danger.”
“And?” I took another step, my pulse racing.
“And contact was lost, but it appeared something happened. Maybe they found a hiker, but nobody knows for certain.”
“Is it Viper? Is one of them Viper?”
He moved around the desk, coming closer and I threw my hand out. The shock on his face tore at my insides. “They haven’t released any names.”
“Not even to you?”
“There are some communication issues. Some of the coms are down,” he insisted. “That happens sometimes.”
“What about the fire?”
Damn his hesitation.
“While the fire is eighty-five percent contained, it’s still burning hot and… And in the direction of their last known location.”
“But they can get out. Right? There’s another way. A plane? A helicopter?”
“Too dangerous to fly either one with the amount of smoke in the air,” Shannon answered, maybe to give my godfather a break.
“Then what happens now? Is someone going to go find them?”
