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ChapterOne
Mack
Smoke, thick and acrid, burns in the air.
The rigged-out truck eats up track, windows wound up tight and it’s sweltering like a fucking cat in heat in this cab.
“Yeah, yeah,” I say to the crackle and hiss of the two-way radio that seems to be telling me to get my ass into some kind of helpful action. “Gotcha.”
I just left the fire chief, Philip, and a few other volunteers near the Kilpatrick property line off the road of the same name. We got the fire there under control, and Philip sent me off to go help another crew.
I’d give anything to roll down a window, which is some kind of rookie mistake I’m not about to ever make. Not with the heat and smoke out from the fires.
The wall of flames driven by the high winds and fueled by drought-dry brush is under control along here, beaten back through backbreaking work and a little luck with the wind change. Right now, I’m hightailing it to where Isaac, the town’s main firefighter and medic, is with my twin, Lawson, near the campgrounds. They set up a triage area for those who might end up needing it.
In these woods ’there are a lot of people who live out there and have to be evacuated. Though some are foolish enough to want to stick behind to wait it out or try to protect their homes themselves. Plenty of times, I’ve helped pull people from the fires swarming the homes they’d built to save their lives.
Making a turn, I sigh and swipe at the sweat beading my forehead. I hope there’s a cold bottle of water waiting for me when I get there. I’m also willing to bet a whole bunch of dollars that someone there accidentally started at least one of the outbreaks.
The radio hisses and pops again. Then my earpiece buzzes and I hit answer on my phone.
“Big Mack,” my brother says, the two words that let me know they’ve got their situation under control. “Forrest is getting idiots out. But he might need you.”
I grip the wheel one handed and swing a right to where I know the ranger is. “All clear? I’m the favorite, but Mom loves your wife, so—”
“Shut it. Stay this side of the line,” he says. “There are some real hot spots, so don’t go trying to be the lone hero.”
“Sure thing, Sheriff. You know I just fix cars. This is just a hobby. I leave the hero work to others.”
“Not funny,” Isaac’s voice comes through the radio.
“Shut the hell up, Mack.” My twin hangs up.
I let out a heavy breath and head to where the firewall is. “Shit.”
The thing’s jumped the back burn area in spots ahead, but it’s not a problem. Yet. And behind me, a couple of other volunteers are coming up who can deal with this.
If Forrest is getting people out and not busting flames, then he’s gonna need help in keeping the way free to get idiots clear. Thank Christ, my baby sister, Rose, is volunteering at the Norhill Medical Center today. She might not be a doc yet, but she’s gonna be the best.
In a town too small for a hospital, her expertise, along with Isaac’s, is needed. Hopefully it won’t come to that, but . . .
This is the fourth fire this summer.
With more tourists coming in for camping, the more these fucking city folk will cause fires.
Like this one.
It’s not deliberate, at least I don’t think it is. More likely these assholes just don’t know how to do fire safety properly.
I reach for the two-way to check in with Forrest as I speed toward the area my GPS tells me he’s at. If he’s got it under control and has enough help, I’ll join up with another group, and—
The radio pops and a voice comes through. “Mack Burns,” I say, sweeping it up and depressing the button.
“Mack, it’s Grover here. Just flying in to help and I saw a glint of metal right up on a tree.” He rattles off coordinates, and I know exactly where he’s talking about.
The other side of the flames.
“I know it. Accident?”
