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“Fire?” Trent’s brow furrowed as fragmented memories assaulted his mind—the smoke, the flames, the terrified animals. He’d thought, hoped, it had just been a nightmare. But now that he was awake, he knew the awful truth. The fire had really happened. “How long have I been here?”
“Here?” Glen replied, checking the IV drip attached to Trent’s arm. “Only a day or so. But you were at the hospital in Butte for three full days before they released you into my care.”
“Was anyone hurt?” Trent’s voice was quiet. He felt so weak.
“No. Not seriously. Well, except for you, of course. Second-degree burns. Smoke inhalation.”
Trent’s head was reeling. “I’m fine. I shouldn’t be in this bed. I’m the doctor, not the patient.”
“No, you’re not. Right now, you’re the patient. You need to rest.”
“Where’s Patti?”
“She’s been with you the whole time in the hospital. Wouldn’t leave your side. She’s the one who contacted me. Got my number from your phone.”
“Good girl,” breathed Trent. He loved her so much. “Where is she now?”
Glen looked concerned. “Get some rest, Trent.”
Trent felt his head start to swim as he tried to sit up in his bed. “What? Where is she?”
“Lie down, please.”
Trent tried to stay up, but he’d never felt exhaustion like it. His heart pounded and his body ached, and he couldn’t do anything but give in to the compulsion—the need—to sleep. The nightmares came back. Flames. Hopelessness. Destruction.
Time was fluid, sloshing around Trent’s mind like cloudy water. It was impossible to say whether it was the same day as before when the door of the medical suite opened, and Takis Karas walked in.
“Boss,” Trent wheezed. He was amazed by the pain in his chest. It was like he only had half a lung available to him. It took so much effort to breathe that his whole ribcage ached with each inhalation and exhalation.
“Good to see you awake,” Takis said with a smile. His eyes, however, betrayed a sadness that Trent had never seen before.
“So this is what ‘awake’ feels like, eh?” Glen had been giving Trent morphine for the pain. It helped some, but he hated the floaty, detached feeling the drug gave him.
“This is what awake feels like,” Takis said, pulling up a chair beside the bed. “And I’m glad to see you lucid. I’m sorry about your injuries.” Takis eyed Trent’s side, the part of him that glowed with hot pain under the bandages. “Second-degree burns, you poor dog. Hope Glen is managing the pain.”
“Never mind my pain. How’s the ranch?” Trent asked, his voice stronger than it had been earlier. “How’s the damage?”
Takis rubbed his forehead and sighed. “Catastrophic. The big barn you were using for quarantine was essentially destroyed. The stables, too.”
Trent grimaced, but even that caused him pain. “The animals?”
Takis’s face contorted into a mixture of agony and shame. “The animals... we managed to save most of them. But not every single one. It’s a tragedy. Other buildings were damaged too. Thank god none of the residential areas burned down. Insurance will help, but not enough.” He hesitated, then continued, “I can’t carry on like this, Trent. I’ve decided to sell Littlecreek Ranch to Rosy Pastures.”
“Wait,” Trent interjected, panic rising in his chest. “How did the fire start?”
Takis shook his head. “The police are looking into it. But they don’t have any leads yet.”
“No leads? What about the CCTV that Duke installed?” Trent asked, grasping at straws.
“There was a power surge,” Takis replied, his voice heavy with regret. “The cameras went out just when we needed them most. I should’ve sorted out the electrical issues sooner.”
Trent groaned, both from the pain in his body and the agony of knowing their home was slipping away. “So it’s over? Just like that?”
“I’m afraid so,” Takis confirmed, sorrow etched on his face. “I’m sure Rosy Pastures will keep you on as a staff member. Obviously… there will be some changes.”
Changes. It was the understatement of the century. With Rosy Pastures in charge, Littlecreek wouldn’t be the sanctuary that it had been. There would be no more Littles, no more petting zoo. No more fun and excitement. No more love. No more saving animals from slaughter, letting them live their days out in peace. It would become a place focused purely on profit, on efficiency. Trent felt sick, and it wasn’t just the morphine.
“Where’s Patti?” Trent asked, desperate to see her, to hold her close.
