AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I whirled around, scanning every face in my vicinity.
Nothing.
A cold shiver raced up my spine.
Then I searched for Gray, leaving Sergeant Williams standing there as I rushed toward him. He had just handed Declan over to the paramedics and watched anxiously as they examined him.
"Manon," I blurted out. "She's not here. Manon's not here." A piercing ringing filled my ears. Suddenly, my throat tightened.
Gray caught me and the dog before waving someone over to us in alarm.
Behind us, the cacophony of sounds continued to build, turning everyone's attention toward theWildwood Hideaway.
With a loud crash, the first cabin collapsed, completely swallowed by the flames.
A soft scream escaped me, as if my pain were physical.
Gray informed a firefighter that at least one person was missing. Just as he spoke into his radio, someone, apparently emerging directly from the flames, ran onto the parking lot.
First, I recognized Wilder.
Then Manon, clinging to his neck, her legs tightly wrapped around his waist. Wilder's hand rested on her midsection until he let her slide to the ground and handed her over to a paramedic. Beside him, the fire chief appeared, shouting at him loudly.
A sob broke from my throat.
It was all too much.
Gray's life's work was going up in flames right before our eyes.
"Everyone's accounted for now," I heard Sergeant Williams announce. "Three injured."
Declan, Manon, and… who else?
"Who else is injured?" Gray demanded.
"We're still trying to identify him. The burns are quite severe. One of the guests pulled him from the burning porch of his cabin. He doesn't know him though. I'll let you know as soon as I have more information."
Gray nodded, and I wrapped my arms tighter around him.
"I didn't mean to hurt you back at Declan's cabin," he began.
Shaking my head, I chuckled. "You didn't hurt me. It was foolish to want to run back in. But Declan…"
"I didn't realize you hadn't stayed up in the house. I thought I shouted to you, but then seeing you outside the cabin with that determined look on your face…"
"We should make sure you get checked out too. You were in there. And since Declan already…"
"Later," he muttered.
Around us, there was a hive of activity. Firefighters, police, the distraught guests… Wilder approached us with a grim expression.
"I've just been suspended from the fire department," he announced.
I wasn't even aware that he was part of it. "Why?"
"Because I heard the radio on the way back to town and turned around to be the first on the scene. I had no equipment when…"
He left the sentence unfinished.
