Another shot, this one a good twenty feet away. She saw Wade coming around the corner, and yelled, “Don’t come any closer, Wade! Get more deputies and get down!”

But Wade just kept running toward her, his gun fanning as he ran. Soon, four deputies were there, yelling, running into each other, trying to avoid flying sparks from Katie’s burning house.

“All of you be careful,” Katie yelled.

Wade was panting when he reached her. He saw the blood on her hand and turned white. “My God, your hand.”

“No, I’m all right, it was a flying spark. Wade, take the guys and check in the woods. See what you can find.”

Not many minutes later, she slowly rose to see Wade come running toward her through the thick rain. He was shaking his head.

“Nothing?”

“Not a single damned thing. Hell, Katie, this whole thing’s so off-the-wall. What do we do now?”

“We search every inch around here and see what we can find.” She pointed him to the shards of glass sticking out of the mud. “They dropped that one and broke it, but its brother went through my kitchen window.” She looked down at her hand. Wade pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and tied it around her hand. “There, that’s better than nothing.”

She looked up at Wade. “Thanks. At least the bastards didn’t follow Miles into Jessborough. They’ve got to be okay.”

31

Miles had got himself under control because, simply, there was no choice. “Your mama will be just fine,” he said as he eased himself behind the wheel. “Now, Sam, Keely, I want you both to sit in the passenger seat and snuggle under those blankets.”

They were wet and scared, their teeth chattering, and Miles turned the heat on high. “You guys know what? I’d really appreciate it if you’d sing me a song.”

The children, bless their hearts, sang themselves hoarse. “Puff the Magic Dragon” had never sounded so good. He knew they were scared, knew they were dealing with it, just as he was, and he was very proud of both of them. Within minutes, he heard sirens, saw sheriff cars, red lights flashing; he pulled the truck off onto a side street while they streamed past, headed to Katie’s burning house. Thank God it was raining so hard, the house just might survive.

He was praying Katie was all right as he scooped both children into his arms, charged through the door of City Hall, veered to the right, where the sheriff’s department was housed.

Lewis, the night dispatcher, waved them in. Then the outer door whooshed open again and there was Linnie, running through the doors right behind them, wearing jeans, boots, a huge sweatshirt with an extra-large bomber jacket over it, and rollers in her hair.

“This way,” she said and smiled down at the children, just as calm and cool as Katie had been. His own heart was pounding and he wanted to hit something.

The phone rang and Lewis was on it.

“Everything is fine,” Linnie said, leaning down to hug both children. “Listen to me now, I don’t want you two worrying. Your mama’s really tough, Keely, you know that. And Sam, your papa’s right here, big and mean, and no one would mess with him. Now, come this way and we’ll get you dry.”

Sam stared up at his father, his small mouth working.

Miles came down on his knees next to Sam and Keely, drew them both into the circle of his arms. “Linnie’s here to take care of you guys. She’s going to get you dry and warm.”

The kids, pale and wet, stared up at him, saying nothing. They weren’t buying it, and he was trying his very best, dammit.

“Okay, Linnie is going to watch you and keep you company, okay? She’s also going to lock this place up tighter than your bank, Sam.”

“Papa, you’re going to leave us?”

He said simply, “I have to help Katie. Okay?”

“Don’t let those bad men hurt my mama,” Keely said, and burst into tears.

“I won’t let anyone hurt your mama, Keely. I promise,” Miles said as he stood up. “You guys, stay with Linnie.”

He mouthed a thank you to Linnie, who was gathering both children against her.

“Wait, Mr. Kettering!” She tossed him a cell phone. “Use it. Call us whenever you can, right, Sam?”

“Call me, Papa.”

“You got it, kid.”

“I’ll hug Keely,” Sam said. “She’s scared.” Miles watched his son pull Keely close and pat her back.

As Miles drove back through the heavy cold rain, the driver’s window cracked down, he could still hear sirens. He saw the glow of the flames from a mile away. With the heavy rainfall, at least the trees were protected. He pulled the truck up behind one of the deputy’s cars and jumped out.