Hannah reached out to her niece. “Come on. We’re going in the house.”

“No!” Nikki didn’t take her gaze off the barn. “Dash and his momma are in there. They have to be all right.” Nikki attempted to run toward the barn, but Hannah’s mother pulled her back. “Ethan’s gonna save them.”

Hannah inwardly groaned as her gaze moved back to the barn. With all of the smoke and flames, she didn’t think anything would survive. She needed to spare her niece from any additional trauma.

“Let’s go inside,” Hannah said.

Nikki fervently shook her head. “This is my fault.”

Hannah crouched down next to her. “No, it’s not.”

“It is! Dash wasn’t supposed to be in there. Daddy said so. But Dash kept getting loose. I…I wanted him to be safe.” Sobs shook her slender shoulders.

Hannah’s heart broke for her distraught niece. She scooped her up in her arms. Hannah leaned over to her mother, letting her know that they were going in the house—away from the smoke and growing flames—away from Hannah’s worst nightmare.

She took one last glance in the direction she’d last seen Ethan. He wasn’t there. She sent up a silent prayer that he and the others would be all right. And then she attempted to distract her thoughts by focusing on Nikki.

Once in the house, she placed Nikki on the couch before closing all of the blinds as though it would block out the nightmare ongoing outside. “What do you want to do?”

Her niece looked up at her with blotchy, tear-stained cheeks. “I want Dash.” And then she started to cry in earnest again. “It’s my fault. All my fault.”

Hannah sat down next to her niece and pulled her close. She murmured whatever she could think of to soothe the girl. It was hard enough on Nikki to lose her grandfather and her mother at such a tender age, she shouldn’t have to face anymore loss. It just wasn’t fair.

After a time, Nikki calmed down. Hannah turned on the television. She selected one of Nikki’s favorite movies from on-demand.

But Hannah couldn’t sit there and watch a movie. She had pent-up energy. She got to her feet and paced behind the couch. What was going on outside? Where was Ethan? Please let him be safe.

Nikki stared at her.

Hannah stopped. “Sorry.” She couldn’t sit still, not until she knew everything was all right. She needed to do something—anything. “I know. Would you like some pancakes?”

Nikki’s sad eyes said that she only wanted one thing—Dash.

Hannah felt utterly helpless. “I’ll check and see if there are some bananas. You love banana pancakes with chocolate chips.”

Not expecting an answer, Hannah moved to the kitchen. She gathered all of the ingredients she’d need for a batch of pancakes. And she even located some bananas.

She whipped together the batter and warmed the griddle. She was just about to pour the first pancake when there was a knock at the door. She paused and turned to it.