Chapters (77)
- Cover
- Endorsements
- Books by Elizabeth Goddard
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Dedication
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- SIXTY-FIVE
- A Preview of Book 2 in the ROCKY MOUNTAIN COURAGE Series
- Author’s Note
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
- Back Ads
- Back Cover
Jack got to his feet and moved around the edge of the fire, heading northwest from the trail, to find a way to get closer to the cabin if he could. The smoke and heat caused his eyes to water, his lungs to convulse. Still, he searched for a possible way closer, belying the obvious hopelessness building in his heart. Denying what he knew to be true. And finally, through the burning trees, he saw what he feared.
The cabin was gone.
If Terra was still inside, she was gone too.
THIRTY-THREE
Groaning with the effort, Terra launched up and onto a massive boulder, finding a foothold before she slipped. Then another. Climbing wasn’t her thing—it was Jack’s thing—but she knew enough, and her survival depended on getting to safety. She scaled higher and higher until she made it to the top of the boulder. From there she could find the safest route out of the forest, and the likely route taken by the arsonist.
Someone who also wanted her dead. He’d purposefully locked her inside that cabin by somehow jamming the locking mechanism. She didn’t know how or why, and might never get the chance to find out now.
To escape the cabin, she had removed the log shelf from inside the cabinet where the artifacts had been stored. Then she’d used the shelf to pound out the nails in the boards covering a window and climbed through, barely escaping the flames that were now consuming the forest she loved. Terra focused on surviving and refused to give in to sheer terror. She had to remain single-minded.
A whimper fought to escape her dry mouth. Jack. She hoped he didn’t get caught in the wildfire.
With one last grunt, she pulled herself off the boulder and onto the higher ground of the mountain slope. From here, she could see the fire raging below and the smoke rising. Wildland firefighters should be on their way if they weren’t there already. Even if her text hadn’t gone through, Jack would have seen the fire. Terra swiped her arm across her sweaty brow and eyes. A bitter taste filled her mouth.
All the times she’d advised others to take a pack with supplies, especially water, and she’d left her pack in her vehicle. She needed water. The forest needed water.
Apprehension gripped her and could paralyze her if she didn’t push through. She couldn’t imagine any sane person would intentionally set a forest fire.
Whatever the reason, a fire raged. Anger flared inside her.
From her perch, Terra searched the areas the fire hadn’t touched. The flames traveled east with the wind. She peered at her cell, which had lost its charge, and she doubted she could have gotten a signal anyway.
God, oh, God, oh, God . . . please let them put this out before it grows even bigger.