To Fall In Love by Suzanne D. Williams

To Fall In Love by Suzanne D. Williams

Author:Suzanne D. Williams
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Christian fiction, romance, contemporary fiction, contemporary romance, westerns, clean & wholesome, dysfunctional family, cowboys, short stories, inspirational
Publisher: Suzanne D. Williams
Published: 2018-05-27T00:00:00+00:00


CHAPTER 5

FIRE CRAWLED ACROSS the Montana mountains, devouring every fir and pine in its path. On the horizon, helicopters dropped water on the growing destruction, not making much of a dent, or so it seemed.

Malcolm waved toward the TV from his place at the table, anxiety wrapping tight around his heart. “Turn that up,” he said.

Sierra rose and crossed the room. She lifted the remote and raised the volume.

A newswoman in casual clothing stood along a dirt-packed road somewhere outside the fire. “As you can see,” she said, “despite the flash flood earlier in the season, the land is incredibly dry, Clint.”

A man’s voice followed from somewhere out of view. “This is near Cutter’s Point?”

“Cutter’s Point?” Sierra glanced toward him. “That’s ...”

Only miles from the ranch. Grasping the wheels of his chair, Malcolm spun around and rolled closer to the TV. The newswoman on one side of the screen, the live aerial feed of the helicopters played on the other half.

“Yes, the forest rangers suspect arson.” The newswoman nodded, her ponytail bobbing. A dusty truck drove past her in the background, its rumbling engine drowning out her voice.

“Arson? Malcolm? Brenna ...”

Fear spiked, and he trailed his gaze around the room. “Where’s your phone?”

Sierra dropped the remote and scampered toward the kitchen, sliding her cell from the counter by the sink. She returned to his side and offered it to him.

He pushed it back into her palm. “Dial for me. I can’t remember how ....”

Unquestioning, she obeyed, and he pressed it to his ear. He blew out a breath when no one answered. “She’s not there.” He wrinkled his brow. “I’ll call Vickie Chapman.” But again, his inability to dial slowed the pace.

“Here ... what’s the number?” Sierra asked, retrieving the phone.

The number he knew from years of use, but cell phones he still couldn’t understand. Sierra dialed the Chapmans and handed him the phone, once more.

Vickie Chapman, the family matriarch, picked up on the second ring. “Chapmans’.”

“Vickie, it’s Malcolm.”

He pictured the diminutive woman. He had great respect for her and Harlowe, her son. They’d always treated him honorably, especially when his niece, Lottie, had shown up on their doorstep with him thousands of miles away.

“You’re calling about the fire,” Vickie said. “I heard you were in Butte.”

“I am. I had a bit of an accident, and it will be a few days before I can return. I tried calling Brenna ....”

“You won’t get her,” Vickie replied. “She and Kees are moving the cattle south, away from the direction of the fire. They took Harlowe and Lottie and some of the Butlers’ hands.”

“So, it’s bad?”

She pulled in a breath. “Bad enough. Just as well you’re not here right now ... not that I want you to be ailing. But you can’t go outside and breathe well. Visibility’s down to a few miles.”

“There are firefighters?”

“The land is swarming with them. They came to my house and said I ought to go, on account of my age. Psht.” She made a hissing noise. “The fire’s to the east and won’t cross the river if you ask me.



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