Page 271 of Rangers Last Promise

“To the second Site Seventeen.”

Sheriff Tate’s radio crackles.

“Sheriff, we have smoke near the south fence.”

Tate turns.

“What kind of smoke?”

“Brush fire. Moving north.”

Toward us.

I rise.

“Vance.”

A second deputy comes over the radio.

“Sheriff, we’ve got another fire on the west side.”

Two fires.

Both moving toward the cellar.

Not a warning this time.

Vance intends to destroy everything.

Sheriff Tate begins giving orders.

“Move every civilian vehicle to the east road. Get the fire department on both lines. Nobody abandons this cellar.”

Wind drives smoke across the pasture.

Orange flames rise in the distance.

Mara draws her weapon.

“He’s still here.”

“How do you know?”

“He waited until Carson was out.”

I scan the dark tree line.

“If Vance only wanted to destroy the remains, he could have started the fires before we arrived.”

“He wanted us gathered in one place.”

My blood turns cold.

I grab Tate’s radio.

“Get everyone away from the vehicles.”

Tate looks at me.