Later that evening, Mac and Dixie were relaxing in their home. One of Dixie’s favorite pastimes was a luxurious bubble bath. She was immersed to her neck in the large bathtub. Mac was kneeling beside her clad only in his jeans, idly drawing circles on the patches of skin visible through the foam. He delighted in her giggles.
“Would you like to join me, cowboy?” Dixie pouted her lips and gave him her best May West impression.
“Well ma’am, I sure would but I wouldn’t want to deprive you of your pleasure,” Mac drawled in a rusty cowboy twang
“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you don’t,” she purred as her fingers traced circles on his chest. Mac sucked in his breath. He was still amazed at his reaction to her mere touch. They had been married for over two months. They made love several times a day, but she could render him hard and heavy with just a glance. The only thing that saved his sanity was the fact that he could make her feel the same way. He remembered how his shower this morning had turned into wild love play when she had offered to wash his back. He eyed the graceful curve of her spine as she reached to turn off the tap. Perhaps he should return the favor.
He laughed wickedly at the thoughts running through his head. He whispered all the sinfully delicious things he was going to do to her as he stood up to unfasten his jeans. To his delight, Dixie blushed, then tried to brazen it out. Grinning seductively, she sank back in the tub ready to enjoy the view as he stripped out of his jeans. Mac loved the way his wife was looking him, especially when she puckered those sexy lips and blew him a kiss.
“Dance for me, cowboy,” she murmured as his aroused state became apparent through his briefs.
“How about the horizontal bop?” he growled as he slid the jeans to the floor.
“You are so wicked,” she squealed and blew bubbles at him.
“I know. That’s why you love me.” He started to step out of his clothing. The phone in the bedroom jangled at the same moment. Frustration and indecision fought for attention in his mind. No one called this late unless it was important. But then again what could be more important to a man than making love to his beautiful new wife?
“Go answer, darlin’, but y’all better hurry,” Dixie drawled as she stretched languidly in the tub, arching her body so the bubbles trickled away to reveal her nudity. “My bubbles are disappearing.”
Mac turned to make a run from the bathroom, completely forgetting his pants down around his ankles. He promptly fell flat on his face. Dixie laughed outright as the phone continued to ring imperiously. Mac hauled himself off the floor, grabbed his pants, and shouted as he headed for the bedroom, “You’re a coldhearted woman, Dixie Coalson!” She laughed louder.
“I’m coming!” He shouted at the trilling phone as he made his way into their bedroom. He could hear Dixie’s peal of renewed laughter at the double entendre. Mac picked up the receiver. “This had better be good,” he growled into the mouthpiece.
“Mac?” Sam’s voice was barely heard on the line. “Listen there’s a fire at the company offices. I’m here now. I called the fire department. I think Chance and Jamie are trapped inside…Going to try to get into the building. Hasn’t spread to the lobby yet. Get here quick.”
“Sam, Sam! Don’t you dare! You hear me?” Mac roared as the line went dead. Terror unfurled like snakes in his gut as Sam’s words registered.
Dixie came running into the room, belting her robe. When she saw his face, she grabbed clothes and they were headed for the door within seconds. Mac explained everything on the way to the offices.
“Why would Sam think Chance and Jamie are in the building?”
“I don’t know. I don’t even know why Sam was at the office this late in the first place.” Mac drove last few miles in grim silence. Mac knew this had something to do with the vandals. He blamed himself for not taking more security precautions to include the main office in the nightly watch.
Could it be possible that the vandal had lured the men there with the thought of killing them? Mac’s blood ran cold at the thought. Panic began to take hold as the burning question remained. What had he done to incur the wrath of someone powerful enough to destroy his company piece by piece and seek revenge by hurting his family?
Dixie was immersed in her own despair. Jamie was thought to be in the fire. It was now common knowledge that Jamie and his friends could identify the person responsible for the crimes. Had the saboteur decided to get rid of the main eyewitness in order to scare the rest of the young men into silence? Or was he determined to eliminate all the witnesses and Jamie was his first victim? She began to pray in earnest as silent tears fell down her cheeks.
They arrived at the offices a few minutes later. It was a scene straight out of a disaster movie. Fire trucks and ambulances from all over the county were there. Firefighters and paramedics raced back and forth across the parking lot, shouting instructions. The old barn that had been the offices of Coalson Construction Company was now a blazing inferno.
Dixie gasped in shock, cringing as firefighters raced into the flames. Mac knew she had to be thinking no one could survive in there for long. She raised fearful eyes to Mac. He held her tightly as he stared at the building that housed his hopes and dreams for so long. Smoke was billowing out of several broken windows. Part of the south wall was completely ablaze. Flames flickered along the roofline. It would only be a matter of time before the entire structure collapsed. There was still no sign of Sam or the others.
Mac couldn’t control the helpless rage. With a snarl, he started toward the building, shaking off Dixie’s hands. He didn’t hear her pleas or feel the oppressive heat the clawed at him when he stepped nearer. His only thought was how he had failed to protect his family. The increased pressure he exerted to find this maniac had succeeded in putting his loved ones in jeopardy. He had failed in his responsibility, and they were being forced to pay the price.
Mac was grabbed from behind and spun around. Ben Yates, the county sheriff, had a hand on his shirt. “You can’t go in there, son. Let the firefighters do their job.”
Mac shook off Ben’s hands. Pointing to the blaze, he roared above the sound of the inferno. “My brothers may be in there!”
Spitting tobacco, Ben stated sharply, “Explain.”
Mac related exactly what Sam had told him on the phone. Ben swore profusely, hurrying to alert the fire chief about the possibility of two more people in the building besides Sam. Dixie ran over to Mac, grabbing him around the waist and hugging him tightly.
As news reached the professionals, efforts were redoubled, but it soon became apparent to Mac that the blaze would not be contained. Ben approached them with an update. “Apparently, the fire started at the door. Some rags and flammable cans were found as soon as they went in. All the windows had been open so the breeze would fan the flames. Everything points to a professional arsonist.”
A cheer went up as to firefighters appeared in the doorway of what was once the lobby. Each rescuer was supporting a man. Although soot blackened most of their clothing, the blonde hair on each man’s head identified them as Sam and Jamie. The paramedics rushed over to administer to the two men, while the brave rescuers returned into the flaming building in search of Chance. Overcome with relief, Dixie ran over to her brother and Sam, assuming that Mac would be close on her heels.
Dixie hugged the injured men and listened as the paramedics determined the extent of their injuries. Both Sam and Jamie were being treated for smoke inhalation. Sam was also being checked out for a concussion although he assured the paramedics that he had sustained no grievous injuries
“Jamie, do you have any idea where Chance is?” Dixie asked. Her voice trembled as the fear for the other Coalson brother took hold once again.
Sam shook his head in despair. He removed the oxygen mask and rasped, “We couldn’t find Chance. The bastard did his job well. I found Jamie tied up in the supply closet.” He began coughing uncontrollably, and Dixie solicitously held the mask up to his face.
“He’s still in there,” Jamie whispered hoarsely. “Chance and I heard a noise in the file room as we were preparing to leave. He went to investigate. When he didn’t return, I went after him. As I walked to the file room, I saw Chance tied to a chair. The next thing I remember I was in a closet and tied to a chair. Smoke was everywhere, and Sam was trying to untie me when firefighters arrived on the scene. I told them to head to the file room where I had last seen Chance.”
Dixie glanced behind her to judge Mac’s reaction to the news, but he wasn’t there. She peered into the darkness trying to locate him. Had he gone to find the sheriff? No, Ben was talking to the fire chief. She glanced back at the fire scene as a horrible suspicion formed. She firmly squelched the idea as ludicrous. Surely Mac wouldn’t take it upon himself to try to locate Chance in a burning building. He wasn’t a firefighter, and he had no equipment.
You would do anything to protect your own brother from injury. She turned back to Jamie. “Where’s Mac? Anyone see Mac?”
She tried to remain calm but the insidious panic she felt lent a tremble to her voice. Dixie realized with a sinking heart that Mac was nowhere to be found. She yelled for Ben frantically, the panic she held at bay now threatening to surround her completely.
Sam shrugged off his blanket and started to rise. Jamie blanched. “You don’t think Mac would…?” He looked over his shoulder at the building that was now completely engulfed in flames. Sam didn’t answer him. That was as good as proof to Dixie. When Sam started toward the fire chief, she was completely certain. She began to shake, terror enveloping her as completely as the flames engulfed the old barn.
She reached out and grabbed Sam’s shirt. “Tell me he wouldn’t do this, Sam.” She shook him feebly, demanding answers to the question. “Tell me that he wouldn’t risk his life, too, in that inferno. Tell me!” She screamed as she stared into his sorrowful eyes. What she saw reflected there made the tears begin flowing in earnest. Horrified, she dropped her hand from his sleeve to swipe at the copious flow of tears as she raged at him, “You can’t tell me, can you? You would do the same thing if you were in Mac’s shoes. You just did, didn’t you? You tried to save them all.”
Sam grabbed her and gave her a little shake, but she was beside herself with grief. “Dixie, calm down! I have to tell Ben. He needs to know.” He hurried to alert the sheriff of Mac’s disappearance.
Dixie sank to the ground. “Mac feels responsible for this disaster, but even if he didn’t, he would still be in there. If it was a complete stranger, he would still try to help. This is his brother. He’s even more determined. He rushed in there,” she sobbed pitifully to Jamie, “without any thought of who he’s leaving behind. I know it’s selfish, but I just found him. He can’t leave me now.”
“He’s not gonna die,” Jamie murmured against her hair as he held her tight.
Another blast of fire belched out through the windows. Hysteria consumed Dixie and with the shuddering sob she pulled out of Jamie’s embrace, lowering herself once again to her knees, rocking back and forth as she stared at the conflagration before her. She was oblivious to Jamie’s efforts to soothe her as the seconds ticked slowly by.
Another explosion erupted, showering glass on everyone in the immediate vicinity. What remained of the windows blew away. With a terrifying groan, the roof collapsed, sending a shower of sparks all around the yard.
The fire chief barked orders. Rescuers raced like ants to double check for life. The Coalsons were led away, but Dixie refused to budge. In the end, Sam carried her kicking and screaming to a safer distance. They now knew there was little to no hope of seeing their loved ones again. With each passing second, the likelihood of Mac and Chance coming out of what was left of that building dwindled dramatically.
Firefighters rushed one by one from the smoke-filled doorway leaving the remains of the barn to the flames. Another belch of smoke and fire burst from the doorway. Three people emerged. A firefighter and another man were carrying a body between them. The three people were covered from head to toe in soot and grime. The black had blanketed them so thoroughly they were almost unrecognizable. As they cleared the fire area, Dixie and the others rushed to their aid. She could just make out the steely glint in the blackened face of the man supporting the unconscious body of the other.
With intense relief, she started to run into his arms. Mac grinned and she stopped. Did he have any concept of what he just put her through? He was standing there grinning like an idiot. Rage overcame her relief at the sight of him.
Mac handed Chance over to the paramedics and ambled over to Dixie. He needed to dispel the terror he’d seen in her eyes when he had come through the blaze with Chance in tow. His heart was close to bursting. His brother was alive! They came through the fiery blaze and dodged burning rafters. They had sidestepped tumbling debris, but they had made it! He wanted to grab Dixie and hold her close. He wanted to take her home and lose himself in her warm and loving body.
Mac reached her side. He started to take her in her arms, but she flinched and stepped back. He stared in shock at her actions, noticing the tear streaked face and the accusatory glare. He was completely baffled. He had seen the overwhelming joy plainly on her face even from a distance. Granted, it’d been a close call, but everyone was out now.
When Dixie continued to stare at him, he turned with a sigh and encountered Jamie’s gaze. Grinning sheepishly, he motioned Mac over.
“Maybe it would be best if you gave her some more time to cool off. I’ve never seen her so upset. She was scared to death. Now that you’re alright there’s gonna be hell to pay, you know that, don’t you?”
Sam shouted and waved them over. Mac and the others hastened to where Chance was receiving medical attention. Everyone’s elation at the sight of the men coming out of the blaze turned to concern. It was apparent Chance could be seriously injured. While the firefighter that had rescued him performed resuscitation, a portable oxygen tank was wheeled over. One man was checking his vital signs, yelling instructions to several others. They watched the entire process with bated breath. The firefighter was pumping Chance’s chest. One. Two. Three. Four. Quickly changing direction to blow in his mouth. One. Two. Three. Four. The family counted along with the rescue team willing chance to breathe. Breathe!
Mac was the first to notice the slight movement in Chance’s chest. His arms slowly crept up the head of the rescuer delivering the resuscitation. With a flick of his wrist, he knocked the cumbersome hat off and grasped a fistful of hair. Mac assumed he was trying to fight the restrictions placed upon him in his semi-conscious state.
Mac started forward to restrain his brother. The firefighter performing mouth-to-mouth was trying unsuccessfully to shake Chance’s hand. As Mac watched in growing horror, Chance turned his head slightly and deepened the resuscitating motions into a passionate kiss. The firefighter wrestled with him, trying to break his hold, and suddenly hairpins flew in all directions as masses of long blonde hair tumbled down around Chance’s fingers. In that instant, Chance opened his eyes, and his rescuer slapped him hard across the face.
Chance’s hero left him to the ministrations of the rest of the medics and stomped over to the fire chief. After a few angry words, the firefighter stripped out of the bulky yellow suit and a very feminine figure emerged. Mac’s obvious mortification turned to disbelief as he realized the firefighter who had worked so valiantly to save Mac and Chance was actually a woman.
“Leave it to Chance to try and seduce a woman on his deathbed,” Sam observed wryly.