Standoff At Christmas

Her aunt scrambled from the bathtub and held her hand out for Rachel to take. Still trying to catch a decent breath, she gripped her aunt’s hand and let her haul her to her feet. Aunt Linda helped her out of the tub and removed the towels from under the door. Smoke poured into the room from every crack around the door seal. It tickled Rachel’s throat, and she coughed. She pulled her turtleneck over her month again, but the smoke stung her watering eyes.

“Ready?” Jake took the towels that Aunt Linda gave him and placed them on the ledge. “I’ll help you from this side.”

“You go first.” Rachel helped her aunt up onto the closed toilet seat. She couldn’t lose her other aunt. Please, Lord.

The cuts on Rachel’s arms hurt, and blood dripped onto the tile floor. She took a washcloth to help stem the flow while Aunt Linda leaned into the window. Rachel helped her out the hole. Her aunt was petite, and she barely made it.

A loud boom shook the house. Rachel glanced back at the door.

“Hurry, Rachel. The fire is spreading over the roof.” Urgency filled Jake’s voice.

The sound of his voice calmed the fear rising in her even as she climbed onto her perch, leaped to the window and grabbed Jake’s hands to hold tight. Her legs dangled in midair in the bathroom. She wriggled her body, trying to move forward, while Jake pulled her toward him. Her side rubbed against the frame, and something sharp scraped her.

She groaned.

“Okay?”

“There must be some glass on my right, but don’t stop.”

“Sorry, I thought I got all the glass out of the frame.”

“Pull harder. My shoulders are barely through, but my hips are bigger.”

“Scoot as much to the left as you can. I’ll find something to put between you and the frame on the right.”

Another crash sounded behind her. Time was running out.

Rachel managed to shift a tad bit while Jake said, “I’ll be right back. I remember a piece of flashing in the shed.” Jake raced toward the small building.

Without Jake to block the wind, it bombarded Rachel with cold and the scent of smoke and burning wood. Coughs racked her while Jake rushed back. He took the flashing and put it between her and the window frame.

“This should help you move easier.” Then he grabbed her arms and yanked.

“Just get me out.” She imagined the flames eating away at the door, any second bursting into the room.

He pulled slowly at first, and then the second her hips cleared, she slipped out easily, almost toppling into him.

After moving away from the house, he gathered her into his embrace and held her for a few seconds. “I thought I’d lost you when I saw the house on fire.”

She nestled against him, relishing the warmth of him and the sense of safety she felt. In that moment she never wanted to leave the shelter of his arms.

“Are you okay?” he murmured against the top of her head.

She nodded against his chest, then turned within his arms and looked at the cabin nearly consumed totally by the flames. “This was no accident. The fire was at the back and front exits. Even the windows we could have easily been able to escape through were consumed with flames.”

Her face ashen and wearing Jake’s coat, Aunt Linda stepped closer. “Someone wanted to destroy Betty’s house. Why?”

“Good question and one I intend to find out. No one goes after you two without answering to me.” Jake’s arms cuddled Rachel even closer. “I don’t want to go through that again.”

“Neither do I,” Rachel whispered, her throat raw.

“I’m taking you to town to report this to the police and see the doctor.”

Not wanting to leave his arms, Rachel glanced over her shoulder. “Take us home. We’ll call the police and report the fire.”

“Nope. You need to have Doc look at your injuries.” He released her and examined her right side. “You’re bleeding. Let’s get to Gramps’s car. He has some towels you can place over the wound.” Jake looked at her aunt. “Are you okay? I didn’t see bleeding.”

She nodded.

As flames engulfed the cabin, they hurried to the SUV, the sound of sirens filling the air.

A police car came down the long drive followed by the fire department. There wasn’t anything that could be done for the cabin. With only a light breeze and a snow-covered ground, hopefully the blaze wouldn’t spread.

“See? Now we don’t have to go to town.” Rachel took the clean towel from Jake and pressed it into her side.

“You’re still going to see Doc.” Jake started the car and turned the heater on, then he climbed from the vehicle.

“Wait,” Aunt Linda said. “Take this.” She shed his coat and tossed it toward him.

He caught it and walked toward Chief Quay as he got out of his cruiser.

Rachel watched the conversation between them with Jake gesturing toward the house, anger creasing his forehead as he spoke to the chief.

“Jake saved us,” her aunt murmured.

“I know.” Since he’d come home, she felt as though she’d been on a tilt-a-whirl, spinning out of control. And yet, seeing him again renewed feelings she’d kept buried—conflicting emotions from anger at him leaving to happiness he was here.

As Jake returned to the SUV, the firefighters hooked up their equipment. “Let’s go. Randall will come out to see you later after you’ve seen Doc.”

“How did he find out about the fire since we couldn’t call it in?”

“Gramps saw the black smoke when he returned from plowing the Andersons’ drive down the road. He went home, placed the call and then was going to come over. Randall told him that he just received a report from another neighbor and he would take care of it.” Jake backed up, then made a turn and headed for the highway.

* * *

Jake opened Linda’s door to greet his grandfather and Mitch. “Thanks for bringing him over. Randall should be here soon to interview Rachel and Linda.”

“The cabin must have gone up quickly.” Gramps entered while Jake petted Mitch.

“Probably an accelerant was used. One of the firefighters has experience in determining arson.”

“That makes sense.” Gramps sat on the couch. “Where are Linda and Rachel?”

“Changing. Doc had to sew up Rachel’s right side where some glass sliced her good. The rest of her cuts were small. Neither of them have smoke inhalation problems.” As Jake rattled off the list of injuries, a part of him was back at the cabin, frantically trying to get Rachel free. If something had happened to her, he would have blamed himself. He’d rescued many people while working for the Northern Frontier Search and Rescue Organization and the police, so he should be able to save someone he really cared about.

“That’s a relief. I should have gone with them this morning.”

“And what? From what they told me it happened fast, and there wasn’t anything that could be done, except to get out. Besides, you wouldn’t have fit through the window.”