“We’re helping in the first-aid station set up here. Since these guys don’t know us—me and Doc—we have to be identifiable by uniform.”
“Where are the kids?” he asked.
“Little ones are having morning naps in the back,” Jack said. “I think Christopher is standing watch. Paige is in charge of the kids while Mel works medical and Brie attempts to keep the food and water coming.”
“I’ll help her,” Nikki said. She put a quick kiss on Joe’s cheek and whispered in his ear, “I love you, too. Please be careful.” Then she headed quickly into the bar while he followed her with his eyes, a stupid grin on his face.
“There’s help from Cal Fire if Brie and Nikki can’t keep up with it,” Jack said. “If necessary, they’ll evacuate the town. We’re hoping that won’t be necessary.”
Before long, Preacher was on the porch, already dressed in his gear. Paige was beside him, holding their new baby. He bent down, kissed his wife and daughter, and headed down the porch toward the waiting truck. Jack walked after him, snagging his arm. “Maybe you should stay, Preach. In case these women and children have to be taken out of here.”
“There are people to help them out of here. I don’t let you go in anywhere alone.”
“I’m a big boy,” Jack said.
Preacher straightened and glowered. “Me, too.”
Mel walked off the porch and toward the truck that would carry the volunteers away. She watched as the marines climbed on—Zeke, Phillips, Stephens. Mike, Paul, Preacher, Joe and Jack followed them. A truck came flying into town, horn honking. Corny, also a professional firefighter, climbed out and yelled, “Hey! Forget anyone?”
Greetings ripped the air. “What about that new baby?”
“Aw, she’s not so new anymore. We had her two days ago.”
“And your wife let you out of town?”
“You’re kidding, right? She told me to get my ass down here and help.” He grinned, pulling his own gear out of the truck bed. “She’s got her mother—I’m just in the way now. I have years with those kids.”
“Another girl, huh?” Jack said.
“Yeah, but I know I have a boy in me. I just know it.”
“You better keep that to yourself for a while, pal,” someone advised.
There were also locals—Doug Carpenter, Fish Bristol, Buck Anderson and two of his sons. All certified volunteer firefighters.
Everyone but Jack was in the truck. He went to his wife, leaned down and kissed her lips. “When they tell you it’s time, gather up the kids and get out of town.”
“It’s not going to come to that, Jack. It can’t. I don’t know if I can leave this place…”
“You do it. Keep them safe. And have someone get Ricky’s grandma out.”
“I’ll watch out for Lydie, but I’m waiting for you,” she said. “I’m waiting right here. I’ll be here when you’re done and Virgin River will be fine.”
“Melinda, don’t you dare take any chances.”
“Don’t you,” she said. “You come back as soon as you can.”
He smiled at her. “You know you can’t get rid of me.” He slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her up to his mouth. “You taste too good.” He grinned. “Behave yourself.”
Jack climbed into the truck and sat next to Joe. “Looks like maybe you got some things straightened out,” Jack said.
“Might have a start on it. How’d you round up all these old boys?”
“Five of us were already here,” Jack said. “I just can’t believe these other guys. They must never have to work.”
“The few. The proud,” Phillips said. “The soon-to-be jobless if we don’t knock this shit off.”
It took a half hour to get to their area, the fire spreading toward them. Here there were steam shovels, trucks and water tenders parked along the road. All the firefighters, including the volunteers, had their gear on their backs—food, water, survival gear. They were assigned jobs—chain saws for cutting down trees or removing branches, Pulaskis and drag-spoons. They were herded up an old abandoned logging road with the rest of the hand crew. The farther they went, the thicker the air got, the more sparks were flying. They were organized into a line, some of them felling huge trees while hand crews were cutting boughs off felled pines to decrease the fuel to the fire. Still others were digging a wider gap to separate the tree line from the burning forest, digging out vegetation, throwing dirt on small pockets of spreading fire. Water tenders were driving farther back to spray down the small fires started by blowing sparks and embers. Jack walked all the way up to the end of the line and started turning earth. “I’m getting too old for this shit,” he said, throwing dirt to cover the felled trees and chopped boughs.