Hidden in a Whisper (42 page)

“No! Don't leave me!” Ivy screamed.

Braeden had already lifted Gwen into his arms. “You'll have to do this on your own, Ivy. I'll be back in a minute.” He heard her screaming his name over and over, and in spite of all the trouble she had caused him, he felt a horrible sense of inadequacy in leaving her there. Surely she would muster her courage and come after them, he thought. She wouldn't just stand there and let the fire take her without a fight.

Gwen was sobbing softly in his arms as Braeden moved through the storage area. The fire behind them created enough light to see through the smoky shadows—but just barely. “We're almost there,” he told her, pushing past crates and bags of flour.

Placing Gwen on the rollers, he admonished her to hold tight.

“I'm going to get that window open,” he said, maneuvering to unfasten the wooden latches. The window was more of a door, for all practical purposes, with a heavy wooden gate that swung wide to expose the room for delivery.

Braeden had it open in a matter of seconds. “Just ease your weight down the rollers,” he told Gwen. “Get yourself outside while I go back for Ivy. Can you do that?”

Gwen nodded, seeming to regain control of her senses. “I'll do it, Mr. Parker. You go ahead.”

Braeden left his coat by the window and maneuvered back through the storage room. There was no sign of Ivy, but he heard her screams through the roar of the blaze. He'd no sooner made it to the kitchen when a huge piece of ceiling gave way and crashed down before him to block off any hope of going after Ivy. Sparks flashed up and pieces of debris landed on his left forearm, burning his shirt. He quickly smothered the flaming sleeve, then struggled again to see where Ivy was.

“Ivy! This is the only way out!”

Her screams echoed in his ears, then fell silent as another piece of wall gave way.

He felt sickened at the thought of her dying in the very fire she'd set. It might be poetic justice or proper revenge for all that she had done, but he would never have wished it upon her.

It wasn't until he made his way back to the receiving window, grabbed up his coat, and followed Gwen outside, that Braeden had time to think of Rachel.

Dear God, please keep her from harm. I have no idea where Worthington has put her, but I can only pray it's far from this resort
. He again lifted Gwen in his arms. Lightning flashed in the distance, and Braeden felt only a small amount of relief to see that the storm was bypassing them. The rain might actually have put out the flames.

Yet instead of a welcome rain, the downdraft of the thunderstorm served instead to tear apart the delicate electrical lines and to stir up the flames that consumed Casa Grande. Seeing the destruction before him, Braeden wondered silently if the fire would be contained to the resort. After all, there were plenty of other buildings close enough to catch fire, and if they did, it might well spread to the entire town.

Looking down at the woman he carried, Braeden quickly realized Gwen had fainted. She must have suffered great terror at having been trapped by the blaze. He couldn't imagine what had happened to put her in that position, nor how she might have broken her leg. Carrying her away from the building and back around to the front of the resort, Braeden came upon a shocking sight. Half-dressed hotel guests of every age and size stood staring in dumbfounded silence as Casa Grande burned. Mothers tried to comfort children while the men went to help try to control the flames. No one even seemed to notice the storm in the distance or the wind. They were completely mesmerized by the conflagration before them.

A small gathering of volunteer fire fighters were present with their two-horse pump and tank. It wouldn't begin to put a dent in the fire, nor would the bucket brigade lined up between the stream and the resort. The fire was hopelessly out of control.

Searching for a place to take Gwen, Braeden noticed Dr. Krier was already attending several people by the fountain. Someone had thoughtfully brought several lanterns and blankets to aid him in the process, and several of the townswomen were helping him deal with the injured. Braeden moved through the people to take Gwen to where the doctor worked.

“She may have a broken leg,” he told Dr. Krier as the man's expression silently inquired.

“I don't know if she's received any burns,” Braeden continued as Gwen moaned softly, “but she's definitely in pain.”

“I'll see to her,” Krier replied. “Are there any others? Anyone else inside?”

Braeden felt bile in his throat and pushed it down. “Ivy Brooks was trapped in the kitchen. I couldn't get to her.”

The doctor nodded and turned his attention to Gwen just as someone shouted that sparks had apparently set the stables on fire. Braeden quickly remembered Worthington and Tomas and made a mad dash, along with several of Casa Grande's stable hands, for the building. If they were to die, it would be his fault for tying them there without hope of escape.

He found them just where he'd left them. Tomas was wide-eyed and fearful, but Worthington seemed to have slipped into his own world. He was muttering something about a ship and wondering what time they would dock.

“I have to move you,” Braeden said, quickly mastering the knots he'd tied. “The wind has carried sparks to the stable. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole town burned down!”

He yanked them to their feet and pushed them toward the door. “If I had time, I'd just move you on to the jail, but there are still others to consider.”

“You have no right to keep me here,” Worthington said in a strangely calm manner. “My ship is awaiting my arrival.”

Braeden knew the man was either losing his mind or the shock of the fire had confused him. Either way, he didn't care. He only wanted to know where Rachel was, and if he had to beat it out of the man, he would get his answer.

  
TWENTY-EIGHT
  

“IT'S TOO SOON,” Reg muttered over and over. He asked Braeden for the time, but before Braeden could respond he continued ranting. “I didn't have time to see to everything. It's too soon. I didn't do it.”

Braeden directed him, along with Tomas, toward the bridge at Morita Falls. He thought this to be as safe a place as any to position the men. Here he could secure them to the structure and keep them out of harm's way, and then he would be free to go in search of Rachel.

“The power station,” Reg said and muttered the phrase over and over. He looked at the sad little building beside the falls, the waterwheel still churning. “Mine … the power station.”

“What is he talking about?” Braeden questioned Tomas.

“I don't know, senor. He's been talking loco ever since you tied us up.”

Braeden reached the bridge and pushed Worthington back against the railing. “Where is Rachel? You must tell me now.”

Reg looked at him with a blank stare. “It's all mine,” he said. “All mine.”

Braeden shook him. “Look, Worthington, I'm giving you just one chance to tell me the truth. That fire is going to destroy everything in its path. You have to tell me where Rachel is so that I can keep her from dying in the fire.”

“I will miss my ship,” Reg firmly stated as if his senses had suddenly returned to him. Then he began mumbling. “Water … the fire … power station.”

“What's with the power station?” Braeden questioned, looking at Tomas. “Is there something that interests him?”

Tomas nodded. “We put some of the stolen goods there. He had me choose three places. We put some of the stuff under the bandstand.

Then some of it went to the power station and some to a cave down below the falls.”

Braeden began to think about the things Reg had said. It didn't make sense, but what did was that Reginald Worthington knew where Rachel was. He had put her somewhere. Somewhere for safekeeping— just like the stolen goods.

“Tomas, do you think it's possible that Mr. Worthington took Rachel to one of those places? I mean, were the areas big enough to hide a woman and keep her from being discovered?”

“Si
,” Tomas replied. “The bandstand is not very big, but the power station has much room underground and the cave is far away and very big.”

Braeden felt the first bit of encouragement. “Where is the cave?

I'll check it out.”

“The cave is that way,” Tomas pointed down the side of the stream, “But, sen
or, I can find it in the dark. You can trust me. I promise I no run away. I may be a thief, but I would not do anything to hurt Miss Taylor. She was very good to me. Please let me help you.”

Braeden nodded and began untying the boy. “You go to the cave and I'll take the powerhouse. How do I get to this underground room?”

“There is a trapdoor on the far side. A ladder will take you down there.”

“All right. You go to the cave and if Rachel is there, bring her back. If she's hurt, stay with her, and I'll come looking for you. Do you understand?”

“Si
,” Tomas replied and took off running down the path that ran parallel to the powerhouse. It took only a moment for the boy to disappear from sight.