Murder Checks Inn - Tim Myers [61]
Amy’s barn was on fire.
Without a second thought, Alex stopped the truck well away from the burning barn and raced toward it on foot.
Elise yelled, “Do you think anyone’s inside?” over the roaring of the flames.
Alex pointed to the door. “If they are, they’re trapped in there. Elise, I’m going in.” There was a long, wooden pin jammed firmly into the hasp, securely locking the barn door. Alex couldn’t free it no matter how hard he tried, so he ran around the barn, searching for some way in.
There was no other way in or out. The rear door had been sealed ages ago, and the whole bank of windows were engulfed in flames. Alex was back at the front, trying to figure a way to get inside, when he heard the pounding. Someone was trying to get out!
Alex fought the pin with everything he had, but it was no use; it was wedged firmly in place, as if someone had driven it in with a hammer. Looking around frantically on the ground for something to use as a pry tool, Elise saw what he was doing and retrieved the handle of the truck jack. “Try this,” she said, coughing from the smoke.
Alex took the steel rod and in less than a minute, he had the hasp completely off. As the barn door swung open, the fire inside exploded with the extra oxygen. Two figures lay against a nearby wall covered with wet blankets. Alex thought he might be too late until he saw one of the blankets move.
At least one of them was still alive!
He jumped through the flames licking at the opening and was relieved to see that the fire hadn’t spread everywhere yet. Pulling at the blankets, Alex saw Amy’s jet-black hair peek out. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
“I’m not leaving Julie,” Amy said, her voice raspy from the smoke.
“I’ll carry her. Can you walk?”
“I can make it, but I’m going to help you.”
Alex screamed, “You need to get out! Now!” as the top of the barn exploded with flames and heat. The roar of the fire was unbelievable! Alex figured the barn couldn’t stand very much longer under the assault, and he could feel the heat slapping at his skin as he struggled with Julie’s unconscious body.
Somehow Alex managed to drag her to her feet, then he threw her over his shoulder. As quickly as he could, Alex raced toward his last hope of getting out alive.
As he took his third step out of the barn, the roof collapsed, sending shooting sparks at his heels as he ran for safety with Julie draped across his back.
Once he was well clear of the fire, he put Julie down. Amy, lying nearby, screamed, “How is she?”
I don’t know yet,” Alex answered as he tried to find a pulse. Julie hadn’t been burned, that was something, but Alex knew that a great many people who died in fires expired from smoke inhalation, not the fire itself.
Elise said, “Move over, Alex,” as she gently nudged him out of the way. She bent over Julie, then started administering CPR.
Alex heard a fire truck in the distance, then an ambulance siren close behind. He saw that Elise was doing everything for Julie that could be done, so he approached Amy.
Through a coughing spell, she asked, “How’s Julie? Is she going to be all right?”
“Elise is doing all she can. What happened in there, Amy?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. I was showing Julie
how to weld, and the next second, it was dark. The barn door slammed shut. I thought it was a joke at first, then I smelled smoke. The whole side of the barn went up at once, and we were blocked off from the windows. I always keep a bucket of water around when I’m welding, so I soaked a few tarps in it and covered us up. It was the only thing I could think to do.”
“You did great,” Alex said as the ambulance pulled up first. Two EMTs jumped out and headed toward them. Alex said, “She needs your help first,” as he pointed to Julie and Elise.
One of the paramedics said, “What about her?” as he gestured to Amy.
“I’m fine,” Amy yelled. “Help her!”
The fire truck rolled up a few seconds later, with Mor and a dozen other volunteer firefighters from Elkton Falls on board. Chief Weston, the small wiry man who crewed the staff, took one