Star of His Heart - Brenda Jackson [83]
“No, I didn’t know,” she whispered, feeling light-headed. “Why? Why would he go in there alone?”
“Because he knew the situation was a dangerous one and didn’t want anyone else at risk. Your brother and Sir Drake set up camp on the outskirts of the Hollow and were keeping close radio contact with him. Things have been going fine over the past several days…until this morning.”
Netherland looked at Trevor when he hesitated. She then looked at Lieutenant Barton and saw the uneasiness in his manner, as well. She knew something was wrong that went deeper than their losing radio contact with Ashton. She swallowed against the fear lodged in her throat and asked in a low voice, “What happened this morning?”
The silence she encountered was stifling, almost unbearable. “Trevor?”
He cleared his throat before hunching down in front of her. “A fire got started, Nettie, and it’s blazing out of control. And although the water bombers are hitting the area pretty heavily, so far the fire hasn’t been contained. The park service has ordered everyone to evacuate the area but Sir Drake and Rome have refused to leave. In fact, Sir Drake used his position with the CIA to get special orders to not only remain, but for us to move our command center there first thing in the morning. We want to be there for Ashton.”
Netherland clasped her hands tightly together and forced herself to speak. “So you think Ashton is safe?”
Trevor hesitated before speaking. “I think the word safe would be stretching it a little,” he said, forcing a tight smile. “But fire or no fire, Ashton is in his element. He knows his way around that type of habitat in his sleep. He’ll find a way to get out of there or find some kind of wetland where he can hole up until the fire is brought under control. I believe he will make it through this.”
Netherland pursed her lips and shook her head. “And so do I, Trevor. I’ve got to believe he’s going to make it through this. I’ve got to.”
Trevor stood. “You’re right. We have to keep the faith.”
Netherland nodded. “I want to leave with you in the morning, Trevor. I want to be there when—”
“Mrs. Sinclair,” Lieutenant Barton interrupted. “I can understand your wanting to be there but there’s nothing you can do there,” he said rather gruffly. “Besides, even where the command center is being set up is dangerous and too close for comfort. The best thing to do is to stay here and wait for us to contact you.”
“No! I will not stay here,” she said, holding the lieutenant’s gaze with such fiery intensity he took a step back. “My husband is in the Hollow, Lieutenant, because your superiors decided Jada wasn’t worth the effort of pulling together a team to find her. Either I go in the morning or I will go on national television and tell anyone why my husband is in there risking his life instead of the Houston Police Department or the Texas Rangers.”
The lieutenant stared at her for a moment before shifting his gaze to Trevor as if to say, Do something with her. Instead of doing something with her, Trevor smiled with both admiration and respect shining on his face. Netherland was a true marine wife. “I think Nettie being there is a good idea, Barton. There’s no one else Ashton would rather see when he gets out of that hellhole as much as he’d want to see his wife.”
Lieutenant Barton nodded, his expression grim. “Okay, Mrs. Sinclair, you can go.”
In consideration for Netherland’s comfort, a trailer was brought in for her own personal use. Two days had passed since she had arrived on the outskirts of the Hollow and still the fire had not been contained. In fact, it was still spreading out of control. Everyone, including Trevor, had tried avoiding any questions she had about how long an individual could survive amid that much heat and smoke. She decided that today she would not be put off. She didn’t want to approach Rome, because he was dealing with his own personal misery. Since no radio contact had been made with Ashton for the past four days, Rome had no