“Ask Captain Langeland,” Winona suggested.
“Let us know if you need anything, okay?” Kenzie said.
“Thanks.”
Conrad and Kenzie left her alone and walked back, hand in hand, to find Inez watching the dogs and Nate West waiting for them.
“I’m about to head out,” he said. “I thought I’d check to see if you needed anything else.”
Kenzie gave him a hug. “I don’t know how to thank you. What would we have done if you hadn’t come along?”
“You’d have found a way. I’m just glad I could help.” Nate pulled off his cowboy hat, ran his fingers through sweaty hair. “What are you going to do now?”
“We’ll stay here until we get the all-clear to go home again. Most of the dogs’ owners are out of town. If the kennel burns…”
“If the kennel burns, we’ll set you up at the ranch until you can rebuild.” Nate took his wallet out of his pocket, drew out a card, and handed it to Kenzie. “Call me if you need anything. I’m leaving the trailer here. We’ll come back and help you transport the dogs back up the canyon when it’s time.”
Conrad shook his hand. “Thanks, man. We’re grateful.”
“What are neighbors for?” Nate tilted his hat at them and set off toward his trailer.
That was the thing about the Wests. They were filthy rich—and modest as hell.
For the first time since the evacuation began, Conrad was alone with Kenzie.
He drew her into his arms, wanting to comfort her, needing the comfort of her. He knew she must be hurting as much as he was.
“Oh, Harrison, it’s just awful. I feel sick thinking about what Eric, Chaska, Gabe and the others must have suffered.”
He kissed the top of her head, held her close. “We don’t know anything for sure yet.”
Kenzie looked up at him through blue eyes filled with tears. “If they’re gone … What will Vicki and Naomi do? Naomi’s about to have a baby. Winona will be crushed. She and Chaska are so close.”
“We’ll do all we can to support them.” There wasn’t anything else theycoulddo.
“At least Austin is safe.”
“Yeah.” That had been much-needed good news.
“If they didn’t find bodies at the camp, does that mean they got away?”
“Maybe.” It might also mean that the bodies were so charred or buried in debris they hadn’t been visible from the air, but Conrad couldn’t bring himself to explain this to her. “As soon as it’s safe, the Team will head up to the camp to search.”
“They’ll need an HRD dog.”
Gizmo and Gabby were both certified in HRD—human remains detection—but Conrad didn’t want Kenzie up there.
“It doesn’t have to be you, babe.”
“Yes, it does.” The determined look on her face told Conrad her mind was made up. “My staff can handle caring for the dogs. We should head back up to Scarlet with Gizmo and Gabby. Our Team stickers will get us through the roadblock, won’t they?”
“Yes, but it could be rough up there.” He knew she’d seen corpses before, but this would be different.
“I know, but they’re our friends.” A tear spilled down her cheek. “It’s our job to bring them home. I don’t want it to be anyone else.”
“Yeah.” Conrad drew her close again, kissed her.
“Sorry to interrupt…” Rain stood there, worry on her face, Angel in a carrier on her back. “Have they found Austin? We haven’t heard any updates since we left.”