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Beau spotted Sky connecting the end of a long hose to an outside faucet The narrow streaainst the fire, but at least it could be used to wet down everything around it

Jasper had arrived with gunnysacks piled on the back of his ATV Beau pulled the sacks to the ground and, as the water ca the drill, the cowhands grabbed the wet sacks and beat the fla along the ground When the sacks were gone, Beau turned the hose on the fire

“Might as well just have everybody piss on it,” Jasper said from behind him

“I know” Beau gave the old rin “All we can do is try to corral it here”

“I’d betstarted barking about twenty ured it was a coyote or so”

“I’d bet with you,” Beau agreed “All they had to do was light a match, toss it in there, and run like hell What I’d like to knohy”

By the ti left of the shed except blackened sections of corrugated roof and charred, one back to the bunkhouse to wash up and rest Beau, Will, Sky, and Jasper stood together watching the volunteer fire ruins until every last spark was out It was alray above the eastern plain

Will spat on the sround His eyes were bloodshot, his face and clothes blackened “At least the damned place was insured,” he said

“And nothing else caught fire,” Beau added, aware that he looked as bad as his brother “When I catch the SOB who started this, there won’t be anything left of him to turn over to the law”

“Well, no sense going back to bed,” Will said “Coet some coffee and start the day”

They were nearing the house when Bernice burst onto the porch and raced toward theone!” she gasped, out of breath “She toldback to bed, but she’s nowhere in the house”

“Take it easy, Bernice,” Beau said “As worried as she was about her foal, she probably went to the barn The rest of you go on ahead I’ll get her”

Beau loped across the yard to the barn

Inside, the barn was still dark Thein their stalls, probably upset by the sht and startle them further, Beau made his way toward the stall where Lupita and her foal spent the night Partway there, his boot touched solanced down His heart slammed

Erin lay facedown in the straw, her white nightgown barely visible in the darkness When Beau dropped to his knees and touched her hair, his hand came aith blood