Deadly Inheritance (completed)

Chapter 16

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*Mature content readers be advised *

Ryan

The flames were ripping through the sides of the barn. I didn't even know Charlie had gone in until I heard Natalie screaming frantically at the double doors. By the time Baxter and I got to her, Natalie had soot covering her face with tears streaming down her face. I couldn't understand what she was saying at first but she kept saying Charlie and pointing to the door. I got it and panicked. Charlie had gone inside. What the hell was she thinking, the stables were about to collapse and now with her inside. I can't let that happen.

"Charlie!" I yelled and without thinking about it headed in with Baxter right behind me. I grab the door and burn my hand on the metal handle. How did she get in here?

Baxter grabs my shoulder. "What are you doing? You can't go in there, man! It's about to fall."

"Charlie's in here I have to get her. I can't lose her." I tell him softening my voice.

Baxter shakes his head. "Fuck! This is nuts! Come on but we've got to be fast or we're all screwed."

The flames shot up in our faces as soon as we opened the door. We stayed low and worked our way in but it wasn't easy. Beams were down or falling all around us, the fire was screaming as if it was telling us to leave. I couldn't go without Charlie. I wasn't going to leave her in here. We walked carefully over burning beams and could hear those over our heads creak as if warning us they were coming down soon.

We could barely see a foot in front of us with the smoke as black and thick inside the barn but we could hear rustling around and knew where she was. Little Miss stable was just off to the right. I went in that direction and felt for the lock. The metal lock was hot and burned my fingers as I worked the latch. I could hear Charlie coughing and hurried to get to her. We didn't have much time it was too hot and the flames were too close for us to get out. We were going to need to break down the side wall.

Baxter and I got in and found Charlie curled around the foals neck. She was coughing and had covered her face with her shirt. Shit! We'll have to carry them both out. We kick and push as hard as we could finally breaking the wood beams and knocking the wall out. Baxter gathers the foal, while I gather Charlie in my arms and we quickly race out of the stables just as the roof collapsed in and the entire stable went up in flames. We managed to get both the foal to her mama in the paddock and Charlie to the EMTs that finally showed up. Getting my girl some oxygen, I stayed with her while the firefighters put out the flames. She sat down on the cold dirt and breathed deep as I stepped to the side to talk to Baxter while I waited my turn. All of us were going to need some oxygen help tonight after this.

"You don't think that was an accident do you?" Baxter says softly to me as we watch the men working on putting out the flames.

"Langdon warned Charlie she would burn. You're thinking this is what he meant?" I asked knowing it was the first thing that came to my mind when I saw the flames. "Because Charlie seemed to think he meant more literal, as in she will burn."

"You think he'd actually burn his own daughter?" Baxter asks disgusted by the idea. He wasn't one to take things quite as literal as I was.

"He fucking beat her who knows what he'd do." I remind him. I don't want to think what her father was capable of. Charlie has only told us a small fraction of what she went through by his hand. If anyone knows what the man can do it's her.

"It could be another warning from him. Hitting closer to home." Baxter says. If Langdon has any idea of what we want to do with the ranch, burning it down would be a good way to stop us.