Chapter 62
When a motorcycle was heard, Jennalee thought it was Earl or Lizann, but this one shot past, then stopped up ahead. There were two riders and, as she approached, Jennalee saw it was Garth. When the other rider removed the helmet, she saw Andrea Witherspoon.
“Hey, man,” said Garth to his brother. “And look who’s with you. Enjoy the show? We were there, saw some of it.” Here he laughed, his eyes on Jennalee, who wanted to die. Andrea said nothing, just shook out her long blond hair.
Harley kept quiet while Jennalee waited for Garth to spew something awful about her. She was relieved when he said, “Okay, then,” squeezed Andrea’s thigh, gunned the bike, and roared away.
“He’s an asshole,” Harley said.
“Amen,” said Jennalee.
When the inn glowed in the distance, Jennalee posed a question. “Troy is your cousin, right?”
“Probably ten times removed or something. Why?”
“Well, he’s gay. Are you attracted to him?”
“No, I’m not. Liking men doesn’t mean I’m automatically attracted to anyone gay. That said, I do like Carl, so I keep my distance.”
“Carl? Whoa, good to know. I’ll have to keep an eye out.”
Suddenly Jennalee realized she sounded playful. Suddenly she saw the whole issue was becoming almost acceptable, probably because Harley had said he loved her every other way. And she had heard of women having gay men as best friends. She just never expected to be one.
“How about we hit the pool?” she suggested. “It’s still fairly early and I don’t want this night to end, plus I don’t think it’ll be full of Sutherlands. With all they’ve had going on, I bet they’ve all crashed.”
“Except for the hard liners,” Harley said, “but yeah, let’s hit the pool.”
Harley started to walk faster so Jennalee walked faster still and soon they were jogging along, laughing. Then Harley stopped. “Smell that?”
Jennalee stopped and sniffed. “Smoke.”
They looked ahead toward the inn. “That glow isn’t lights,” said Harley. “It’s fire.”
Now they ran full out, the smoke thickening, the glow brighter. Running up the winding path, Jennalee said, “It’s at the back,” and she shot from the path to skirt around the first buildings. When she passed Six, she ran back to the path, Harley trailing, people rushing ahead of her. Then she rounded Seven and the fire came into view.
Building Eight was one story, four rooms occupied by the Laidlaws and the Noel Sutherlands. Both Sutherland rooms were ablaze, men with garden hoses attempting control. “Look,” Jennalee said as she and Harley stopped behind Building Seven. “It’s Wesley.”
The handyman seemed to be in charge. He shouted orders to his makeshift crew, which Jennalee saw included her father. The big front windows of the two rooms had been smashed in, lawn chairs half inside. Smoke poured out, flames darting as if they wanted to get out, too. An end window also billowed smoke, and one of the hoses was directed there. Wesley, wearing leather work gloves, was trying to get the door open but it wouldn’t give. Giving up on that, he pulled a hose from Kyle Sutherland’s hand because Kyle was backing away. Wesley rushed forward, directing water into the window but, like his efforts at the door, it had little effect. Sirens were finally heard in the distance.
As Harley and Jennalee watched, Wesley threw another lawn chair, this one through the Laidlaw parents’ window. Smoke billowed out, at which Harley cried, “My violin!”
The end room, his and Garth’s, had no apparent fire yet. Harley ran to the closed door but his key card wouldn’t work. “C’mon,” he yelled to Jennalee and they ran to the building’s end. At the lone window, Harley tore away the screen while Jennalee ran for a shovel she knew Wesley kept nearby. Rather than hand it to Harley, she gave it a mighty swing, shattering the glass. She then began a ramming motion, knocking shards free, clearing the way for Harley, who climbed inside.
Jennalee stood holding the shovel as she waited, feeling like a warrior princess battling some fire demon. She coughed as smoke engulfed her and she called to Harley, afraid he’d swallowed too much. But then he was climbing out, violin case strapped to his back like it had been when he first arrived. He grabbed Jennalee’s hand and they hurried around front, pushing through the throng of Sutherlands to get behind it all, up against Building Seven. Both coughed for a bit, then took gulps of air until they settled.
Meanwhile, Phyllis Sutherland, restrained by Marian Sutherland and Jane, screamed, “Noel is in there! And Daniel! You have to help them!” On and on she cried and begged while her two other boys, Robert, the oldest, and little Clifford huddled against Parker Sutherland. Jennalee saw his big bear presence reassuring in such a situation. Robert stood stone-faced while Clifford buried his face against Parker, crying.