name, she was turning in a circle, frantically searching for the baby
and for Tilly, when Cole dove from the porch railing and tackled her to
the ground.
He landed hard and knocked the breath out of her. She was thrown
backward in the grass. She couldn't catch her breath and didn't
understand what was happening, or why. All she could think about was
Caleb and getting to him in time. Where was he?
Jessica tried to roll to her side so she could get up and search for
her baby, but Cole was suddenly pinning her down. Then he started
pounding at her legs with the palms of his hands, shouting to Daniel to
help him. She cried out and renewed her struggles to push him off
her.
Flames were greedily eating the hem of her robe. Cole was trying to
put the fire out and get the robe off her before she was burned. By
the time he had rolled her onto her stomach, Daniel was at his side,
helping. The two men were tearing at her clothes. Screaming Caleb's
name over and over again she struggled to get up, but they wouldn't let
her move until Cole had ripped her robe off her shoulders and Daniel
had pulled it free.
Cole lifted her up. She grabbed hold of his shirt and screamed, 'I
can't find Caleb. You have to help me find him. He's with Tilly. .
.
She was taking him outside while I searched for Grace. They were
beside me upstairs. Where are they? I have to find them.' She jerked
away from him and tried to run back to the house, but Cole grabbed her
from behind. She fought like a wildcat to get free, clawing at his
arms and kicking at his legs.
'I'll find him, ' he promised. 'Do you hear me, Jessie? I'll find
him.
You stay with Grace. Can you do that? ' His calm voice cut through
her hysteria. 'Yes, yes, I'll stay with Grace. Please hurry.'
'The old lady and the baby are still inside, ' Cole shouted to
Daniel.
He jerked Jessica around to face him. 'Where are their rooms? ' She
pointed to the center window above the porch. 'Tilly's room is in the
middle. Caleb and I are next to her . . . on the left side . . . by
the tree.' Daniel was already on the roof. He'd swung himself up from
the overhang above the porch. He used the heel of his boot to break
the glass in the center window and jumped back to avoid the flames and
