Accepting His Ways (Quinlan O'Connor Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

almost under control, almost but not quite and that meant there was still potential for disaster. A campfire had gotten out of hand. He didn’t envy the chewing out and the fine that camper had incurred.
    Quinn’s cell rang as he contemplated the question of what he would do if this last call didn’t help; disconnecting the call on accident the first time, he tried to answer it. Giving himself a pep talk, he stayed calm as he hit accept on the phone the second time.
    “Hey, buddy, did you hang up on me?”
    “Sorry, it was an accident. What did you find out?”
    “I asked Susie, and she’s sorry, but she didn’t know anything about it. Now, Ashley Reynolds and Megan Martin were the names listed on either side of Cheyenne’s name that night.”
    “Yes, and Ashley and her boyfriend Richard have just become full members recently. Can you give me the numbers?”
    “I can do you one better. I called Richard, and he said that Ashley was with Cheyenne, but he thought they were at Cheyenne’s apartment, not out camping during high fire risk warnings. He tried her but was unable to get through. He said to share the numbers with you and if you can get through, great. As soon as one of you gets through, let the other one know.” Task complete, Josh chuckled. “Looks like there is going to be more than a risk of setting the woods on fire when those girls are found.
    “How are you holding up, man?”
    “Not good. I’m beat, actually. I came home early and thought I would surprise Cheyenne. We could have a lazy day in each other’s company. Now I’ve spent all afternoon and evening looking for her. Instead of relaxing, I’m keyed up.” Going on to explain that he had resolved he would find her but wishing he could be as nonchalant as her mother was about it all. “I haven’t even stopped to eat. Discovering she could be in danger from the fire that thankfully hasn’t turned into a full-blown scorcher, yet anyway, took my appetite.” He paused to take a breath, “and I’m scared to death that something is wrong. Some kind of deputy I am.”
    They spoke a few more minutes as Josh sat and listened to his friend who rarely gave away any of his secrets, professional or personal, spewed his anger and irritation wrapped in real worry for Cheyenne. Quinn thanked Josh and promised to call when he heard anything. He tried the cell once more to no avail and so set up camp, ate the food he had brought in case of an overnight stay, made sure the fire was contained and fell into a restless sleep.
    At first light, Quinn tried Ashley’s cell and thought he heard a phone ring in the quiet distance when he dialed. Walking in the direction of the abbreviated ring, he crossed a ridge and looked around. Nothing there but just before he called again, he heard, rather than saw, Cheyenne and her distinctive tinkling laugh. He perked up and followed the sound. It led him further than the established sites but not so far into the woods as to be unlikely someone would camp there. Breathing a sigh of relief that he had found her, and she was safe, he continued to walk back into the trees.
     

Chapter Two
    Cheyenne had finished gathering some wood for a fire but thought better of it and pulled out her camp stove. She complained because she hadn’t been able to figure out how to work it for almost half an hour and then miraculously it worked. She laughed in delight before quickly pouring pancakes. The stove cooked quickly and in five minutes, she already had four done.
    Quinn had taught her a lot, but she hadn’t called to ask him how to work the stove for an obvious reason, he would have told her not to go. She knew about forest fires. With the woods as dry and hot as it was, Quinn wouldn’t have let her go camping. However, she was hyper vigilant so no fire was started by them and she had a bucket of water from the nearby stream, just in case. Camping was about the only thing that her old friends would do that didn’t involve drinking