by Jen Talty
He liked everything about Harper from her off-color remarks, to her sexy body, but especially the way she held her end of a conversation. Smart didn’t cover her intelligence.
“I heard she’s in tight with Mozart.”
Remembering the look on Harper’s face when she’d talked about her family made Brodie’s heart ache. “She knows him well.” He put one foot on the runner. “I like her, so don’t go doing stupid shit, and if by chance she comes here looking for me, I’ll be right back. She’s got no food, so I’m getting breakfast.”
“Why don’t you raid our kitchen? We’ve got plenty.”
“I’ve got to pick up some other things.” He rubbed his jaw, contemplating asking Declan. It wasn’t like they’ve never helped each other out before. “Unless you’ve got what I need.”
Declan raised his hand. “Dude. How many times do I have to tell you, I’m not your type.”
“You’re not anyone’s type and not what I was asking for.”
Declan laughed. “I have no condoms and have no need for any, which is about as pathetic as a fisherman with no hooks.”
“What about Becca?”
Declan shook his head. “She’s smart, a good firefighter, pretty, but I spent two hours listening to her go on about her ex. She’s still hung up on him, and I’m not going down that rabbit hole. Besides, she’s young and I think needs to live a little.”
“Holy shit, Dec, you sound like a Goddamned grown-up.”
Declan shrugged. “Better get going before Harper thinks you snuck out on her because that my friend is one of those things a woman will NEVER forget.”
Nothing worse than waking up alone after a long night of the kind of sex you only read about in books. Harper pulled the sheet around her body and padded to the window. She frowned when she lifted the shade. Brodie’s truck was nowhere to be found.
Maybe he had to work and just didn’t want to wake her.
Only when she mentioned what time she had to head in, he said nothing. And he’d just worked an overnight.
Something vibrated on the nightstand. She turned and let out a sigh of relief. He’d left his phone, so he was probably coming back.
Hopefully before she had to leave for work.
She quickly jumped in the shower, letting the hot water roll over her skin, reminding her of Brodie and his tender kisses. Talk about an oxymoron. His lovemaking was both rough and gentle and nothing in between. He’d been demanding, and yet he’d been so giving and kind. She lathered up her loofah and reluctantly cleansed her body and washed her hair.
As soon as she stepped from the shower, she wrapped herself in a towel and checked the window.
Still no Brodie.
She put on her Air Force uniform, something she didn’t have to wear, but thought it a good idea the first few times on the base in her new official capacity as an investigator. It also gave her a sense of confidence that right now had taken a hit because she hadn’t thought Brodie to be the type to sneak out, even if he’d changed his mind on wanting to see her again.
A thought that stung more than she dared to admit.
Snagging his phone, she made her way into the kitchen when she heard the sound of a diesel engine. Peeking out the picture window, she saw Brodie’s truck.
He jumped from the cab and jogged across the street carrying a bag from the local grocery store in one hand and flowers in the other.
She normally wasn’t the floral arrangement kind of gal. She didn’t need those types of gestures, but she found this to be sweet and Brodie the icing on the cake.
“Hey,” she said, pushing open the front door.
“I was hoping you’d still be in bed,” he mused before kissing her cheek. “But this took longer than I thought.” He held out the bouquet of flowers. She hadn’t a clue about what type, but enjoyed the fresh array of yellow, purple, blue, red, and orange mirage of colors.
“Thanks.”
“My pleasure. You do that uniform wonders.” He moved past her and into the kitchen. “How long before you have to leave?”
“Half hour,” she said, knowing she technically had a little more time than that, but she wanted to get in long before her first meeting.
“Just enough for a quick breakfast, and maybe a quick something else.” He emptied the contents of the bag on the counter. A carton of eggs. A box of microwave bacon. Bread and butter. A half-gallon of OJ and the best part, a bag of fresh coffee.
“The quick something else will have to wait, unfortunately.” She snagged the coffee pot and filled it with water. “But I will take breakfast. I’m famished.”
“Then I guess we’ll have to put these to good use later.” He set a box—a large box—of condoms on the counter.
“You’re feeling fairly confident that there could be a repeat of last night.”
He glanced up over the bowl as he cracked an egg. It splattered out on the countertop.
“Relax, cowboy, I’m just messing with you.” She patted his biceps.
He yanked her into his arms. “I owe you a proper good morning kiss.”
“That would have been in bed, while we were still naked.”
He arched a brow. “But then you wouldn’t have had a good breakfast before heading off to fight crime.”
“Next time, I’ll go hungry.”
He growled before taking her mouth in a soft, but commanding kiss that didn’t last nearly long enough as the pan sizzled on the stove, waiting for its eggs.
“Finish making the coffee,” he said, letting his lips linger on the side of her face. “Someone kept me up half the night.”
She laughed. “I think it was the other way around, but whatever.” She filled the pot with water and measured out the coffee while stealing glances at Mr. Sexy with his ruffled bed hair and the same clothes he had on last night. He whisked the eggs with the precision of a surgeon. She couldn’t think of one thing she didn’t like about Brodie, and that scared the crap out of her.
“What are your plans for tonight?” he asked as he dropped the bacon into her microwave.
“More unpacking and obviously grocery shopping.”
“I can help with the unpacking and if you want to text me a list, I have to go to the store anyway today.”
She folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the counter. Her grandmother told her that if a man seemed too eager, or too good up front, then she should run for the hills. Every man had a flaw, and if they didn’t show it quickly and up front, they were most likely hiding one of the darker traits of the male species.
Of course, her grandmother had been married to a gambler and a cheat and she’d never remarried, nor had a long-lasting relationship with another man again.
“What’s wrong?” Brodie asked as he dumped the eggs on two paper plates and pulled open the pouch containing the crisp bacon.
“Huh?”
“You’re crinkling your forehead.” He waved his hand over his forehead. “My sisters all do that when they are deep in thought or troubled by something.” He pushed the plate across the counter.
“I haven’t even known you for twenty-four hours and you’re offering to go grocery shopping for me?” She turned, not wanting to focus on the confused expression on his face. She poured the coffee into two mugs and sucked in a large breath before facing him. “Why don’t we start off with a walk later this evening.”
“I understand,” he said, smiling.
Why the hell was he grinning?
“Do you?”
He nodded. “I’m in no hurry for anything. I like being with you, and I certainly don’t want that to end, so if it means slowing things down to a steady walk, I’m good with that.” He held up a piece of bacon. “But I still have to do my own shopping today, so really, I’m just being neighborly.”
Before she had a chance to respond, his phone blasted some heavy metal song she didn’t recognize.
“Shit,” he mumbled as he raced across the room to where she’d left his phone on the coun
ter by the door.
“That is a horrible noise.”
“The only one that would wake me in an emergency,” he said as he tapped his phone. “Boss, what’s wrong?”
She picked at her food staring at Brodie’s back.
“I’m on my way.”
“What’s the matter?” she asked.
“There’s a fire. A bad one. I’m sorry, I’ve got to run.” His face contorted as if someone had punched him in the gut.
“Why do I get the feeling its more than a bad fire?”
“The house belongs to a fellow Air Force Protection Specialist. I’ll call you later.” He turned and gripped the door.
“Brodie?”
“Yeah?” He glanced over his shoulder.
“Be safe out there and please, text me or call me and let me know you’re okay, and what’s going on.”
“Will do.”
With a that, Brodie raced across the street, his buddy, Declan, meeting him in the driveway. In a matter of a minute, the truck peeled out of the driveway.
“Well, shit. I’m going to spend my day checking my phone, worrying about man I barely know, yet know in ways I’m sure no other woman does.”
Chapter 6
“Jesus Christ,” Brodie muttered as he rolled his truck to a stop two blocks from Jonathon Battle’s house on Cricket Boulevard only ten miles south of St. Patrick Air Force Base. Fire trucks from both the base and a local station lined the streets along with a few police cars and an ambulance.
Flames still burned tall from the partially caved-in roof. A cloud of black smoke billowed toward the sky like a thick coat of coal. A partially charred Jeep with melted red paint and flat tires was parked under the carport along with a brand-new Harley that looked more like a pile of twisted metal than a motorcycle.
“That’s not good,” Declan said with his Air Force badge in his hand. “Do you see Jonathon?”
Brodie looped his badge over his neck and shook his head. “Ace and Jax are over there.” He pointed at the back of the ladder truck. While his team hadn’t been on call, this was one of their own.
Brothers to the end.
Ace waved them over while other firemen raced to contain the fire. Hoses were held in place as water spewed over the blaze. Two of his buddies from the other crew ran past with axes in their hands, the intensity etched into their eyes more noticeably pronounced.
“Do we know what happened and where Jonathon is?” Brodie asked, scanning the area, his heart hammering in his chest.
“No idea on both accounts.” Ace must have been at the base when the call came in because he wore the standard Air Force Fire Protection Specialist T-shirt.
“Fuck.” Brodie didn’t like Jonathon, and he made no bones about it, but watching his house go up in flames, well that sucked.
God, he hoped Jonathon was perhaps in the back of the ambulance, being checked out with nothing more than a few bruises. Or maybe talking with an officer down the street. “Who called it in?”
“His neighbor,” Jax said, standing with his hands on his hips, shaking his head. “He signed off the base at midnight, having done a half-shift for someone else. He told Henderson he was headed home because he was doing another half-shift this morning.”
“He didn’t show up for work,” Ace said, pointing toward the carport. “No one has seen him.”
“You think he’s inside?” Brodie sucked in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. A fire that burned that hot with that kind of smoke, could kill a grown man in his sleep before the flames got to him.
Brodie shivered at the unpleasant thought.
“Hey, boss,” Becca yelled as she jogged from the front yard. “Garret says they can’t get to the bedroom, and Jonathon’s not answering his phone. It goes straight to voicemail.”
“Shit,” Ace said as he raked a hand through his dark hair.
“The fire is under control, but it will be hours before we can get an investigative team in there.” Becca pulled her hair into a tighter ponytail before swirling it into a bun on top of her head. “I asked one of the officers if they could come over here and report back to us what they found out from the neighbors. Shouldn’t be too much longer.”
“Thanks,” Ace said with a nod.
A few shouts from the front of the house caught Brodie’s attention. The sound of wood snapping cut through the hum of the hoses. The firefighters took a few steps back as two ran from the front door.
The ground shook, sending sparks into the sky like fireflies that had been set free.
“Maybe Jonathon crashed at some chick’s house. He’s always got a girl on his arm,” Declan said with little to no conviction in his voice.
Brodie watched helplessly as the black smoke turned grey and dissipated into the morning sky. It appeared the flames had been put out, but they still would continue to douse the fallen structure until it no longer produced dangerous amounts of heat.
“Hey, boss,” Jax said, pointing to the barricade the police had made at the corner. “Who is that?”
Brodie looked over his shoulder. “Harper?”
“You know our new Investigator Officer?” Ace asked with an arched brow.
“She’s my neighbor. We met when she moved in.” Brodie continued to eye Harper as she flashed her badge to one of the local officers, who puffed out his chest. A few of the locals didn’t like working with the military and he was sure, some took issue with women in positions of high authority. Glancing around, he figured she outranked every man from the Air Force here.
“She’s tight with a buddy of mine I know through Tex,” Ace said.
“Yeah. Mozart. I met him at your wedding.” Brodie nodded at Harper when he caught her gaze. “Did you call her in?” He glanced at his watch. It had been less than an hour since he’d left her house. That was barely enough time for her to get to the base and then drive to this neighborhood.
“Nope,” Ace said, planting his hands on his hips. “But it’s certainly not unheard of to have someone from her office at the scene when it’s one of our own.”
“But you’re thinking the same thing I am.” Brodie’s stomach churned as he tasted the scorched wood and metal with every hard swallow.
“That fire burned too hot and fast for me not to be suspicious,” Ace said.
“The call came in with a description of smoke coming from the windows,” Becca said. “When Max’s team arrived, fifteen minutes from the time of the call, the fire was out of control and had taken the entire house.”
Brodie’s heart skipped a beat as Harper stepped closer. “Hey, Brodie. Declan,” she said, then turned her attention to Ace. “I recognize you from pictures Mozart has shown me over the years.”
“It’s good to finally meet, but the circumstance sucks.” Ace held out his hand. “Have you been introduced to Jax or Becca?”
Harper shook her head, greeting them with slight smile.
“They’re going in, boss,” Becca said, taking a step toward the house.
“Jax and Declan, go with her. Stay out of the way but keep your eyes and ears open. I want to know what they find.”
“Yes, boss,” Declan and Jax said in unison.
“So, what have you been told?” Ace might be the quiet, reserved type, but he never held back any punches. Always direct and to the point. Which was why he was being made Captain of the entire fire department on base.
“Not much other than Jonathon Battle is missing, and the fire is suspicious.” The uniform fit Harper, her demeanor commanding and professional. “If we find a body, or we suspect the fire was started intentionally, I’m here to formally take over the investigation from the locals.”
“That’s being a bit proactive without knowing what happened,” Ace said.
“There’s more to it, isn’t there?” Brodie asked.
She nodded. “But I can’t divulge that information just yet.”
“Fuck,” Ace muttered. “My arson team can’t do their job unless we know exactly what we are dealing
with.”
“We don’t know that we need your arson team. But if it comes to that, you will be the first person who will be given clearance.”
“Clearance? Jesus, Harper, what the hell is going on?” Brodie held her stare and not once did she blink. Nor did her tight facial expression change. “You’re investigating something else, aren’t you?”
“Brodie, I can’t discuss an ongoing investigation with you, or anyone right now,” she said with a slightly softer tone.
“Can you at least tell us if Jonathon is the center of the—”
“No. I can’t.” She held his stare and gave nothing away. A trait expected of a seasoned investigator. But considering he’d just slept with her, he’d hoped he’d be able to find her tell, or she’d give him some kind of sign. “If, and when, it’s deemed appropriate for you to know anything, I’ll inform you.”
Jesus. Right now, he resented the professional side of Harper as much as he respected it.
“Boss!” Becca called. “We got a body.”
Brodie’s heart plummeted from his chest to the center of his gut. His pulse slowed for a half a second before it raced wildly out of control.
“Ace, who is on your arson team?” Harper asked.
“I’ve got three trained specialists besides me. Brodie here is one. Jax and Hunter are the other two.”
“Is Hunter here?” Harper asked, letting out a long breath.
“No,” Ace said.
“Get him here, pronto. I’ll call my boss to make sure I can grant all of you clearance. Be prepared to go in as soon as the house cools enough and please, for fuck’s sake, start getting the locals out of here. This is officially an Air Force crime scene.”
Brodie slipped on his boots and set his fireman’s hat on his head. It had been forty minutes since the first responders had found a body, which had yet to be identified as Jonathon’s. The Air Force Medical Examiner had yet to remove the body since they had to make sure the house was safe for everyone to enter, which Max’s team had done about five minutes ago.