by Geri Foster
“The problem is an investigator will profile the person setting fires. That will give us a general idea of who and what we’re dealing with. You and I will be shooting in the dark without it.”
“I’d rather shoot in the dark than wait for the next house to be set on fire.”
He rubbed his chin. “What do you suggest?”
“Let’s meet at Frankie’s tomorrow night at seven. I’ll have Austin and David there. They’re pretty smart.”
“Okay, I’m in.”
Lucas stood and walked to the door but paused before he opened it. “Don’t tell anyone what we’re doing. Not Olivia or Theo.”
“Little too late for that. I had dinner with Olivia tonight and I mentioned the Hollins’ might be arson.”
“Okay. Keep it there. Just in case.”
“Sure.”
Lucas smiled. “So, you two had dinner?”
“Yeah. And it went really well, so you can just take back what you said the other day about thinking she would never get there with me again.”
Lucas raised his hands up in front of him. “Fair enough. I just didn’t want you to get your hopes up. You didn’t see how she was after Clint.”
“You’re right. But we’re working on that. I’ve got all the time in the world if it means I get to call her mine again.”
Lucas cupped his ear with his palm. “Is that wedding bells I hear in the distance?”
He picked up a pillow from the couch and tossed it at him, laughing. Walking into the kitchen, he came back carrying four casserole dishes, pulled the pillow from Lucas’ hand, and stacked the dishes there instead. “Don’t forget these.” He laughed again at the wide-eyed look on Lucas’ face at all the food and shoved him playfully outside. “And don’t start with me and Olivia.”
With the door closed, he leaned back and wondered, what did the future hold for him and Olivia?
Chapter 11
Olivia had a sleepless night and, as tired as she’d been after work, she certainly hadn’t needed that. Staggering out of bed and into the shower, she hurried to get dressed so she’d have time to drive through and grab a large cup of coffee. She’d need that today.
Backing out of her driveway she saw Griff’s pickup in his. That meant he hadn’t left for work yet. The truck stayed outside, and his prized Camaro stayed under the protection of the garage.
Speak of the devil, he came out of his house and, seeing her stopped, smiled and waved as he continued to his vehicle. Waving awkwardly in reply, not really sure how to act after last night, she sped away for the local coffee shop.
Once in line she noticed Griff had pulled up behind her. Glancing back, she saw him on the phone. For an instant, she wondered if he had left a girlfriend in Dallas, but she struck that thought quickly. It had nothing to do with Griff and everything to do with her last two relationships. She wasn’t going to do the same thing to him twice—letting her own insecurities get in the way of what they could have.
By the time she got to the window, she didn’t remember ordering anything, she was so flustered over how easily her mind had gone in a dark direction. Still, the server passed her usual order through the window.
She was near the end of her shift when word came over there was another fire in Rainwater. The Emergency Team found her, and she immediately left for home. So far no one had been reported injured and she felt optimistic about that. However, in all the urgency, no one had told her where the fire was, so she called her dad.
“Dad, where am I headed?”
“It’s the old Switzer place. No one was there.”
“That place is abandoned. Jesse and his wife have been dead for years.”
“I know, but that doesn’t mean it can’t catch on fire. It’s surrounded by thick brush. I’m on my way there now.”
“What in the hell is happening, Dad? Two fires in two days.”
“I’ve never seen anything like it, but we’re well equipped to handle the situation if they can control the perimeter.”
“I’m heading there now. I have to stop by the station and pick up a few supplies, but I won’t be long.”
“Make it fast, the wind’s blowing today.”
She drove as fast as she could, trying to outrun the sounds of sirens. Lucas and David passed her just as she turned into the station. Getting out, she ran to the storage closet and grabbed a case of water, a cooler, and ice. The folding table and first aid kit were already in her trunk.
The bays of the station were empty and only Ross Kelley was there to hold down the fort. He helped her with the supplies and she backed out and headed for the fire.
The Switzer place was three miles outside of town in a remote area. After leaving the main highway you still had a mile and a half of heavily rutted dirt road to travel before making it to the structure.
The Switzer’s didn’t have children or any living relatives she knew about. After they died a couple of years apart, the house got passed down to the church they belonged to. But with it so inconveniently located, the deacons decided there wasn’t anything they could use it for without investing a lot of money the church didn’t have.
So, it sat out there empty. Several times squatters and homeless people had stayed for a while, but again, it being so far out of town and not close to anything, no one stayed long.
Pulling on the dirt road, she saw Griff on the ladder with a hose, spraying down the flames. The house looked so battered and dilapidated, she knew they’d just let it burn if they weren’t afraid it would start a brush fire, and that could be very dangerous.
Pulling her car to a halt, she immediately got out and set up the table, iced down the water and waited. There wouldn’t be much else to do.
Seeing her dad on the sidelines, she walked over and asked, “What do you think?”
“Someone set this fire. There isn’t any other explanation. No electricity, no lightning, and no other fires nearby.”
“Griff thinks the Hollins’ house might have been arson too.”
He looked down at her. “Lucas mentioned that to me as well, but I don’t know who or why someone would pick Rainwater.”
“Maybe it’s someone who’s been here years.”
He shook his head. “An arson doesn’t work that way. They develop a fascination for fire early in life. Usually by the time they become a teenager. I would’ve had them in my sights already.”
“And no one comes to mind?”
He scratched his chin. “Well, several years ago, there was a boy whose daddy was a long-haul trucker. He lived in Rainwater with his mother and grandmother. The boy had a strong attraction to playing with fire.”
“What happened to him?”
“He developed leukemia and died around twelve.”
Her breath caught in her throat. “That young?”
He nodded sadly. “By the time the poor boy succumbed to his illness, he’d burnt all his fingers, his chest, and several places on his arms. The lure of the flame was too much. He couldn’t stay away. I think, had he lived longer, there’s an excellent chance he would’ve set himself on fire.”
She couldn’t believe that. How stupid could people get? Growing up a fireman’s daughter, she’d learned the most dangerous thing on earth was fire. “Do people do that?”
“All the time.”
Bewildered at the idea, she watched as several men worked around the house, putting the fire out with shovels of dirt. Water proved to be scarce out here where fire hydrants either didn’t exist or had been capped off, so they had to make do with what they had.
A little while later, Griff walked toward them, shaking his head. “The house is lost,” he said over the roar. “What water we’re getting from the well will be better spent on containing the outer boundaries this way the fires don’t spread and possibly join up with the house.”
“I agree,” her dad said, then walked toward his vehicle.
“I told Lucas to get some volunteers out here with shovels,” Griff called to Theo’s re
treating back. “I don’t want this to grow so big we can’t contain it.”
Her dad kept walking. “Good idea,” he called out. “I’ll call Saul Mecklenburg. He’s got a backhoe. That will help.”
Griff moved to where the other men were working and dug in. She knew enough to stay out of the way. Her dad taught her that. If she wanted to help, she had to stand back until they needed her.
She watched with the same dread she felt during every fire. Something about the sound, the smell, the sheer power of fire terrified her. She’d seen too many times what fire could do and it terrorized her.
Suddenly, the wind gusted, and she closed her eyes against the heat and smoke.
Waving her back, Griff shouted. “Olivia, move away! You’re too close to the fire.”
She immediately got behind the table and pulled it back, relocating all her supplies to a safe distance. She tried to swallow, but her mouth had grown too dry. Thick, black smoke made its way to her and shot up her nose, burning all the way to her forehead. Darkness took over as the fire grew and the men fought fiercely, trying to outrun the blaze. Griff worked as hard as those under him and, in no time, sweat, ash and soot covered his face, hands and clothes.
She looked toward the road at people showing up with shovels and hoes, thankful they’d made it before it got too out of hand. Before long, all the fires were extinguished. She passed out bottles of water and snack bars, the men offering their gratitude for her help. Several sat on the ground, sweating and panting from the exertion.
After making sure all the men were taken care of, she gathered up her belongings and was putting them in her trunk when Griff approached. He touched her shoulder and she nearly came unglued. It was the first time he’d touched her since their kiss and that, paired with the adrenaline rush from what had just happened, left her about ready to jump out of her skin.
“Thank you so much for helping out, Olivia. The men really appreciate it.”
“It’s part of my responsibilities as Coordinator,” she said, trying to stay professional and not melt into his embrace like she wanted to. Shading her eyes from the sun, she asked, “Is this another arson attack?”
“My immediate guess is yes, but it will have to be investigated.”
She stared up at him. “If there is a flamer in Rainwater, lives are at risk.”
“I know. I’m meeting with Lucas tonight. We’re going to try to come up with a plan.”
Nodding, she forced herself to look away from his mesmerizing eyes and slammed her trunk. “If you need anything else, let me know.”
“Well,” he began, and she looked over her shoulder at him. His white teeth shined in stark contrast to his blackened face and she smiled at the goofy look he wore. “I still have about five casseroles to finish off. Interested?”
He waggled his brows and she fought back a laugh. His smile proved to be so disarming and charming, it shook up her insides like a blender on high.
She narrowed her right eye against the sun’s glare and looked at him. “You have a meeting, remember?”
His eyes drifted to her lips and, immediately self-conscious, she licked them. Growling low in his chest, he forced his gaze to meet hers and said, “A man has to eat.”
Heart racing a little, she cocked her head. “What do you have? What’s on the menu?”
“Damn if I know,” he laughed, cutting the tension. “Half the stuff I don’t even recognize, but there is a fresh chocolate cake Kendall’s mother brought over last night.”
Her eyes widened and her dry mouth instantly watered. “Really?”
He gave out a hardy chuckle. “I knew that would do the trick. You’re a chocoholic. Always have been.”
She faked a pout and crossed her arms. “I’ll have you know, I’m not that easy.”
He leaned down and captured her lips in a brief, but scorching, kiss. “You forget, I know all your weaknesses.” He winked, then turned and walked away. His broad shoulders appeared wider and stronger encased in the brown fireman’s jacket trimmed in yellow reflective tape. Damn, he looked so good.
“I’ll come over around five thirty or six. I’m expected to catch up with the guys around seven at Frankie’s Bar,” he called over his shoulder, not waiting for a reply.
She was helpless to do anything but stare.
* * *
Griff finished his shift and made sure everything was in order. The men were okay, the gear was cleaned and put away and the paperwork was done. Getting into his pickup, he finally headed for home.
The day had been a long one. As much as he’d regretted the need to do it, he’d once again had to notify Eddie Goldman that he suspected arson. From the Fire Marshall’s tone, he knew the call upset him and the man’s senses would no doubt be heightened from here on out. No Fire Marshall wanted to deal with an arsonist. He had a lot of restless nights ahead of him.
On his way home, he stopped by his mom’s house to see if she needed anything. Satisfied she was fine, he enjoyed a short visit then left, refusing to take another casserole no matter how much she tried to convince him he should.
Parking in his driveway, he turned off the ignition and rested his arms on the wheel. Looking over to Olivia’s house, he let out a deep breath and smiled. She was home. As late in the afternoon as the fire had been, he doubted she’d returned to work. At least, he hoped she hadn’t. She was going to run herself ragged if she kept up the long hours she was currently working.
Inside, he straightened the house, made his bed and took another quick shower. He’d already had one at the station, but he thought he still smelled like smoke. He was just toweling off his hair, when the doorbell rang. Checking the clock next to his bed, he realized he hadn’t planned well because, if he guessed right, Olivia was currently standing on the other side of the front door.
Wrapping a towel around his waist, he rushed, barefoot, across the living room. Opening the door a few inches, he stuck out his head. “Don’t be alarmed, but I just stepped out of the shower. Come on in and I’ll be dressed in a second.”
Fearing when she learned he was nearly nude she might high-tail it back home, thinking it was a come on or something, he pulled her into the house and shut the door behind her. Holding the towel tightly with one hand, he returned to his bedroom as quickly as he could and slipped on a clean pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt and slid his feet into a pair of docksiders.
He combed his hair as fast as he could and rolled his sleeves on the way to the kitchen. “Sorry I kept you waiting. I lost track of time.”
Catching sight of her, he stopped dead still and stared. Olivia had changed into a casual, but stunning, lavender dress with a matching sweater. She had on a pair of low-heeled shoes and her hair dark brown hair curled down around her face.
She’d never looked so beautiful.
“That’s okay,” she said. “I’m early.”
He glanced at the clock on the microwave and saw she was right on time. “No, you’re fine. I just felt the need for an extra shower. I thought I might still smell like smoke.”
Walking up to him, she took a sniff. “You smell great.” He gaped at her, at a loss for words, but she just giggled. “Did you contact Goldman?”
“Wha?”
Laughing some more, she repeated, “Goldman. About the arson?”
“Right,” he said. “Yes, and he’s coming back out tomorrow.” Collecting himself, he moved to the fridge and opened it. “What looks good?”
She moved beside him, bringing her floral scent along and, trying to be subtle, he took a deep breath. She smelled like Heaven. As she bent over to check out the contents of the fridge, her hair fell forward, brushing against his arm and he fought the urge to reach out and touch it. Rub it between his fingers, bring it to his nose, kiss it.
Straightening, she checked out the counter. Nodding once, she bent back to look in the fridge, took out a dish, and held it up to read the name on the bottom. “Oh, this will be delicious. And there’s bread to go with it.
”
He leaned forward and looked at her choice. “Spaghetti?”
She gave him a sly smile. “No, lasagna. And Betty Coleman made it. Her husband is Italian and her mother-in-law taught her how to cook.”
“Sounds like we can’t go wrong.” He glanced around. “I don’t have wine to go with it.”
She shrugged. “That’s okay.”
He reached in the cabinet and pulled out a ream of foil and wrapped the bread. Turning on the oven, he put it in to warm while she worked the microwave. They set the table together and, noticing they needed drinks, he looked in the fridge and discovered a pitcher of tea. Grabbing it, he filled up two glasses with ice and took both to the table. In a matter of minutes, they sat across from each other enjoying dinner.
Even in a million years, he would never be able to express how good this moment felt. After so many years of anger, hurt, and resignation, he’d finally been given the chance at the happiness he’d lost out on. All he had to do was convince Olivia that it was worth the risk to let love in again.
“You available tomorrow? I thought we might talk to the administrator of the hospital about you being able to remain the Coordinator until we can get someone else?”
“Yes, my schedule is fairly open tomorrow.” She held up her fork. “But remember, it can change in an instant.”
“I know, and I’ll try to make it fast.”
“Good. Doctor Youngman is very nice, but he’s also busy.”
“Like I said, I’ll be quick. And it’s only until we find someone else. I know it’s a burden on you to show up at every fire. I’m sure it interferes with your life, but I don’t know what else to do. There is Lonnie Bissett, who volunteers occasionally, but he’s not always reliable. He seems like a good guy but he just can’t get his act together. In all honesty, when this is settled, I’m going to have to send him on his way. The other volunteers we have are pretty good and are there when we need them. Sometimes I think he’s just there to mooch a meal.”
“I’m sorry you have to do that. It’s never easy, having to let someone go. But if it makes you feel any better, being the Coordinator has been a part of what I do for years. I’ve never considered it a burden or inconvenience. After all, those men deserve someone to look out for them.”