by Piper Stone
“Informant?”
I swallowed hard hearing Hawk’s voice. My day had just gone from bad to worse in the space of two seconds. My mouth always seemed to get me into trouble. “I can explain.” I expected him to fly off the handle, enraged that I didn’t tell him every single detail. When I turned around, I was surprised that he was calm.
Too calm. The kind that came before a nasty storm rolled in.
“I hope you can because this shit is starting to stink.” He took a deep breath, studying me intently.
I glared at the glasses, moving toward one of the cabinets and yanking out the vodka. I had a feeling this conversation needed something stiffer than plain lemonade. “Yes, it is,” I said as coolly as possible. “How much of that did you hear?”
He snorted as he walked closer. “Enough to know that you probably just got yourself fired.”
“Yeah? Well, whoopdy-do. Believe it or not, I do want to work for a decent affiliation where I can provide the truth. I was out of my mind for moving here.”
“What did this informant tell you?” he asked. While his tone wasn’t demanding, I knew he wasn’t going to let it go without me telling him every detail.
For a few seconds, I thought about my former life. Lies and deceit had driven me here. And what was I doing? Following along a similar path, one that I’d promised myself I would never go down. Maybe confessing would do my heart some good.
Or maybe I’d shove Hawk so far away that there was absolutely nothing left between us.
I mixed the drinks, moving slowly as I attempted to think about what to say to him. Nothing was going to come out right. I slid the glasses onto the counter, chewing on my bottom lip. “I had a call after the first explosion, one that was anonymous. It didn’t make much sense to me since the fire was in an old warehouse that seemed to have no value. It’s in a place in town that’s going to be renovated but the plans aren’t far along by any means. The fire was put out fairly easily, although given the condition of the building, it was condemned.”
“Okay. I know there’s more,” he said with absolutely no emotion.
“The caller simply said that it was arson and nothing more. I pushed that out of my mind after a single phone call to the fire inspector. Arsons occur in every city several times a month. When the second fire happened, I got another call from this mystery person. Same words with more urgency. This time, two firefighters were injured, one critically and unfortunately, he died at the hospital. Still, there was very little to go on, but my subconscious wouldn’t allow me to walk away from the situation. I started talking to my producer at that point and he laughed at the entire scenario, chastising me for what he called my amateur attempt at private investigating.”
“And he would be right.”
I gave him a dour look before continuing. “I told you, I had a nagging feeling, okay? I checked into the building owners and there’s nothing there that added to the informant’s accusations. They are owned by two different people. One is actively trying to sell the building for the land, although given the tough times, it’s been difficult. From what little I know, the other is prepared to renovate when all the permits come in.”
“And?” His grip around the glass was firm, his breathing becoming more ragged.
“When the third fire happened, in a completely different area of town, I waited for the phone call. It didn’t come. At least not for two additional days. By that point, I was sick of the innuendoes,” I said, laughing. “So when he did call, at least I think it’s a he given the voice is always disguised, I lit into him, finally hanging up. It wasn’t two hours later I had a call on my personal phone from the guy, which scared the fuck out of me.”
He tilted his head, finally taking a sip of his drink and remaining quiet.
“Anyway, I challenged the asshole to give me proof. He went on this song and dance about certain firefighters trying to put together several fires, not just the ones that had occurred recently. This informant told me that the two men who died in the fire were targeted.”
“Meaning that they were murdered,” Hawk said blandly.
I nodded. “Pretty tall accusations but I dug into the owners of the buildings. I still can’t find a direct connection.”
“But you believe there is one.”
“My gut tells me that there is, but I don’t have enough to prove anything, and my producer knows this. It might be a big story to him, but my idea of a good newscast isn’t tossing out spitballs to see where they land.”
“Your producer is trying to draw whoever is responsible into the open.”
This time I laughed. “Jason Keller isn’t that smart, but he is that conniving. He simply needs ratings in order to keep his sweet little job. You see, we’re number three in the market. Not good enough for the owners of the station. A sensational story will certainly draw people in and save his ass. It doesn’t matter if lies are told and accusations thrown around without proof.”
“Then why stay?”
“That’s a very good question. I don’t know what to think at this point. I haven’t had enough time to try and gather any additional information. Not that I might have the opportunity any longer. I may not have to worry about deciding on my job anyway. Jason doesn’t like to be confronted.” I also had my doubts I could get another job in the area. Then what the hell would I do? Crawling back home wasn’t going to happen. Not now.
Not ever.
“I don’t think Jason wants to tangle with me,” he suggested.
I studied Hawk’s face. The man believed he could be some knight in shaking armor or superhero. “I don’t think beating him up is the answer.”
“Don’t worry. I’d only hurt him a little bit. What about the sheriff? You made comments that you didn’t trust him. Why? What little I know about the fire department means that unless a crime was committed, the fire inspector’s report is gospel.”
The man had a way of cutting through the bullshit. I was beginning to adore his barbaric methods.
“Yeah, you’re right about the investigations but the sheriff is a woman. Sheriff Robertson showed up at the third fire. I asked her questions and she pushed me off telling me to mind my own business. As you might imagine for a reporter, that seems suspicious.”
He gave me a hard look. “Did you ever stop to think that one of the firefighters lost might have been her friend?”
I bit back a groan. He was making far too much sense. “Maybe. Just the way she acted certainly made it seem... strange. I’ve been around people for a long time and I’m pretty observant. I follow my gut. Maybe you should try it sometime.” I was exasperated from being second guessed, even if the pieces of the puzzle of my creation weren’t fitting together.
“Did you know that Drake was just a volunteer firefighter?” Hawk asked, hissing under his breath.
“Yes, I knew. Your brother never told you that, did he?”
“There’s a hell of a lot I don’t know about Drake and his life, including the fact he was married and had a child. Also including the fact that he ran a multimillion-dollar ranch. Why would he risk his life and his livelihood by fighting fires?”
“What?” I was absolutely shocked, and he was right. Why volunteer for a dangerous job? “You’re kidding?”
“No. My brother parlayed what had been only a few hundred acres into almost two thousand. He had... I have dozens of employees, although some are only part time.” He shook his head as he closed his eyes.
“That’s amazing.”
He snorted. “That’s what the family attorney wanted to make certain I realized.”
“You have no desire to be a cowboy, do you?” As soon as I asked the question, he bristled. A subject that was off limits.
Like the majority of everything I talked to him about.
“Do you have any information on his wife?” I asked.
“Other than she died a couple of years ago and that she was the daughter of a man my father wasn’t too fond of, not a damn thing.”
<
br /> “What’s her name?”
“Oh, no, you don’t. I’m not going to allow you to snoop around my brother’s life any longer. You’ve done enough damage. Any idea who this informant is?” he asked, his stern look returning.
I thought about the question even as I stored away the fact Drake had been married. “Honestly, no, except I think he knows his shit about fires. Just some words he used.”
“And the number he called from?”
I shook my head. “I already tried. Every time he called it was from a different number.”
“He used a damn burner phone, Bryce, a classic sign of someone who is afraid of being identified. What the hell is going on?” Hawk snarled.
“I don’t know, Hawk, but maybe you see why I’ve been trying to get any corroborating information. I really don’t go off halfcocked.” I also wish my gut didn’t continue to churn, the inner voice telling me to continue investigating, but it did.
“Why did you confront me yesterday? How the hell did you know where to find me in the first place?” His dark eyes were pinned on mine. They were so cold, completely untrusting.
“I already told you that I knew who you were and that you were coming in town, which is why I recognized you in the store and why I called you. Your attorney was nice enough to offer her help.” I blushed after saying the words. I’d crossed another line with him.
“I should have known.”
“The truth is that I was there to try and talk to a witness from the fire that killed your brother.”
His chuckle was just as unexpected as every other reaction. “Another lie. Do you even know how to tell the truth?”
“That’s not fair, Hawk. Of course I didn’t lie about that. I just didn’t tell you. Besides, there was a snowball’s chance in hell that the woman would have gone on camera. I’d tried three times by phone to get her to talk to me, just like I did with you. I’m not fond of confrontations.”
A slight laugh pushed past his lips. “Could have fooled me.”
“Not funny. When I saw you, I thought my luck had changed, although I admit, I would have tracked you down eventually.”
I could tell he was processing the information, his brow furrowing.
“What did this witness see?” His tone continued to be commanding, edgy.
“I don’t know.”
“Another informant scrap of bullshit.” His upper lip curled.
Shrugging, I had to accept that as a possibility. “Maybe. Hell, I think I’m way out of my league here, but I swear that something is just off. I can’t put my finger on it. I’m not trying to dredge up whatever issues you and your brother had in the past or bring you additional grief. That’s the last thing I would ever want to do.”
He took a deep breath, swirling the glass. “I appreciate your honesty and I’m going to have to trust you on this. If I find out you’re lying to me, there will be hell to pay, sweetheart.”
“You really thought I was lying to you about what little I know, didn’t you?”
He took a minute before answering. “In my line of work, you don’t trust many people. It takes a lot for me to do that. Whatever happened to my brother is tragic, no matter if he was murdered or if the explosion was an accident. Neither of us knows at this point. What I do know is that it’s changed my life forever. There are years that I can’t replace, decisions that were made out of haste and anger. I’m going to have to pay the price for what I did for the rest of my life. However, I won’t have his name run into the dirt for any ten minutes of fame. No matter who the fuck you are.”
His words were heartfelt, even though there was little emotion in them, yet I could tell in his eyes that he was hurting terribly. I swallowed, giving him a single nod.
“Who is Ashley?”
He lowered his head, his hand shaking when he brought the glass to his lips. I knew better than to push him in any manner. This was his fight, not mine, although for some crazy reason I already cared about him.
“She is my niece.”
“Did you... know?”
His exhale was ragged. “Nope.”
“Oh, God. What’s going to happen to her?” A niece. I hadn’t bothered to even look to see if Drake had any children.
He shook his head. “Now, she’s my beautiful little girl to take care of, my responsibility.”
I sucked in my breath, knowing that he was waiting to see what I would say. “You’re going to be a great father, Hawk. I know that without a shadow of a doubt.”
He sagged against the counter, his face still stoic. “She doesn’t deserve this shit. First, her mother. Now, her father. She has no idea who I am. I had no idea she existed. I have no damn clue how to handle a kid.”
I walked closer, longing to take his hand but knowing he wasn’t ready for any type of comfort. “The last part is pretty easy. You will show her what a wonderful man you are. You will tell her stories about her father and what he meant to you. You will provide for her with all the love in your heart and she in turn will give you the greatest joy you’ve ever experienced.”
The silence that ensued was wretched, my heart aching even more.
“The trouble is I’m not a good man. In fact, I am a monster.”
Chapter Eight
Bryce
Monster.
The word continued to reverberate in my mind. Why in God’s name would he think such a horrible thing? I wanted to pepper him with questions, to find out everything that had occurred with his brother, but I knew he wouldn’t answer. Hell, I wouldn’t answer me either.
How had I managed to snag the only job that was dirtier than the one I’d come from?
I wanted to lash out at everyone, but that wouldn’t make me feel any better. At this point, I wasn’t certain if anything could.
“You shouldn’t have come,” Hawk stated as he stared at the firehouse.
“And I told you that you weren’t going to leave me behind. This is my reputation we’re talking about,” I retorted, instantly regretting my words. While I could appreciate his need for finding out exactly what happened to his brother, I also realized he was consumed with rage. If I had to guess, it was more from guilt than anything.
He turned his head, staring me straight in the eyes. “And this is my life and my niece we’re talking about. She deserves to know the truth about her father at some point in her life.”
“So do you. So do the people of Missoula as well as the family members of the other injured and deceased men. You know that.”
His deep sigh told me I was pushing boundaries again. I remained quiet, even though there were dozens of questions I wanted to ask him. He hadn’t said another word about his niece since our discussion, preferring to sulk in his misery in silence. I couldn’t imagine what he was going through and certainly had no words of wisdom. The single duffle bag he’d brought with him indicated he wasn’t ready for a surprise family though. He’d planned on going back to Afghanistan after dealing with Drake’s will.
“You said you met my brother,” Hawk asked.
“Briefly. One time was actually at another fire just after I arrived in town. Nothing like the one where he was killed, but he was the first and only firefighter who would talk to me.”
“And the second?”
I darted a glance in his direction, noticing the way his grip was white-knuckle firm around the steering wheel. “A fundraiser. A few of the firefighters were outside the grocery store I go to. We didn’t really have a conversation, just a hello and ‘I recognize you’ kind of thing. He seemed very nice, professional. I do remember his laugh. He had a wonderful deep baritone laugh, much like I guess you would have. If you ever had a reason to laugh.”
I cursed myself inwardly, loathing the fact I always issued a harsh jab.
“Hear me and do not fuck with this. Just stay quiet and let me do the talking. My guess is your story has already been read by pretty much everyone in this town and if you push, the chief won’t be inclined to provide any information,” he
commanded before getting out of the truck. “And that will piss me off.”
“He has to. You’re family.”
His look was just as harsh as before, the hard thud as he closed the door reverberating into my ears.
I stared out the window at the fire station, butterflies sweeping back and forth in my stomach. I’d always followed my instincts with regard to a story. I had a very bad feeling about this one. There was a layer of darkness surrounding it as if someone had gone to extreme lengths to cover up what had really happened. Still, I couldn’t leave the accusations out there without a follow-up. I cursed Jason all over again for putting me in this wretched place.
All eyes were on us as we walked into the firehouse, the four firefighters washing one of the engines giving me a nasty glare. The damn article and limited television report were already doing damage. I’d never felt more like finding a rock to crawl under.
“Is the fire chief here?” Hawk asked one of the firefighters.
“Yeah. Likely in his office,” the firefighter responded, pointing toward a door in the back.
I could feel the firefighter’s nasty glare as I walked by.
Hawk took long strides, giving me a single look before knocking on the door. While I didn’t know the Marine well, I had no doubt he was reminding me to stay quiet. That could prove to be difficult. I’d also attempted to contact Chief Kincade, my calls unanswered.
“Come in,” the gruff voice said.
There was instant recognition when we walked inside, the fire chief’s eyes moving from annoyance at being interrupted to riddled with sadness.
“I’m Jake Travers,” Hawk stated. “I need to talk to you about a fire.”
The chief walked around his desk, darting a glance in my direction. “Chief Kincade, and I know who you are. Drake talked about you quite often. He said you were a war hero. I guess this is where I should say thank you for your service.”