by Andre, Bella
Burke stared back at him, weighing his words. "Why didn't you tell us that a long time ago?"
"Because I didn't feel like talking."
"So you don't remember anything?"
"Bits and pieces. A lot of it is blurry. I know we were having trouble with the radios. Information was sketchy. The winds were changing. The fire was growing faster than anyone had anticipated. And then we were caught. Our exit routes were blocked by fire. Obviously, some of the team believed I waited too long before giving the order to retreat, that I pushed the men too hard, that they were too tired when it came time to run for their lives. You read the reports, I'm sure. I'm betting you even talked to a few people," he added.
"A few," Burke admitted. "Some of your better friends support the fact that it was an accident. Others are not so generous. Hawkins has been running his mouth all over town. Everyone loved Kyle, so it's difficult for some to see the situation clearly."
Burke was being more generous in his assessment than Aiden had anticipated.
"So what are you going to do, Aiden? Are you going back to Redding next year?"
"I don't know. The Chief suggested I consider other options during the off-season."
"You're going to let him run you off when it's not clear you did anything wrong?" Burke asked, anger edging his voice.
"If my crew has lost confidence in me, how can I go back?"
Burke met his gaze, and for the first time he saw understanding in his brother's eyes. Firefighters had to work together. They entrusted each other with their lives. Once that trust was broken, it was almost impossible to reclaim.
"I want you to defend yourself, Aiden. If you don't remember what happened, then tell people that. Don't just shrug and walk away and let them say whatever they want. It's arrogant and frustrating and it just pisses people off."
"They're going to say whatever they want anyway. My crew is spread out all over the country right now. I won't see most of them for another six months. Who exactly do you want me to defend myself to?"
"Dad would be a start. He's angry that you've shut him out. He has connections. He can get the truth out."
"I don't know what the truth is," he said forcefully. "Maybe I did screw up. Maybe I did push the crew too hard. I'm not defending myself, because I don't have a defense."
"Someone has to know something. There were dozens of men working that fire."
"But no one was with Kyle and me. We got separated from the others."
Burke put his hands on his hips and blew out a frustrated breath. "So, what are you going to do?"
He wished his brother would stop asking him that. He didn't want to mention the investigator Sara had set up for him, because he didn't want Burke getting involved in that, not until he knew if any of his theories about Kyle might be true. "I told you, I don't know."
"You might be able to work here in the city," Burke said slowly. "If you want to come back."
"You sound really excited about that possibility," he said dryly. Burke was making the offer out of a sense of family loyalty, but it was clear from his tone he didn't really want him on his crew.
"You have excellent skills, Aiden. You're smart, quick, and courageous. But sometimes you do push the envelope, take too many chances, and that can make you dangerous."
"It can also make me good. Thanks for the offer. I'll think about it. Right now, I'm going back to the bar."
Aiden was about to move when his gaze caught on a woman getting out of a cab. There was something familiar about her. As she turned, her face caught the light. "Becky Saunders," he muttered. "What's she doing here?"
"Becky Saunders?" Burke echoed. "Isn't that Kyle's old girlfriend?"
"From high school." Something tugged at his memory. Kyle had said something about Becky several weeks earlier. "She called Kyle recently. Damn, what did he say about her?"
"Does it matter?"
"Probably not, but something was up with Kyle the last few months."
"You never said that before, either," Burke said, his gaze narrowing. "Why do I get the feeling there's a lot more you aren't telling me?"
"I'm going to talk to Becky."
"I'm right behind you," Burke said. "Believe it or not, I do have your back."
"Appreciate it, but I want to talk to her alone. You intimidate people so much they can't speak."
"I don't do that," Burke protested.
"Are you kidding? You scare the crap out of just about everyone."
"Except you."
"Well, I know you better than most people—or at least I used to," Aiden added, knowing that like so many of his relationships, the one with his older brother had been strained for a long time. "If you really want to help, try to get Dad off my case. I need some time to figure things out on my own. I don't need the pressure of clearing the Callaway name right now. If I can do that in the future, I will. If I can't, then you're all free to disown me."
Chapter Twelve
After leaving Burke on the sidewalk, Aiden entered the bar in search of Becky Saunders. Unfortunately, the first person he ran into was Ray Hawkins.
"You have a lot of nerve coming here, Callaway," Hawkins said.
Aiden sighed. He wasn't itching for a fight, but this time he wasn't going to just take a punch. "You've already had your one free swing. Get out of my way."
The other man stared back at him. "Never thought you'd let down a fellow firefighter."
The accusation burned through him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a few other firefighters closing ranks behind Ray, and he couldn't count a friend among them.
"What's going on?" Burke asked, appearing by his side. "Is there a problem, Hawkins?"
Hawkins stuttered, "Uh, no, Chief. No problem."
"Good, because this is a fundraiser for Kyle's family. That's why we're all here, right? I'm sure we don't want to do anything to ruin it."
Hawkins and his buddies muttered words of agreement, then backed away.
Aiden had to admire Burke's power. A few simple words, and he had his way. "I told you that you scared the crap out of everyone," he said to Burke. "This time it came in handy. Thanks."
"Like I said, I've got your back, Aiden. You'd know that if you looked behind you once in a while, but you're always in a hurry to get somewhere else."
"Speaking of which – I see Becky. I'll see you around."
He moved toward the back of the bar area where Becky was standing alone. He was happy to find her on her own and far enough away from the speakers that he might actually be able to talk to her.
When he reached her side, she gave him a startled look.
"Aiden. I didn't expect to see you here." Her gaze darted around the room as if she was worried that other people were watching them.
"I didn't expect to see you here, either."
"Kyle and I were in love once."
"About fourteen years ago," he said, giving her a thoughtful look. "I wasn't aware you'd stayed in touch."
"We reconnected a few months ago. I couldn’t believe it when I heard Kyle had died. I had just spoken to him three days earlier."
"I didn't know that. I'm surprised Kyle didn't mention that he was talking to you again."
"Well, you never liked me. You tried to get Kyle to break up with me in high school."
"Because you were cheating on him, Becky," he reminded her. Becky had been a wild girl in high school, and Aiden had warned Kyle that she wasn't to be trusted. But Kyle hadn't been able to see past her blonde hair or big breasts. Becky was still attractive, but she was skinnier, and her eyes had the look of someone who'd seen a little too much action.
"That was a one-time mistake," she said defensively. "I had too much to drink. You didn't have to tell Kyle. It wasn't going to happen again."
"He was my best friend. Of course I had to tell him. And who's to say it wouldn't have happened again. We both know you were giving it out pretty freely back then."
She gave him a scornful look. "You were so quick to judg
e me, but you were just as bad, Aiden. You slept with half the girls in our grade."
"Half is a bit generous," he said dryly. "And I didn't have a girlfriend, so it wasn't cheating."
"Whatever," she said with a wave of her hand. "It was a long time ago."
They watched the band for a moment, and then he asked, "So what did you and Kyle talk about recently?"
"Life, stuff," she said vaguely.
"Did he tell you about his marriage?"
"Yes, he talked about his wife and baby. He was proud to be a father, but he was stressed out moving to San Francisco."
"He told you that."
"Of course. He was worried that his wife had high expectations that he wouldn't be able to meet. He wasn't sure how they could afford the condo they'd bought, but his wife loved it, so he was going to find a way to make the payments and pay her family back for the loan. It's funny that Kyle would hook up with someone with expensive taste. He was never into money."
"He told you all that?" Aiden couldn't keep the surprise out of his voice. "After all these years, he just told you his life story?"
"Why is that so strange?" she asked. "Kyle needed someone to talk to, someone outside his work friends and his family, and I fit the bill."
"How did you find each other again? Did you look him up?"
"No, he looked me up," she retorted.
"When was that?"
"A couple of months ago. Why are you asking me so many questions?"
"He didn't mention to me that he'd talked to you."
"Well, obviously, he didn't tell you everything."
"Were you having an affair with him?" The question burst out before he could stop it.
Becky stiffened. "No. I don't break up marriages, even when there are problems."
"What problems?"
"If he didn't tell you, then I can't say. Our conversations were private." She paused. "I just wish I hadn't missed his last call. It would have given me one more chance to…" She cut herself off. "It doesn't matter now. It's so sad. I need to leave. I shouldn't have come, but I couldn’t stop myself."
"Wait, Becky," he said, putting a hand on her arm. "What were you going to say? You wish you'd had one more chance to…"
Indecision wavered in her eyes. "I forget," she said. "It wasn't important. It won't bring Kyle back." She pulled her arm away. "Leave it alone, Aiden. Let Kyle rest in peace."
His stomach turned over as he watched her leave, their conversation making him more than a little uneasy. Becky knew something, but what?
***
Of course Aiden would be chatting up a blonde. Some people never changed, Sara thought, although, this blonde didn't look very happy. In fact, she seemed to be angry, throwing Aiden's hand off her arm before storming out of the bar.
Aiden turned his head and caught her watching him. She felt a rush of heat run through her body. Damn him. One look and she melted into a puddle.
Aiden walked quickly in her direction. "I have another name to give to your investigator."
"Does the name belong to that blonde you were talking to?"
"Yes, that was Becky Saunders. She went to school with me."
"Right, I remember her now," she said, putting the face to the name. "She went out with Kyle, didn't she?"
"Yeah. I had no idea they had renewed their friendship a couple of months ago. She was very cagey about it, too."
"Do you think they were having an affair?" she asked, lowering her voice so they couldn't be heard. Not that it was possible to overhear much in the crowded, noisy bar.
"She said no. Not sure if I believe her."
Before she could ask him another question, Emma interrupted their conversation. "Sara, I just got a text from Shayla. Her car broke down, and she needs a ride. I have to pick her up. She rescued me from a flat tire a few months ago, and I owe her."
"No problem. I can leave now."
"Or I could give you a ride home," Aiden suggested.
She hesitated, knowing that Aiden probably wanted to talk to her about Becky, maybe run a few more theories by her, and while she wanted to help him, she'd had some wine, it was late, and he was looking really hot. Her old crush was coming back to life, and she knew it was once again all one-sided. He wanted to talk business. She wanted to strip off his clothes and see the body she'd been imagining all these years.
Emma gave her a questioning look. "It's up to you, Sara."
"I'll catch a ride with Aiden," she said, trying to sound nonchalant.
"All right, but don't forget what I told you," Emma reminded her as she grabbed her keys from her bag and headed to the door.
"What did she tell you?" Aiden asked curiously.
"To stay away from you," she said, drinking the last bit of her wine before setting it down on a nearby table.
"That might be good advice," he said slowly. "I don't want to drag you down into my mess. Any time you want to bail…"
"Then I'll bail," she finished, meeting his gaze head on. "Let's go."
***
After saying goodbye to some old neighbors and friends she'd chatted with earlier, Sara and Aiden made their way out of the bar.
"My truck is over there," he said, pointing down the block.
"Wow, good parking karma."
"At least something is working for me."
"How was your conversation with Burke? I don't see any new bruises."
He gave her a dry smile. "No fists flew, so I guess it was good enough."
"You two have had a combative relationship since you were young. You were always competing, arguing over what games to play and who was in charge and what the rules were."
"Burke usually won those battles."
"Well, he might have won the leadership spot, but you used to drive him crazy, because you never followed his rules."
Aiden tipped his head. "Guilty. Sometimes I broke the rules just to piss him off. That was fun."
"Probably not for him," she said with a wry smile. "Being an only child, I never really understood the sibling dynamic. You and Burke would pummel each other one minute and then the next you were laughing."
"We were done fighting," Aiden said with a shrug. "Unfortunately, it's not quite that easy any more. Our problems are bigger and the fights last longer."
"I think Burke wants to help you, Aiden."
"I know," he admitted. "But Burke doesn't help, he takes over, and this is my problem, not his."
They paused at the corner, waiting for the light to change. Sara drew her sweater more closely around her, wishing she'd opted for a bigger coat, but she hadn't thought much about wardrobe when she'd packed for her quick trip home. She hadn't expected to be out in the city or seeing anyone but her father. The fire had certainly changed both their lives.
She might not have even seen Aiden if he hadn't come to her rescue, and she might not have seen Emma either, which would have been a shame. She'd forgotten what it was like to have a friend who'd known her since she was nine years old. Tonight had been the most fun she'd had in a long time, and it had reminded her of the good times in her childhood. She'd lost some of those memories when her mother died.
"It's funny," she said aloud.
"What's that?"
"How long we've known each other. I was nine when we moved in next door to you, which would have made you twelve."
"I don't remember you much at nine. Were you friends with Emma right from the beginning?"
"We knew each other from school, but I was shy, and there were so many of you, I'm sure I faded into the woodwork. I used to sit on my porch in the afternoons, pretending to be reading, but really I was watching you and your brothers run the street games with the Moretti twins and Kyle, of course. You'd occasionally let Emma or Nicole play, but only if you absolutely had to. It was mostly boys only."
"It was a rough game," he said. "I didn't want my sisters to get hurt."
"Nice try," she said.
He grinned. "The girls had their own games, and they didn't
let us play."
"Like you wanted to play restaurant."
"Actually, that was a good game, especially when Nicole made cookies to sell in the restaurant."
She smiled, thinking about those long, endless summers of fun. "You had a good childhood."
"I did. I was lucky."
They crossed the street and walked to Aiden's truck. He opened the door for her, and she got in, buckling her seat belt. As he slid behind the wheel, she said, "So, where are we going?"
"Let's just drive and see where we end up?"
"That's not my usual style, but okay," she said with a small smile.
He smiled back at her. "The most interesting destinations are not always on the map."
"True, but I never get lost, and I'm betting you do."
Shadows filled his eyes. "All the time."
He pulled into traffic and for several minutes, they just drove. When he made no move to break the silence, she said, "Do you want to tell me more about your conversation with Becky?"
"She said that Kyle sought her out a few months ago. It's just so strange to me that he didn't mention talking to her. He would tell me the most boring moments of his day in great detail, but he leaves that out? It doesn't make sense. And then she started to say something and cut herself off. Something about missing his last call a few days before he died, wishing she could have had one more chance to do something, but she wouldn't say what. I pushed her, and she took off. She's hiding something, Sara. I know it."
"Then she's a good place to start. When you talk to Jeanne tomorrow, be sure to tell her everything you just told me."
"I could be reading into things." He glanced over at her, a question in his eyes.
"You could be," she said.
He frowned. "I was not looking for that answer."
"Just being honest, Aiden. You're very close to the situation, and you're still grieving for your friend. You want there to be a reason for what happened, a reason that doesn't make you accountable. You're not so different from Vicky in that regard. You both want something or someone else to blame. It might have just been a tragic accident. Your job is inherently dangerous. Every time you jump a fire, you're putting your life on the line."