Scorch (Missoula Smokejumpers Book 6)

by Piper Stone

  “And mental trauma,” Sawyer added.

  “Yeah. There’s that. I heard you were in with the Feds for hours,” Antonio said, turning his attention to Reese.

  “I was. My client and no, I can’t tell you anything.” She wrinkled her brow and looked away. “Except they had no idea how influential Bo Dreyfus was. I guess, neither did I.”

  “The school is in ruins. Several buildings in town. Two people dead. Several injured. Am I missing any news?” Sawyer grabbed his shirt, struggling to slide the material over his shoulders. Wincing, he let out an audible groan.

  “That’s why you need to stay right here.” Reese helped him with the shirt, her look admonishing.

  Sawyer gave her a heated expression. “I think you can take care of me just fine.”

  “Child.” Reese smiled and kissed him on the cheek, darting out her tongue before whispering. “Then you follow my rules.”

  “Not gonna happen, sweetheart,” he teased.

  Antonio sighed and looked away briefly. “I was going to stop by and see Carter. He’s out of surgery at least. I thought you might want to come.”

  “Yeah. I do.” Sawyer could tell there was something on Antonio’s mind, but decided not to press. They’d all been through a traumatic experience. “Let’s get out of here.” He hobbled toward the door, grimacing given the pain.

  “Old man,” Antonio said before grinning. “By the way. For the record. What you did was a good thing. I would never have had the courage without you pushing.”

  “Let’s just see what the captain has to say.” Sawyer knew exactly what Captain Phillips would say. They didn’t follow protocol. They risked lives. They left their men in a dangerous situation. All true. He was no leader, just a man determined to right wrongs. He wrapped his arm around Reese as they moved slowly into the hallway.

  “Carter is in a room.” Antonio’s words were laced with sadness.

  They remained quiet, as if each of them lost in thought. So much had occurred in a short period of time.

  “The mayor is giving a press conference later,” Antonio said off the cuff.

  “I’m certain she has a lot to say,” Reese said then snorted. “And I have no doubt I won’t have a job come Monday.”

  “Do you care?” Sawyer had to ask.

  Squeezing him around the waist, she nuzzled in closer. “You know what? Not even a little bit.”

  Sawyer’s thoughts drifted to the white horse and while he believed in the meaning, the warning he was so sure of, he wasn’t entirely certain it had anything to do with the tragedy at hand. When Antonio stopped just in front of a room, he held his breath.

  “The only thing I heard was that he’ll be here for a while.” Antonio gave him a look before gripping Sawyer’s shoulder. “But he’ll be okay. We’ll all get through this.”

  Coming from a man who seemed to have zero emotions with the exception of intense anger, Sawyer was drawn into far too many debilitating thoughts. He walked in first, moving with quiet steps toward the bed. Several IV’s were attached, various monitors beeping. Carter was pale, his lips thin but he seemed to be breathing normally.

  “The bullet destroyed his spleen and ruptured his lung.” Antonio sighed. “This shit is unreal.”

  Carter stirred, his eyelids fluttering. After turning his gaze in Sawyer’s direction, he smiled. “Hey. You look like shit.”

  Sawyer chuckled. “You don’t look too hot yourself, but you’re alive.”

  Licking his lips, Carter shifted, a wince of pain visible on his face. “Did they catch her?”

  “Not yet. She had a lot of help,” Sawyer half whispered.

  “Yeah. Three cars. I couldn’t see them at first, but they surrounded us. It was all over in just a few minutes. Everything was planned well.” Coughing, Carter glanced toward Reese. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine,” she said before smiling. “Take care of yourself. You really worried us.”

  “He’s not after you,” Carter managed as his eyes began to close.

  “What?” Reese moved closer. “What does that mean?”

  After a few short breaths, Carter opened his eyes again. “Walker Tatum. He’s not trying to hurt you.”

  “I don’t understand.” She shook her head.

  “I’ll tell you later,” Sawyer offered as he griped Carter’s arm. “Just get better, buddy. We’re all rooting for you.”

  “But be careful. Talk to the sheriff,” Carter whispered before drifting off.

  “I don’t understand,” she moved closer, her entire body shaking.

  “We need to let him rest,” Antonio insisted.

  Sawyer concentrated on the beeping noises for a full ten seconds before his skin began to crawl. “We won’t get anything else. And we will talk with Sheriff James. Let’s go.”

  They walked out into the hallway and Antonio took a deep breath. “Life is short. You know?”

  “Very much so.” Reese took Sawyer’s hand, intertwining their fingers.

  “The guys are going to Ziggy’s tonight.” Antonio tried to smile. “Just to regroup. Celebrate life.”

  “He’s not strong enough,” Reese stated. “And I’m in no mood to celebrate anything.”

  “We do have reason. We do. I want to go. I want to be around the team. We won’t stay long.” For some reason, it was vital that Sawyer spend time with the men who could have lost their lives. He squeezed her hand before bringing her palm to his lips.

  She shook her head but remained silent.

  “I guess I’ll see you both there.” Antonio started to walk away then stopped, his shoulders sagging. “I need to talk to you later. Alone, if that’s all right.”

  “Sure.” Sawyer knew exactly what the man wanted to talk about and while he wasn’t ready for the conversation, the discussion was needed.

  Antonio nodded, darting a look over his shoulder. “Later.”

  He watched as his friend walked away and had the distinct feeling that Antonio wouldn’t be around much longer. Sadness swept through his system. Tragedy had a distinct way of tearing people apart.

  Sizzle! Crack!

  “Ugh!” Darkness had settled in by the time Reese neared the turn off to her street. Yet another storm had rolled in and from what the weather forecasters had to say, this one was potentially dangerous. The lightning show was surreal, creating a dazzling array of colors crisscrossing the sky. Even though she had the music up full blast, the rumbling thunder seemed to vibrate inside the car. She was almost panicked as she pulled down the last turn, heading for her condo.

  She’d promised Sawyer that she was spending a few days at his ranch and in truth, she was more than happy to oblige. The same eerie sensation she’d had for a solid two days remained, a caustic dread as if the horrendous events would continue. She was even shaking as she pulled into the parking garage. She thought about Carter’s words and had been able to tell by the look on Sawyer’s face that he’d had a discussion with the deputy. What was the man trying to warn them of? If not Walker, then who?

  Maybe her fears about her past held no merit. But there was one way to find out. She eased into her regular space and noticed the overhead lights were only a warm glow, the majority of them off. The power was out. Freaking fantastic. She turned off her headlights and remained in the car, holding her keys in her hand as she studied the dank environment. Shadows were everywhere, and she could swear the boogeyman was waiting, holding his breath until she headed for the stairs.

  Grabbing just her purse, she opened the car door slowly, scanning the area constantly. She stepped onto the concrete and jumped the second the thunderclap rocked the area. Pressing the back of her hand across her mouth, she closed the door, clicking the lock immediately then took quick steps toward the lit sign indicating the stairwell. Thank God for emergency lights. Her heels clipped against the dense flooring, echoing and usually, she paid no attention.

  Tonight, she was consumed by fear, wrestling with the demons parked just under the surface.
She’d never regained the woman inside, had never slept an entire night through. But she’d learned to deal with her emotions, her anxiety without medication. A short laugh bubbled up to the surface. However, the cost of keeping her anxiety in check with a well-known psychologist had almost broken the bank.

  She was only a few meters away from the door leading to the stairs when she heard another set of footsteps. While her building was only half occupied, there were plenty of people who came and went on a regular basis. She counted to five, then to ten and kept walking.

  The footsteps seemed closer.

  Stopping, she held her breath and could hear nothing. Nothing. Okay. You can do this. Only a few more steps. The pep talk did little for the sweat rolling down her neck, sliding into her bra. She took another few steps and the same echoing sound was there.

  She was being followed.

  Darting a single look over her shoulder, she could see nothing but ominous looking shapes creeping along the concrete walls. She refused to run, to fall into her fears. After placing her hand on the doorknob, the echoing footsteps picked up in pace. Sucking in her breath, she threw open the door and bounded up the stairs, finally ripping off her heels on the first landing. Just when she made it to the door to her floor, the downstairs door was flung open with enough force that the metal banged against the doorjamb.

  Ready to explode into a full panic mode, she sprinted toward her condo, dragging the keys into her fingers. Taking several deep breaths, she fumbled only once before jamming the key into the lock, twisting and nearly kicking in the door. She closed it with a soft click, locking it in a split second. Then she looked out the peephole, waiting. Watching.

  The only sounds were the rolling of thunder. When a flash of lightning lit up the entire condo, a single yelp escaped her mouth. She clamped back the anguished cry and continued looking. When her rational side was able to take over, she opened the door a crack. There was no one in the hallway, no dark figure lurking.

  Moaning, she made certain the lock was engaged before trying the light. Nothing. Well, at least she could grab her flashlight as well as a few things and get the hell out of here for a little while. The call she would indeed make she’d do on the road. After she found the phone number. How many years had gone by since she’d even bothered to look at her life line? Enough. She had no idea if the number had remained the same. They’d lost touch after the… incident. At least she could try, then she’d use her connections at the office if she had to.

  That is, as long as she still had a job. Rolling her eyes made her feel a hell of a lot better. She was going to spend a few days with the man she loved. A hero. The thought giving her a boost, she walked toward her small desk to try and find the number. She found the flashlight first, thanking some god above the batteries were still working. Rummaging through several drawers, she finally remembered the envelope, the very one containing pictures, news clippings and other important material from the horror show that had occurred during another time in her life. She bit her lip and stared at the thick manila envelope, almost wishing she’d tossed it years before.

  Her hand shaking, she wrapped her fingers around it, tugging until the damning information was planted firmly in her hand. Everything that still attached her to the incident, the umbilical cord was in this one-inch thick space. Maybe it was time to tell Sawyer the sordid details of her past. She remained where she was for a solid two minutes before pushing her mind out of the dark and lonely place. She had a new life and a beautiful and daring man, which she was going to embrace with her entire being.

  Time to grab a bag. She turned and glanced out the window. A bright light coming from the building across the street caught her attention. While there were no other visible lights on, the shining window had to indicate some level of electricity.

  She stood just in the background, peering out. The two-lane road separating them was enough she knew there was no way to see inside the building but as a figure moved to the front, standing directly in the center, prone as if knowing she was there, she whimpered and took several steps backward. She would swear that she could see the man’s eyes. This was ridiculous. There wasn’t a chance in hell. She was terrified given the storm and seeing things.

  Turning away, she kept the envelope in her hand as she walked into the bedroom. After placing it on the bed, she grabbed her small duffle bag and began to search for her needed items. While she had no intention of doing anything but spending time with him, she snagged a few items that might garner a smile.

  She hurried as she changed, throwing on a pair of jeans and another blouse. There was no time for a shower, not that she wanted to do so in the dark. Grabbing her brush, she tried to wrangle her long mane, before tossing it into the briefcase, her mind taking her to the spanking the night before. This was the very reason she could smile once again.

  Grabbing her things, she headed for the door, her hand on the knob as another rush of fear stymied her actions. Yanking back her hand, she clenched her fist and sagged. She couldn’t be a prisoner. If anyone was following her, they’d find a way to get inside her condo. She’d defended enough criminals to know how their minds worked. Besides, she had to face her fears. Swallowing, she gripped the doorknob and turned, opening the door only a crack. She could hear nothing but the raging storm.

  She resisted shining her flashlight. Prudence would indicate a quick but quiet exit. Counting to five, she trotted down the hall, darting a look over her shoulder before entering the stairwell. The emergency lights were dim, illuminating only enough to keep her from falling down the stairs. She half ran, hoisting her bags as she tried to think of anything but terror.

  The parking garage was devoid of any people from what she could tell, and her car was only a hundred or so yards away. She could do this. After another deep breath, she took out, moving toward the back wall and sliding along as she made her way. When she was able to see her car, she clicked the lock then made a quick turn, throwing open the door. After shoving the bags into the passenger seat, she jumped in, jamming the key into the ignition.

  Then she would swear she noticed a person in her rearview mirror. Slapping the gear into reverse, she had to fight to keep from flooring the engine. She glanced in her side mirror and knew for certain a man was standing in dark clothing. Just watching. Waiting. The second her locks engaged, she turned the wheel and sped off, fighting the urge to scream. Taking the curve hard and fast, her tires squealed and she darted another look. Unable to see anything, she held her breath as she slammed on her brakes, looking up and down the street for approaching traffic.

  Then he was there, looming in close proximity. Just behind her car this time. What the hell? Without looking again, she rolled out, jumping the curb in her effort to get away. “Oh God.” This was nothing but a wretched nightmare. She realized she’d been holding her breath as she pulled to the first light. Lightning continued to flash, highlighting the dingy way this area of town looked. Few businesses were open. There was no one to run to for help. Screaming would never matter. She’d never felt so desperately alone.

  She didn’t wait for the long light to turn green. Instead, she rolled through the red light, panting the entire way until she hit the interstate. Only then could she breathe a sigh of relief.

  The rain was pelting down but she was determined to talk to her friend. Or at least try. Without taking her eyes off the road, she felt for the envelope, dumping everything in her effort to find the number. The small piece of paper was folded and when she opened it, she was forced to turn on the overhead light. The number had faded over time, but as soon as she was able to read the digits, everything came swimming back to her.

  “I’m glad you enjoyed dinner. I knew you’d love the restaurant.” His hand wrapped in hers, he swung their combined arms forward and backward.

  “You’re in a good mood.” Reese nuzzled closer.

  “Getting close to finishing the case. The man will be found guilty.”

  She snuggled next to Thomas, e
njoying the walk and the warmer weather. They hadn’t been on an actual date since the very early days when they were first together. Normally, he refused to hold her hand, as if being seen with her was a crime itself. “I hope you’re right.”

  “Don’t be so afraid. The man can’t and won’t get away with the murders. After all, I’m a brilliant prosecutor.” Thomas laughed as he kept walking, slowing down as they reached the crossroads heading for his house. “Will you stay tonight?”

  “Really? You have court tomorrow.”

  Stopping short, he turned to face her, taking both of her hands into his. “I know but I need you. No, I want you.” He kissed her lips, the intimate moment soft and gentle.

  Her heart fluttered, and she moaned into the kiss, rising onto her tiptoes. “Mmm…”

  When he pulled back, he wrapped his arm around her. “Come on. I have a wonderful bottle of wine.”

  “Sounds delicious.” They remained quiet as they continued walking and as they neared his house, she shuddered enough that Thomas waited before walking up the stairs.

  “Is something wrong?”

  “I just… I don’t know. It might be crazy, but I feel like there’s a presence. As if someone is watching us.” She darted a look up and down the street. There were several people out, either enjoying their front porches or walking back from a bar or restaurant. Still, she couldn’t rid herself of the sickening feeling.

  “Stop worrying. I think working on the various cases has made you jumpy. Come on.” Kissing the top of her head, he tugged her up the concrete stairs, pulling his keys from his pocket. “I’m glad you’re staying.”

  “I am too.” She held one arm across her chest as he opened the door. No. There was something very wrong. “Thomas. Wait.”

  “Baby. You need to stop worrying so much.” He closed the door behind her. “Why don’t you go into the living room and turn on the lights and some music. Whatever you like. I’ll grab the wine.”

  He dropped his keys on the hall table and for some reason, she stood staring at them for a solid minute before walking into the living room. When the first light wouldn’t turn on, she whimpered. The second? And she was full of fear. “Thomas!”