Playing with Fire

by Rachel Lee

  Gratitude settled over Wayne, briefly driving out the anger. Relief felt like a rush of cool spring water. If anything had happened to Charity... Well, he couldn’t bear to think about it.

  He went into the cubicle and found her sitting up, an IV in her arm. Someone had washed her face, and when she saw him she smiled. “Who hit me over the head?”

  “I guess that’s part of it.” Not caring that someone might see, he bent and kissed her warmly, trying to tell her with his lips of all the concern and caring he felt for her. He took her hand and squeezed it, just filling his eyes with her. “You’re beautiful.”

  She gave a little laugh. “Better yet, I’m alive.” She glanced at the SCBA he still carried. “What was wrong with it?”

  “That’s what I’m going to find out. We had all the breathers checked out and refurbished over the past few months. They all ought to be just fine. Where’d you get yours from?”

  “Donna gave it to me because it had a smaller face mask. She said she’d always found that more comfortable.”

  “Donna?” He felt shock crash through him. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

  She looked rueful. “And I guess I’ll be right here. Business first, Chief. I guess any one of the guys could be at risk.”

  He dropped another kiss on her and walked out. Inside his head, though, he answered her. Any of his guys could be at risk? He didn’t think so.

  * * *

  On his way back to the firehouse he called Gage Dalton to come over. He wanted a witness to what he was about to do, and Donna would not suffice.

  There were still guys hanging out around the firehouse, the standby crew while the others drilled. He went into the tool shop at the back and waited for Gage. The sheriff didn’t take long. Maybe five minutes.

  “What happened?” Gage asked.

  Wayne told him. “Got your camera? I’m going to disassemble this breather piece by piece until we find out what was wrong with it. I want official photos.”

  Gage smiled crookedly. “Afraid the woman is going to sue?”

  “No. But if this was tampered with or repaired incorrectly, I want independent, unimpeachable evidence.”

  Gage’s entire demeanor changed. “I’ll get my camera.”

  With Gage taking photos, Wayne started with the gauge on the tank. “It reads full.” He didn’t believe it. Pulling a pressure gauge off the shelf, he replaced the one on the tank with it. Another ripple of shock passed through him. “Empty.”

  “Got it. No air in the tank. How the hell did that happen?”

  “It shouldn’t happen. Not ever. We refill ’em after every fire.”

  He checked the metal ring on the tank. “This was sent back from the maintenance company just one month ago.”

  Gage swore.

  “You recording me?”

  “Hell, yeah,” the sheriff said. “Video. Hi def. We’ve come a long way. Keep going.”

  “So malfunctioning gauge. That’s enough right there.” But he kept looking, checking the hose, attaching it to another cylinder, covering it with dish soap to see if it leaked. No problem with the breathing hose.

  Then he took the mask and soaped it, too. When he hooked it to a fresh tank, little bubbles formed on the underside and he had his answer.

  “Donna,” he said. “Donna. She gave Charity this mask, claiming it would fit better.”

  * * *

  Later, sitting beside Charity’s hospital bed, he held her hand and listened to her finish her phone call. “I’m approving payment for the Buells. The arsonist was caught. And tomorrow morning I’ll be sending my resignation. I’ve had enough of this, Alex. Threats are one thing. Actual attempts on my life are another. Yeah, talk to you later.”

  She disconnected and put the receiver back on the hook, squeezing Wayne’s hand.

  “Just like that, you quit?”

  “Just like that. So it was Donna.”

  “All of it. Every last bit of it. She should have kept her mouth shut, because the only thing we had on her was your attempted murder, but she didn’t. Apparently she had herself convinced she was helping the department and helping the Buells. The first fires were to keep us busy so the commissioners would be reluctant to reduce our budget. The Buell fire—well, she claims it was to help Edna. You heard Edna’s story, so I won’t go into it. Anyway, you were right about one thing—it was either an Einstein or a fool. She was a fool. When she pumped that paint thinner into the house walls it never occurred to her that the fumes would reach the attic and flash over. She was expecting a smoldering fire, one that would set off the smoke detectors before anything really burned.”

  “Dang!”

  “In fact, she thought the house had failed to burn, so that’s why she hit the barn. And she opened the stall doors thinking the animals would run out. Like newborn calves would have the sense, and their mommas would just leave them before it was too late.” He shook his head. “She’s still arguing that she was trying to help everyone.”

  “Except me. Why the hell did she go after me?”

  “Jealousy,” he said. “Partly fear that you might be a better investigator than anyone thought, and partly she just wanted to run you out of town. Because of me. I’m sorry. You told me she had a thing for me, and I didn’t see what was right under my nose. I feel stupid.”

  “I think you just undervalue yourself. Lisa didn’t want you. Why would anyone else?” She shook her head a little. “Don’t we make a pair.”

  A nurse came in and drew some more blood from the IV line. “You’re getting there, Ms. Atkins.”

  “I hope so. I’m feeling dangerously close to being a bad patient.”

  The nurse chuckled on the way out.

  Charity squeezed Wayne’s hand, hoping he couldn’t read her heart on her face. She didn’t know where she was going after this, or if he’d even want her to hang around. It would break her heart to leave, but she couldn’t stay in the same town if he didn’t want her. Conard City was too small, and it would be painful to keep running into him.

  “So what will you do after this?” he asked.

  “I just started to think about that.”

  She watched his face hungrily, hoping for any little sliver of feeling there that would say he wanted her to hang around.

  “Still thinking about getting back into firefighting? Even after today?”

  Her heart leaped then crashed. That didn’t mean anything at all. But she answered truthfully. “Yes. If I’m going to risk my life, then I’m going to risk it doing something important.”

  He smiled faintly. “I think I suddenly have an opening in my team. I know we’re kind of dull compared to a big city, though.”

  “If you manufacture dull around here, I want some of it.” She thought she saw a spark in his gaze. She hoped she hadn’t imagined it.

  “You applying?” he asked.

  “Absolutely.”

  “Done. You’re hired.” Then he sat there, and for the first time since she’d met him, he actually looked awkward.

  “Wayne?”

  He sighed. “I don’t have a lot of practice at this. In fact, I’m totally out of practice. But...I want more than another firefighter, Charity. I want you. In my life. As my wife. I know it hasn’t been long, but we could date for a while...”

  “Shut up and kiss me, Chief.”

  The merest touch of his lips ignited a blaze in her, and as he tightened his grip on her, she raised her arms to cling to him as if he was life itself. And maybe he was.

  “Yes,” she whispered when at last he let her breathe again. “Oh, yes.”

  Just then a sarcastic teenage voice interrupted. “Playing with fire, I see.”

  Wayne straightened as Lindy walked into the room grinning from ear to ear. “Hey, Char,
you okay? He’s not giving you a hard time, is he?”

  “Only the kind I want.”

  Lindy laughed. “Figured. Guess I should give you two a few more minutes. But I like it, Dad. She looks good with you.”

  Then the girl skipped out, probably to tell the whole world.

  “Playing with fire, huh?” Wayne said a little thickly as he looked down at Charity.

  “All the time, Chief. All the time. If you please.”

  He pleased. And so did she.

  Epilogue

  It was both fun and funny. After the wedding, Wayne and Charity, in full wedding togs, rode around town seated on the top of one of the fire trucks, lights flashing, horn blaring. People along the streets had turned out in large numbers to wave and smile. A sheriff’s car led the procession and a police car followed. A just-married banner stretched across the sides of the truck.

  They were headed to the park for a potluck reception, everyone welcome.

  It had been fast, but it had been fun. The only argument had been between Linda and Charity. Charity wanted to wear her new uniform. Linda argued that you only got to be a bride once. Hence the white dress and veil.

  Squeezing Wayne’s hand, she smiled at him, and from time to time they kissed, garnering more cheers.

  They’d talked about everything, from eventually having children to how they were going to fit in the honeymoon. The days since her hospital stay had passed in a wonderful blur.

  They were almost to the park when Randy Dinkum, riding on the back of the truck, pulled himself up a little. “Chief?”

  “Yeah?” Wayne twisted around.

  “Train derailment a mile east of town. Ammonia tanks.”

  Wayne looked at Charity.

  “Let’s go,” she said, ripping the veil from her head.

  He leaned forward and hammered on the roof of the truck. “Let’s go. Roll!”

  They lay down on coiled hoses as the truck sped up. Wayne surrounded her with his arms, smiling into her beaming face.

  “I love you,” he said over the scream of the siren. “I’m going to love every minute of every day from here on out.”

  “You sure know how to show a girl a good time,” she teased. Then her smile softened. “I love you, too, Chief. You’re my roots.”

  * * * * *

  If you loved this novel, don’t miss other suspenseful titles by Rachel Lee:

  UNDERCOVER HUNTER

  SNOWSTORM CONFESSIONS

  DEFENDING THE EYEWITNESS

  DEADLY HUNTER

  Keep reading for an excerpt from

  PROTECTING THE COLTON BRIDE by Elle James.

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  SPECIAL EXCERPT FROM

  ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

  Can this Colton cowboy save his wife—and his beloved ranch—when a killer threatens everything they hold dear?

  Read on for a sneak preview of

  PROTECTING THE COLTON BRIDE

  by New York Times bestselling author Elle James,

  the fourth book in the

  2015 COLTONS OF WYOMING continuity.

  “Why don’t we get married?”

  Even though she’d known it was coming, it still hit her square in the chest. The air rushed from her lungs and a tsunami of feelings washed over her. A surge of joy made her heart beat so fast she felt faint. She crested that wave and slid into the undertow of reality. “A marriage of convenience?”

  “Exactly.” Daniel reached for her hands.

  When she hid them behind her back, he dropped his arms. “It wouldn’t have to be forever. Just long enough to satisfy the stipulations of your grandmother’s will and save your horses, and that would help me get past the Kennedy gauntlet. We could leave tomorrow, spend a night in Vegas, find a chapel and it would be over in less than five minutes.”

  With her heart smarting, Megan forced a shaky smile. “Way to sweep a girl off her feet.”

  He waved his hand and Halo tossed her head. “If you want, I can make an official announcement in front of my family.”

  Megan shook her head. “No.”

  “No, you won’t marry me?”

  “No.” She pushed past him to pace down the center of the barn. “Your plan is insane.”

  “Do you have a better one?” he asked. “I’m all ears.”

  The plan was the same as the one she’d been thinking of before Daniel had woken up. Only when she’d dreamed it up, it didn’t sound as cold and impersonal as Daniel’s proposal. Somewhere in the back of her mind she’d hoped that marriage to Daniel would be something more than one of convenience.

  After yesterday’s kiss, she wasn’t sure she could be around Daniel for long periods of time without wanting another. And another.

  Don’t miss

  PROTECTING THE COLTON BRIDE

  by New York Times bestselling author Elle James,

  Available September 2015

  www.Harlequin.com

  Copyright ©2015 by Harlequin Books, S.A.

  ISBN-13: 9781460387894

  Playing with Fire

  Copyright © 2015 by Susan Civil Brown

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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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