Agreeing to pick up Laredo, Mike ended the call and braced his palms on the kitchen counter. He stared at his cell, his stomach in knots. What the hell was wrong with him?
He liked her. She touched a place inside him he’d never allowed anyone to get close enough to tap before. His track record had been a lot like Laredo—love ’em and leave ’em before they had a chance to get attached.
Attached? Wasn’t he putting the cart before the damn horse? There was and would be no attached. He’d never had a long-term relationship and didn’t want one. He knew better than to be emotionally vulnerable to a woman. That lesson had been drilled into him by watching his father.
***
Mike walked with Shep out of the open bay door. Sun glinted off red metal, so shiny he could see his reflection. If paint could be washed off a vehicle, the quint would be bare.
“Laredo!” Shep shouted to be heard over the radio.
Laredo turned around. Seeing the Captain, he tucked a rag into his back pocket. “What’s up, Cap?”
“I think it’s clean.”
Laredo gave one of his sheepish grins.
“Got a new guy coming early before the next shift. Need you to show him around.”
“Sure thing, Cap.” Laredo climbed into the quint with a bounce in his step.
“You’d think that truck was his pride and joy,” Shep said and shook his head.
“It is,” Mike answered.
“Got the report back on the Wimer property.”
“The house we used for training? Took them long enough.”
The quint’s engine roared and Shep waited for Laredo to back it into its spot in the bay before he continued.
“You were right. Signs of gas and explosives were found.”
Mike whistled through his teeth. “I knew it had to be something like that. Damn thing went up the second Ryan tossed the torch.”
“Heard you went with Jared to see him. How’s he doing?”
“Pretty banged up. Did you know he has staples from his knee to his groin? He could have lost his leg. The force of the blast broke his arm and a few ribs. He’s still on pain medication, but he seemed comfortable. The suit protected his body, but his face is burned. Backlash.”
“Sounds like he’s lucky to be alive.”
“Ryan said the same thing. His attitude is great. Still has his sense of humor. Can’t say I’d be as chipper if I were in his situation.”
“A good woman will do that to you. His wife is one of the good ones.”
Mike couldn’t help but wonder if she’d stick around after what had happened. She seemed nice enough. Ryan looked happy. They had both been smiling when he and Jared left.
“There’s too many questions on this one. Why would someone want to blow up that house?”
Mike drifted back to the conversation with Shep. “Especially when we were going to burn it down. Do you think the person responsible knew the fire department would be there?”
“I had that area cleared and posted. By all means, whoever did this knew about the training exercise. If they didn’t know anything else, they sure as hell saw the keep out signs.”
The idea had Mike clenching his fists. “Firefighters were hurt.”
“Yes. And I want answers. Hooley will find them.”
“Damn. It could have been a lot worse. If those guys had been standing any closer …” Mike didn’t want to think about the fact that the men he thought of as his brothers could have been seriously hurt or killed.
“You two look entirely too serious.” Jared stepped from one of the bay doors behind them. “I came out here to tell you the new guy is here. Mike, you got that look.”
“What look?”
“The one that says there’s trouble. What’s going on?” Jared shoved his thumbs in his front pockets. The smile he wore on a regular basis turned down in a worried frown.
“I got the report from the fire investigator,” Shep answered. “Looks like someone was out there messing around.”
“Some idiot turned on a gas line?”
Shep gave a nod. “Explosives.”
“The Wimers wouldn’t do that.”
“Of course not,” Mike agreed.
“I spoke to the old man,” Shep added. “He told me he cleared out the place and made sure everyone knew to stay away from there.”
“The posted signs were still up,” Jared said. “I saw them.”
“I confirmed with the gas company that Mr. Wimer did notify them about the department using the property, and the gas was turned off.”
“Then what the hell—” Mike started but Shep interrupted him.
“Tanks. Three of them.”
“What kind of son-of-a-bitch would plant those? And for what purpose?” He didn’t expect an answer and was taken back when Jared spoke.
“You know, Cap, this means someone knew firefighters would be there. Someone knew exactly when we’d be there.”
Mike spotted the moment Jared’s words registered with Shep. “This was no chance occurrence. No ordinary man, either. It’s beginning to sound like someone with a grudge.”
“Or some nut job who has targeted the fire department.”
Mike’s anger boiled. “How the hell did the bastard get gas in the house without our men detecting it?”
“Open air. Outside,” Jared said, holding his arms open toward the sky. “The crews had their masks on. Timing was everything.”
An uneasy chill quivered down Mike’s spine.
“Christ. Was the weasel wearing one of our uniforms? Our gear?”
“Either that or … someone’s gone rogue.”
Mike locked eyes with Jared. “Not one of our guys.”
“I prefer to think it’s an outsider,” Shep said, his voice full of uneasiness. “Keep this under wraps.”
***
You need to die.
Seth followed the seam down the barrel of the gun, his target lined up perfectly in his sights.
But not yet. I will make you suffer, the way my brother suffered.
He slowed his breathing, knowing he needed a calm head if his plan was to work.
Did his target know he had been the one responsible for the explosion?
Bitterness wedged in Seth’s throat.
The big business man. CEO of Accent Dynamics. His brother’s partner. The one who had set up a major deal then stabbed Shawn in the back. Shawn had gone to prison while that cocksucker kept living his important life, with his big deal corporation.
The company owed Shawn.
Now owed him.
Shawn survived two years before those bastards finally killed him.
His brother.
His blood.
The saying went revenge is a dish best served cold. But Seth liked things hot.
Fire.
A corner of Seth’s mouth lifted in a grin.
A brother in the Staunton Fire Department. A fireman. Another fucking hero. How convenient that bit of knowledge fit perfectly into Seth’s plans.
Didn’t men die in fires every day?
You will suffer, you bastard. The way my brother suffered.
It’s your turn. See how you like knowing your brother is in danger.
Seth lowered the rifle, thinking of the man he despised.
“You need to die. A little bit at a time.”
Chapter 13
“You’re in a foul mood.” Cassie stood at the classroom door and watched Tammy scurry around in a tizzy. She chewed on her bottom lip, her face was flushed and she jerked at the things on her desk. It had to be her ex. He was the only one who could put Tammy in a bad mood.
“Oh, I’m just peachy,” Tammy said as she grabbed some papers from her desk and stuffed them into her bag with force. From the crinkling sounds, the papers were scrunched. If Tammy shoved any more in there, they’d be unsalvageable.
“Do you plan on grading those and giving them back tomorrow? Your students will think you threw them in the trash and then dug them back
out.”
Tammy froze. When she turned around, her eyes clouded with defeat. Abruptly, she braced her hands on the cluttered desk, as if seeking the sturdy structure to hold her up. Red thick hair covered her face as she hung her head.
Instantly concerned, Cassie hurried forward and clasped Tammy’s shoulders. “Breathe, deep. Count to ten.”
“I’m okay.” Tammy straightened and began stuffing papers again. “The jerk.”
Ahh. Just as Cassie expected.
“Now what did he do?”
“He’s taking me to court,” Tammy said, flicking the latch on her case.
“What?” Cassie asked in a stupor. She could not have heard right.
“He thinks because he now has a new wife, he should have the boys.”
“After two years of being an absentee father, now he wants the boys?”
“Of course, he doesn’t want them,” Tammy spouted in anger. “The boys would make him look better if they lived with him. Prestige and all that crap. And he wouldn’t have to pay child support.” She flung her bag across the room. Papers scattered and floated to the floor.
Cassie retraced her steps and closed the classroom door. When she turned back, tears slid unheedingly down her friend’s face. She wrapped her arms around Tammy’s shaking body and held her.
“He’s a son-of-a-bitch. A rotten bastard.” Tammy jerked her head back, her eyes flashing with anguish. “What am I going to do?”
“Take one breath at a time,” Cassie soothed.
“I’m pissed. Really pissed.” Tammy tilted her tear streaked face up. “But I’m scared, too.”
The fact that Steve planned a custody suit was too much. He was an absolute shithead. “When did all this happen?”
Stepping back, Tammy took a deep breath, attempting to calm herself. She snatched a tissue from the box on her desk and blew her nose.
“Principal Marsh called me to his office at lunch. He received a phone call from Steve.” She hesitated, twisting the tissue in her hands. “He wanted the boys’ records. Since they would be coming to live with him, he would make the decision whether or not they stayed in this school.”
“Good Lord.” How had Tammy been able to teach her class after receiving that shock? “He’s not serious.”
Tammy whirled in fury. “I thought he was bluffing and told Clayton as much. Then I called Steve. The SOB wouldn’t answer.”
Clayton Marsh was a good man. The teachers liked him because he was fair and went to bat for them. He would be on Tammy’s side and do everything in his power to help her keep her boys in this school.
“What did Clayton tell you?”
“I’m glad he told me what Steve was up to. But since Steve has shared legal custody, Clayton had to give him the boys’ records.”
“That’s normal. As teachers, we see things like this all the time. That doesn’t give him permission to take the boys from this school. You have sole physical custody.”
“For now.” Tammy collapsed in the chair behind her desk and covered her face with her hands. “What am I going to do?”
“Don’t worry. We’ll figure this out.”
“He’s taking me to court. I know him. He’s painfully systematic. And thorough. What if he manages to get full custody?”
A tightness settled in Cassie’s chest. “Where are the boys?”
“I asked Carmella to keep them in her classroom.” She lowered her trembling hands. “I’m afraid to let them see me like this. They’ll know. They’re so smart. They will sense something.”
An idea struck. Cassie pulled her cell phone from her purse.
“What are you doing?”
“My sister can be a real bitch, but she’ll come through in a pinch.” When her sister answered, Cassie made arrangements for Jennifer to pick up the boys and keep them overnight. When she ended the call, Tammy stared at her with regret.
“Jennifer is taking the boys? I’m sorry, Cassie. Now you owe her your soul.”
“Don’t worry about it. She’s good for some things, although I’m not sure what.” Cassie slid her phone back into her purse.
“That girl has two faces,” Tammy said as she cocked her head. “If I didn’t see how she treated you, I’d think she was one of the sweetest people around.”
“That’s her front. The face she shows the rest of the world. She wants everyone to believe she’s sugar and honey. She’s an angel, blah, blah.”
“Why do you let her get to you?”
“Believe me, before I became a teacher, it was ten times worse.” Cassie remembered how Jennifer thrived being in the spotlight. As long as Cassie had remained in the background, they mostly got along fine. She’d learned at an early age that she had to toughen up and ignore her sister’s digs.
“I learned to cope. She still gets my hackles up, but I’m used to it.”
“I have three sisters and none of them ever treated me the way your sister treats you. Though, we do have our share of fights. With four of us, usually one of my siblings takes my side.”
“I’m glad Jennifer is my only sister. I have my hands full dealing with her. Just because she’s older she thinks she can boss me around.”
Tammy stood, propped a hand on her hip and said in a comical voice, “You ain’t the boss of me.”
Cassie laughed at the childish pose.
“Didn’t you ever tell your sister that? We did it all the time.”
“I remember kids at school doing that. Didn’t work with Jennifer.”
“You’re one of the strongest people I know,” Tammy said. “But when your sister is around, you shrivel up.”
Shrivel?
“I do not.” As soon as the words left her mouth, she knew they weren’t true. Her sister always made her feel inadequate.
“Well, your defense mechanism turns on, anyway. You go all stiff, your jaw does that clench thing, and it literally looks like you could kill someone.” Tammy tightened her arms by her sides as though demonstrating. “And when you’re around men, humph.”
Cassie narrowed her eyes as her anger surfaced. “Just what do you mean by that remark?”
“Okay. Example.” Tammy shoved out of her chair. “The night we met the fire guys in El Puerto’s.”
Cassie wasn’t sure where this was going, but where men were concerned, Tammy was constantly pushing Cassie out of her comfort zone. “What about it?”
“You’re a beautiful woman, Cassie. Striking. You have the looks, the hair, my God, a fabulous figure. You could be on the cover of Vogue. Yet you act like you’re unattractive.” Tammy leaned in her personal space and glared. “Mike was hot for you.”
Yeah. He was. She’d found out just how hot Friday night.
“I saw your insecurity,” Tammy continued as she stepped back. “I saw you slink into your protective cloak of armor.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I know you,” Tammy said leaning closer. “I saw all sorts of questions running through your mind. You questioned his motives. If he really thought you were pretty. Why would he pick you?”
Cassie felt her face flame.
“Am I wrong?”
No. You’re not wrong.
Cassie being four years younger than her sister had been a lot like growing up alone. She was never allowed to go anywhere with Jennifer. When her friends came over, Jennifer would tell Cassie to get lost. The constant rejection and derogatory remarks had left some pretty deep scars
“I’m not beautiful and I hate when men tell me I am,” Cassie declared. “They only say things they think I want to hear because of my big boobs.”
But Mike had been different.
Clearly frustrated, Tammy flung her arms about. “My God, Cassie. What do you see when you look in the mirror? You’re a knock-out. Men tell you that because it’s true!”
“Stop. You have no reason to flatter me. I’m already your friend.” Cassie tried joking. She couldn’t believe the nonsense Tammy spouted. But she wanted to b
elieve Mike liked her looks. After all, he’d seen every part of her body.
“I give up,” Tammy said as she whirled around. “Your sister has done her work. Or those high school boys, college guys, whatever idiots ridiculed you.”
Yep, they did. All of them. And what did she know?
Only what her sister had told her.
When Cassie left home, she’d learned from experience that guys’ brains were controlled by their dicks. She’d been so stupid. At the age of eighteen, she’d quickly discovered just how little she did know. But she’d learned. The hard way. Life had taught harsh lessons.
All guys wanted sex. If the woman was willing, plain or pretty, a man scored. Cassie had allowed herself to believe they cared. A quick roll in the hay did not mean adoration or devotion. Cassie had been seduced. Like so many others, she’d fallen for a college boy’s charms. She’d felt love and then heartbreak. But she could not deny the passion. Or the fierce longing right up until the guy was done with her. Then all she’d felt was empty and unfulfilled.
She put a halt on her wandering emotions before they could rein free, and forced her mind back to the situation at hand.
“You’ve got a sitter for the evening. I think we both could use a drink.”
Tammy crossed her arms over her chest. “What do you have in mind?”
Cassie gestured to the floor. “First, we’re going to clean up these papers. Then we’re getting you out of here.”
***
Jared wore a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled to his forearms. His cologne told the entire team he had a date. Jared never wore the scent to work. By the smile lifting the corners of his mouth, Jared’s date must be a hottie.
“What are you doing here? Don’t you have a date?” Mike asked.
“Who said I had a date?”
Mike gave an exaggerated sniff. “Did you get all sweet smelling for us?”
“Nope. I’m headed over to Roanoke coliseum. Chippendales are performing tonight.”
Cooper hooted. “You got off early, flying solo, to go see the Chippendales?”
“Pretty Boy couldn’t score a date? Come on man. The Chippendales are dudes!”
MIKE The Firefighters of Station 8 Page 12
