Blazing Summer (Darling Investigations Book 2)

by Denise Grover Swank

  Trent laughed. “Are you screwin’ America’s Darling, Luke?”

  Luke’s hands fisted at his sides.

  Great. The man who was slow to anger, unless it involved me, apparently, was now riled up.

  Since this was an unofficial visit, I decided to take over before Luke did something he regretted. I walked around him and held out my hand to Trent. “I’m gonna need those car keys.”

  “When did you become friends with April Jean?”

  “Never you mind about that. Just give me the keys.”

  He dug into his jeans pocket and pulled out a set of keys with a pink, fuzzy pom-pom on the end. Dangling them over my hands, he said, “How long are you in town for?”

  “Never you mind about that either.”

  He laughed. “We should entertain the idea of getting together for drinks.”

  I wiggled my fingers. “All we’re entertaining at the moment is you handing over April Jean’s keys.”

  He dropped the keys into my palm. “I’ll win you over, just wait and see.”

  “Don’t hold your breath waiting or you’ll die from oxygen deprivation. You should head back to work,” I said, motioning to the doorway to the back. “It’s not easy trying to transform yourself into a productive member of society. You need to give it your full attention.”

  He laughed again. “You tell Dixie I’ll see her later. And if you want to join us, the more the merrier. I love me a good threesome.” Then he turned around and started to head back through the doorway, only to stop and swivel back toward me with an expression that screamed arrogant asshole. “Aren’t you supposed to say Gotcha!?”

  I clenched my fists at my sides, and my words came out in a low growl. “How about I say—”

  Luke spun me around and pointed me toward the door. “And that’s our cue to leave.”

  I was steaming, but not so much from the Gotcha! dig as what he’d said before it. Dixie was planning on seeing him? Over my dead body.

  I turned around to leave, and Luke followed on my heels. I could feel his irritation before we even stopped next to his truck.

  “I thought I told you to let me handle it,” he said.

  “It was an unofficial visit, Luke, and the way he was talking about April Jean was pissing me off.”

  “And the way he was talking about you was pissing me off.”

  “No kidding. I was scared you were gonna hit him.”

  His brow furrowed, and he glanced toward the office. “He was insulting you.”

  “I’m a big girl, Luke, and I’ve dealt with a hell of a lot worse than that.”

  He turned back to me. “You should have stayed out of it, Summer.”

  “I’m sorry.” That I had upset him. Not that I’d jumped in. “But did you hear him say he was meeting Dixie later?”

  “He was probably just saying that to rile you up, and he added the threesome part to get me on edge. I have to believe Dixie’s smarter than that.”

  I lost some of my bluster. “I sure hope so.”

  Luke’s phone rang, and he pulled it out of his pocket. “What’s up, Amber?” He paused and pushed out a sigh. “I’ll be right over. Tell Willy to hang tight.”

  Willy was Officer Willy Hawkins, which meant there was trouble. “What’s goin’ on?” I asked, realizing my southern accent was back in full force. That had taken less than twenty-four hours this time.

  “There’s a house fire on the south edge of town.”

  “Do you usually show up to those? Can’t Willy handle it?”

  “He could if it were an ordinary house fire, but the fire department’s calling it arson.”

  “Oh.” That hit a little too close to home. A shiver ran down my spine.

  “I need to head over there. Do you think you could get Dixie to pick you up there?”

  “We need to get April Jean’s car back to her. Maybe I should have Dixie pick me up at her trailer.”

  Luke snatched the keys out of my hand. “No way. That car’s a piece of crap and liable to break down ten feet after you pull out of the parking lot.”

  “Fine,” I said, heading toward the passenger door. The truth was that I wanted to go with him. While I planned to investigate Trent Dunbar, I wasn’t sure we’d actually be able to use it for the show. It was a dangerous proposition, since it involved Dixie. I wouldn’t air anything that might hurt my cousin in any way, which meant I needed a backup plan. The house fire was probably nothing, but I was desperate.

  During the drive, I could tell that Luke was still irritated with me, but he finally broke the silence after five minutes. “You are not allowed anywhere near this crime scene, Summer.”

  “I know, Luke.”

  “No. I want your word that you won’t go near the crime scene.”

  “I promise I won’t go near the crime scene.” Releasing a sigh, I reached for his hand. “Like I said, I only jumped in with Trent because it wasn’t an official visit. But the fire is different. I would never do anything to compromise an investigation. I swear.”

  His hand squeezed mine, and he nodded. “Okay. Maybe you should call Dixie now about coming to get you.”

  “Actually, I’m thinking Dixie doesn’t need the reminder. She was a mess when we visited Otto’s old house.” Otto’s family had died in a fire too, just like Dixie’s parents and our pawpaw had. “I was thinking about asking Teddy.”

  “You’re right. That’s probably a good idea.”

  After he gave me the address, I sent Teddy a text asking him if he had time to pick me up. He responded right away and said he was leaving the feed store and could be at the house in fifteen to twenty minutes.

  “That means you’ll be hanging around for about ten minutes before he gets there,” Luke said.

  “I already gave you my word that I wouldn’t bother the crime scene.”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  I didn’t blame him for his skepticism.

  The house was smoldering when we pulled up. Although the fire had been put out, it had done quite a bit of damage first. Two fire trucks were parked out front as well as an ambulance and a Sweet Briar police car. There was also a bunch of people gawking at the scene from the other side of the street.

  Luke reached for his door handle, then stopped and turned to face me. “Are you free for dinner tonight?”

  I made a face. “Meemaw has called a family dinner . . . but you could come.”

  “To a Baumgartner family dinner?” He sounded leery.

  “Too soon?” I said with a hint of a challenge.

  He cast a glance at the smoldering house, then leaned over and gave me a kiss. He sat back and smiled. “I want this to work, Summer, and I know your family is important to you now that you got them back. So yes. I’ll come to a Baumgartner family dinner. And I’ll even try my best to get along with Teddy.”

  “Thanks for making an effort,” I said. And I knew what a supreme effort this was. Teddy held Luke responsible for putting Dixie in juvie all those years ago, something I doubted he’d ever get over. He also held a grudge against Luke for breaking up with me over the Connor photos. Luke had an uphill battle as far as my oldest cousin was concerned.

  He rested his hand on my neck, and his thumb lightly brushed my jaw. “You’re worth it. What time should I be there?”

  A pleasant shiver ran down my back and all the way to my toes. “Meemaw knows my days tend to run late, so she’s made the concession of a seven o’clock dinner time, but be forewarned—bodily harm is a distinct possibility for anyone who’s late. If you come, make sure you’re a few minutes early.”

  “I’ll be there. Be safe, Summer.”

  “You too.”

  Luke got out of the truck, and I realized that a few people had been watching us, which meant what just transpired would be all over Maybelline’s Facebook page in a matter of minutes. I could only hope that the novelty would wear off sooner rather than later.

  I got out of the truck and decided to ask the neighbors what they knew abou
t the fire—there was more than one way to get information.

  I headed toward the crowd, trying to figure out who to talk to first, but I stopped in my tracks when I saw Connor Blake already talking to someone in the crowd. Worse, he had his film crew with him.

  “What are you doing here, Connor?” I asked.

  He turned to me and grinned. “Looks like I had the same idea you did—I just got here first. Which means I get dibs.”

  I put a hand on my hip. “First, there is no client, Connor. Second, this is an actual fire, and someone’s house was destroyed. I think the police and the fire marshal have it covered, and three, this isn’t a game.”

  “Says you,” he said with a grin. “But this is still mine.”

  “I’m only here because I was with Luke. My cousin’s on his way to pick me up.”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  I shrugged. What did I care if he believed me or not?

  “Summer,” Lauren said as she made her way to me through the crowd, “why am I not surprised to see you here?”

  “I was with Luke when he got the call about the fire.”

  “Using everything at your disposal,” Lauren said. “Just like me.” The gleam in her eye told me she knew it was the worst possible insult she could have leveled at me. Worse, it kind of struck home.

  “I don’t need Luke’s help to come up with cases,” I lied. “We’ve got some exciting things lined up all on our own.”

  “I can’t wait to see,” she said. “Can you give me any hints?” She knew we didn’t have squat.

  “You’ll have to wait to find out like everyone else.”

  She was about to respond, but her gaze shifted away from me, and a smug smile broke out on her face. “Looks like you were telling the truth.”

  I turned to see Teddy walking up behind me, and he didn’t look happy. No wonder Lauren was excited. The Darling Investigations fans loved Teddy. I was sure she planned to take full advantage of that.

  “Summer, you didn’t waste any time finding trouble, did you?” he asked with a frown. His gaze shifted to Luke, who was talking to Willy and a man in a firefighter’s suit.

  Little did he know . . . “I’m only here because I was with Luke when he got the call, and he didn’t have time to drop me off at the office.”

  “Didn’t waste any time with him either, huh?” Teddy asked.

  Lauren’s eyes lit up at the smell of conflict in my life.

  I grabbed Teddy’s arm and tried to drag him away, but my producer caught his attention.

  “What are all y’all doing at Bruce Jepper’s house?” he asked.

  “Is that who lives here?” I asked.

  “Back off, Summer,” Lauren said. “We were here first. The case is ours.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Like I said, I have my own cases.”

  Pissed, I started to walk toward Teddy’s truck. He caught up with me in two strides. “What’s goin’ on, Summer? I thought you were workin’ with Lauren.”

  “It’s a long story,” I said. “I’ll explain in the truck.”

  A man who looked to be close to my age was standing next to the crime scene tape, and he nodded as we passed. He was wearing jeans and a T-shirt, and even though Luke was wearing civilian clothes too, this guy looked so nervous I suspected he wasn’t a first responder.

  Teddy came to a halt when he saw the guy, and I stopped with him. As anxious as this bystander looked, he had to know what was going on, not to mention he was standing right next to the crime scene tape, and no one was shooing him away. Sure, maybe I couldn’t do anything with this particular case now that Connor had claimed it, but it would drive Lauren crazy that I was talking to him. Whoever he was.

  “Bruce, what happened?” Teddy asked.

  He ran a shaky hand over his shaggy, brown hair. “I have no idea. I left for work around eight, and then my next-door neighbor called me about an hour ago and told me she saw smoke pouring out the back window of my house. The fire chief says it’s probably a total loss.”

  “That sucks,” Teddy said. “Do they know what caused it?”

  “No, but he asked if I had any chemicals stored in the kitchen. All I had was some cleaning supplies. Nothin’ crazy.”

  “Do you live alone?” I asked.

  Bruce eyed me up and down. “I ain’t got a wife or a girlfriend, if that’s what you’re askin’.”

  “Don’t waste your time,” Teddy said with a groan. “She’s goin’ out with Luke.”

  He shrugged. “Can’t blame a guy for tryin’.”

  “I’m sorry about your house,” I said. “Do you know anyone who might have started the fire on purpose?”

  He shook his head. “No. I ain’t got any enemies that I know about.”

  A fireman headed toward us, and I was sure he was going to tell us to back up, but he turned his attention to Bruce. The new guy was tall and good-looking and had a mass of dark, thick hair and an air of confidence that didn’t look forced. “I thought I’d give you an update, man.” His gaze lingered on me before moving to my cousin. “Hey, Teddy. What are you doin’ here?”

  “Pickin’ up my cousin. It’s a long story as to why she’s here, so don’t ask.”

  The firefighter grinned. “I know why she’s here. She showed up with Luke. I saw ’em makin’ out in his pickup.”

  “We didn’t make out,” I protested. “It was one kiss.”

  Teddy scowled. “I said don’t ask. I don’t want to know any of the details.”

  The guy laughed. “I didn’t ask. I made a statement of fact.” He turned to me. “Hi, I’m Garrett Newcomer. You’re obviously Summer.”

  “You have me at a disadvantage,” I said. “You know about me, but I don’t know anything about you.”

  “Garrett, Bruce, and I have been friends since kindergarten,” Teddy said. “Garrett escaped Sweet Briar for a couple of years. Then, fool that he is, he came back and got a job at Dunbar Lumber.”

  “I got a degree in forestry, jackass. White-collar job. It’s not like I’m loading the trucks.”

  “Wearing a dress shirt all day.” Teddy said it like it was an insult.

  “Sure as hell beats gambling with the weather every year,” Garrett said good-naturedly. “And I still get time out in the field with a guaranteed salary.”

  “But you’re working for Trent Dunbar,” Teddy sneered.

  “Hey, now. I’m working for his daddy,” Garrett said.

  I held up my hand, then gestured to the clothes Garrett was wearing. “Wait. If you’re working for Dunbar Lumber, why are you dressed up like a firefighter?”

  “I’m a volunteer firefighter,” Garrett said. “Most of us are. Sweet Briar’s not busy or rich enough to pay for a full-time fire crew, and Roger Dunbar’s good about letting the guys off for fire calls.” He turned to Bruce with a solemn look. “Which brings me back to the reason I walked over in the first place. You can’t stay here tonight. In fact, you can’t go inside at all. The fire marshal is still investigating, and the house isn’t fit to live in.”

  Bruce’s face turned ashen. “What am I gonna do?”

  “I was about to tell you to call your insurance agent, but Thelma Kuntz just pulled up.” Garrett gestured to an older woman who was climbing out of her car. “The benefit of living in a small town. She should get you all sorted out.” Then he lowered his voice. “Don’t worry, Bruce, you’ve got a dozen friends to help you.”

  “Since Trent’s back, he might help too,” Bruce said in a hopeful tone.

  Teddy’s brow lowered so much it was a wonder he could see. “I wouldn’t count on that asshole to put you out if you were on fire. Besides, I thought he was pissed at you over that poker game last night.”

  “He was drinkin’. He probably doesn’t even remember,” Bruce said, but he didn’t sound like he totally believed it.

  Trent Dunbar had been one busy guy last night. “Who else was at the poker game?” I asked before I could stop myself. I’d always been a little too curious fo
r my own good—a trait I shared with the character I’d played on Gotcha!

  Teddy gave me a look that said he didn’t appreciate my nosiness, but Bruce wrinkled his nose. “Just a few guys. Me, Trent, Wizard, Mark, and Garrett.”

  Garrett, wearing a grave expression, clapped Bruce on the back. “I need to get back to it, but if there’s anything you need, let me know, okay?”

  Bruce nodded.

  Garrett turned to me. “And if you need a forester who also happens to be an experienced firefighter as an expert on your show, I’m your man.”

  I laughed. “If the situation arises, you’ll be the first one I call.”

  “Good.” Garrett ducked under the tape and walked over to a group composed of a couple of firefighters and Luke and Willy.

  “I better go meet with Thelma,” Bruce said with a sigh.

  “Say, Bruce,” I said, lowering my voice, “I have no right to ask you this, but if that guy with the camera tries to ask you questions, shoot him down, okay?”

  He scanned the crowd, and then his eyes widened in surprise. “Isn’t that the guy from Gotcha!?”

  “Yeah,” I grumbled.

  Teddy strained his neck, trying to get a better look. “What’s he doin’ here? I thought you hated that guy.”

  “Hate’s a strong word, but it’s safe to say I’m not happy about him being here. At. All.” I rested a hand on Bruce’s arm. “Which is why I’m asking you something I shouldn’t be askin’, but I’m askin’ anyway.”

  “Does he want to put me on TV?” Bruce asked, keeping his gaze on my former costar. Connor was trying to conduct an interview while holding up another prepublication copy of his book—he’d given me the last one, my eye. A few middle-aged women had flocked around him and were grabbing his shirt in a bid to get his attention.

  “Yeah,” I said. “But he’s more concerned with selling The Connor Life and makin’ himself look good.”

  “The Connor Life?” Teddy asked.

  I rolled my eyes. “Don’t ask. But, Bruce, if you’ll let me interview you, not only will you get on TV, but I’ll make sure you look amazing.”

  “Can you take away my beer belly?” He grabbed a handful of it through his shirt.

  That wasn’t exactly what I’d meant. “Um . . . yeah.” It was nothing a table or tight frame on his face wouldn’t hide.