“I told you who I am.” The words clearly took effort. Sweat beaded his forehead. If he didn’t sit down soon, he’d collapse. Erica knew before he said “Clint Clifford” that he was Sandy’s really great guy. Stepping forward, she touched his arm.
“I might be able to help you, Clint.”
He turned glazed eyes her way. “I need to find Sandy.”
“You know him, Erica?” April pulled her right hand back in sight.
“Sandy told me who he is.”
“I’m her…” He scrubbed his hand over a day’s growth of whiskers. “God, I don’t even know what I am to her.” He squared his shoulders. “But I know what she is to me. Please, I’ve got to find her. She’s got to know none of the other stuff matters.”
He was fighting for her, or trying to.
Erica glanced at April, who steadfastly shook her head. Any information wasn’t going to come from her. “Is Chief Stanton in?”
April nodded and called his office. “Chief, Erica’s here.” Then she hung up. “You can go back.” She buzzed the door open.
“Sit down,” Erica told Clint. “I’ll be right back. Here.” She shoved the thermos into his hands. “You look like you could use some coffee.”
He looked like he might refuse but then took the thermos and sank into the nearest chair, opening it with shaking hands.
Testosterone slammed into her the second she walked through the door. Erica had forgotten how overpowering it could be. All the air freshener in the world couldn’t dissipate the smell. It was like twenty male locker rooms all combined into one. She didn’t know how Gina and Sandy—or April—could stand it. But then, they loved their jobs. After all, she tolerated Play-Doh. Well, actually, she’d banned it from her classroom.
Craig stood outside his office, waiting for her. Erica wasted little time.
“Sandy’s boyfriend is out front.” She jerked her thumb over her shoulder. “Sandy took off for her parents’ place this morning. He needs to find her. Could you check her records for an address?”
His eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“Honestly? Because everybody deserves a chance to fight for the one they love.”
Craig sighed. “He could be working with Keith, Erica.”
She shook her head. “No. Sandy gave me his name. The guy’s a mess. She really cares a lot for him, and then all this happened. She took off. I told her that he deserved—”
Craig raised his palm. “I’ll get it. Come sit.”
“Actually, I was hoping I could ransack the kitchen, maybe throw a sandwich together for the guy. He’s a mess, Craig.”
“Do it. All the food you’ve fed us, I doubt anyone will begrudge you a sandwich.” He ducked into his office.
By the time she’d assembled a turkey sandwich, Craig was by her side with the address.
“I hope you’re right about this,” he said.
“Me too. It’s up to them now.” Sandy would either thank her or kill her.
She spied trucks pulling into the bay as she returned to the reception area. Clint looked up, then stood, handing her the thermos at the same time she gave him the address and sandwich.
“Thank you,” he said softly and wasted little time leaving.
“We’re back,” Berto’s voice came over the intercom.
“That would be Mike as well. You want to wait in his office?” April asked.
The door to the inner sanctum opened before she could reply. Mike stood there looking… Well, she couldn’t really read his expression. It wasn’t joy, though.
“Come on back.”
He swung the door wide enough to let her by, then followed her down to his tiny office. The distance he kept between them hurt. Where were the subtle touches, the barely there brush against her? Even as just friends, he’d stood closer than this. If this was how he handled a bad call, she didn’t like it. They’d deal with that later.
She dug in her purse for the lottery ticket as she walked into the room. Mike shut the door behind them.
“I just need you to sign this, and—”
“What were you thinking?” he whispered harshly. “You don’t know that man. He could be anybody. Now he knows where Sandy is.”
“She told me and Posner his name last night. Why else would he be here? That was no act, Mike. He was devastated and desperate.”
He braced his hands on his hips. “I think we’ve all learned how convincing desperate people can be.”
Erica didn’t appreciate the low blow. “At least he’s going after her. If you’d done that in the first place, we wouldn’t be in the position we are now.”
Mike jerked as if she’d slapped him. His expression hardened. This one she had no problem deciphering—anger. “I don’t recall you busting down my door.”
“Because I never in a million years thought a man like you would ever want someone like me.” It was damn hard to make a point when her words were restricted to just above whisper level.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he shot back, just as softly but with all the force of a yell.
“I saw the women you hooked up with over the last year. I know what you like.”
“Yeah. You. I thought we covered that ground already. Or are we going to continue to revisit old crap every time you get mad? Because what you just said to me? That was uncalled for.”
Erica sighed. He was right. She’d lashed out when she shouldn’t have, frustrated because he’d questioned her actions. “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for.”
He didn’t look placated. Not that she could blame him. “You didn’t see the look in his eyes, Mike. I did. I know what love looks like. I see it in your eyes every time you look at me.”
He sighed and dropped into one of the chairs in front of his desk. Eyes closed, he pinched the bridge of his nose. This wasn’t going well at all. It might be better to give him some distance.
She placed the lottery ticket on the edge of his desk. “Sign this, and I’ll get out of your hair.”
Mike dropped his hand to stare at the ticket, then slowly shook his head. “I can’t take your money. I won’t trap you. I… You can do so much better than me, Erica.”
What the fuck danced on the tip of her tongue. Forcing the words back, she sank into the chair beside him.
“Hikers found Keith,” he said before she could ask what was wrong. “That’s the call we just came back from. I reached him first.” His hand shook as he rubbed it over his mouth. “He’s alive, but… I squatted next to him, my finger over his pulse, debating how easy it would be to change that state. Press, hold, and he’d be gone.” He glanced her way, eyes swimming with unshed tears. “I’m no better than he is, Erica.”
She racked her brain for a response that wouldn’t send him heading for the hills. “Then neither am I, because I would have felt the same way.” It was the truth too. Her own hand shook as she cupped his cheek. “But you didn’t do it. You dragged his worthless ass out of there.” Because he had said Keith was alive. “That makes you nothing like him at all.”
Her touch and the words did little good. Mike still looked haunted. He broke their physical connection and leaned forward, his elbows on his knees.
“Any clue on what happened?” Focusing on business might help center him.
“His car was found about five miles away. Looks like he walked the wrong direction, away from the road instead of toward it. He has a head wound, is dehydrated, and suffering from exposure. The head wound will most likely be a concussion, which would explain his confusion with direction. An IV brought him around a bit before he was airlifted to the hospital. He was asking for you.”
“He can ask all he wants. I won’t see him.” Wouldn’t be a party to whatever game he played.
“I don’t think you’re going to have much of a choice. Posner might need you to help get information.”
Considering all the help she’d given him lately, Detective Posner should be putting her on the payroll.
Mike’s gaz
e wandered to the ticket. “Things have moved very fast between us. Maybe slowing things down would better. Give you time to—”
“I don’t need time. I know what I want. You.”
He kept staring at the ticket. “I don’t want you to feel trapped. To feel like you have no other option.”
“You’re being dumb.” Probably not the best choice of words. “Considerate as hell, but still dumb.”
Mike finally looked at her. “I came this close”—he measured a minute distance between his thumb and forefinger—“to killing a man today. Do you really want to be saddled with someone that unpredictable?”
“It would have been unpredictable if you hadn’t felt that way. Ask the guys what they would have done. If they’re honest, they’ll say the same thought would have crossed their minds. I know it would have mine.”
His gaze returned to that damn lottery ticket. “I won’t sign it. I want you to have choices.”
“The money bothers you,” she said.
He finally looked at her. “It’s a hell of a lot of money. There are adjustments neither of us considered. Adjustments and changes I’m not sure…” He pulled in a hard breath, then let it out. “Let’s just say, I understand how Betty felt.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“I need it to be your money. I need you to have that security, to know that you had a choice.”
“But, Mike”—she pressed her hand to his knee—“I’ve made my choice, and you’re taking it away from me. I’d rather destroy that ticket than let it come between us.”
“Now who’s being dumb? If you think I’m going to let you—”
Erica laughed. “Let me? What about me having a choice?”
He twisted in his seat and grasped her hands. “Sweetheart, you could do great things with that kind of money.”
She squeezed his hands. “We can do great things with it.”
He shook his head. “I won’t sign it. I won’t take your money. I won’t make you feel trapped. I won’t be like Keith. Please, Erica. I need this. I need to have at least this much control right now.”
Because he’d almost lost control today or felt like he had. It was hell when a hero realized he was human. Erica didn’t know how else to assure him except to do as he asked.
“All right, Mike. I’ll put it in the safe.” She released his hands and put the ticket back in her purse.
“I’m going to need some space while I process all this,” he added.
“Wow, so much for communication.” A light blinked on behind his wide eyes. Erica went in for the kill. “Not as easy as you thought, is it? I appreciate you’ve learned you actually have a dark side and it scares the hell out of you. But don’t think for a second I’m going to let you shut me out. That wasn’t the agreement we made.”
Erica hooked her purse strap over her shoulder as she stood. His gaze followed her movement. “It doesn’t matter what you didn’t do. It only matters what you did do. Something we both should keep in the forefront of our minds. The past is the past. The future is what we make of it. I trust you, Mike. One hundred percent. Even when you don’t trust yourself, I trust you. Hold on to that while you’re beating yourself up over this.”
On that note, she walked out. He could chew on that for a while. She didn’t intend to let him dwell too long, though. Only as long as it took to finish her errands.
“Have a nice day, April,” she said as she passed through reception.
“You too.”
Outside, Erica took a deep breath to quell a sudden attack of nerves. Too many things lumped into one—the argument with Mike, Keith’s reappearance and what it would bring, and her second-guessing the decision to share Sandy’s whereabouts with Clint. She should have been more cautious. Should have contacted Sandy first. But then, Sandy would have refused, and that look in Clint’s eyes—
“Hey.”
Erica spun around at the sound of Mike’s voice behind her.
“I didn’t mean to startle you.” He touched her elbow. “You’re right. Communicating isn’t easy, and I really botched it this time. Thank you for calling me out.”
“You’d do the same.”
“I’m scared,” he freely admitted.
“It’s okay to be scared. I’ve got your back.”
He stepped closer. “When bad things happen, all I want is to be in your arms. I want to hold you so badly right now.”
“Then do.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, dragging him with her as she leaned against the car.
He tightened his arms around her waist and nuzzled his cheek against hers. “Don’t let go.”
“Never. Even when we’re apart, I’ll always be there.”
Mike dropped a kiss to her lips. “I’ll call you later. Text.” He managed a weak smile. “Maybe we can out-text Tim and Trish.”
She brushed her thumb over his cheek. “We’re amateurs compared to them, but we’ll get there.”
“Yeah, we will.” His smile was stronger now, chasing the demons from his eyes. “Stay safe, and I’ll do the same.”
They went their separate ways after another kiss—she into her car, he toward the station. She watched his stride, strong and confident, shoulders not as weighed down, although she knew the issue was far from over. The memory of what he’d almost done would bother him for some time. It would affect decisions he made from here on out. It would also make him a better firefighter, giving him more insight into a person’s psyche. If he continued to be a firefighter.
The lottery ticket had turned into a weight she’d never imagined. She would have felt better if Mike had signed the damn thing. Or would she? Signed, it became real. Too real. No dream come true but a nightmare of grand proportion. Because it would change everything they were.
Only if you let it.
Relief seeped through her. She grabbed her phone to text Mike.
Epiphany here. We control the money. It doesn’t control us. Nothing truly has to change unless we wish it.
She stared at her phone, debating on whether or not to send it. He’d been clear on his wishes and needs for the moment. Would he take this as her trying to manipulate him into doing what she wanted?
A tap at her window made her start. The next to the last person she expected to find standing there was Karen Trenton. Nothing in her stance suggested danger, but Erica didn’t trust her. A quick scan showed no vehicle in sight. That was suspicious on its own.
Karen twirled her finger, asking Erica to roll down the window. She spun it down a fraction, knowing it alerted the other woman that Erica considered her a threat.
“The news said Keith was found, that fire-department personnel rescued him. I came here to see if it was true.” Karen stuffed her hands into the pockets of her black hoodie.
Erica jerked her head toward the door. “I’m sure they’ll be able to provide that information. Sorry. I’m late for an appointment.” She started her car and added a shrug. Fear of running over Karen kept her in place. Karen wasn’t moving.
“Was there something more you needed?” Erica asked. Was that her finger in her pocket or a weapon? Erica pressed Send on the draft text, waited, and sent another blank text, then another.
Karen’s head whipped up. Erica didn’t dare take her eyes off the woman to see who approached. She didn’t really have to.
“Is there a problem, ma’am?” Mike asked.
Karen stepped away. Erica rolled up the window.
“I heard my brother was rescued by fire-department personnel. I’m Karen Randall Trenton. I thought I could get more info here. I know this woman, so—”
“We can help you inside, ma’am,” Erica heard April say. She turned in time to see April wave Karen toward the station. CJ and Bub hovered nearby. As Karen walked away, Mike replaced her at the driver’s-side window. Erica rolled it down.
“We’ve notified deputies she’s here.” He pulled the pen from his shirt pocket. “Give me that ticket. I’ll sign it a thousand times over if that’s what it ta
kes to keep this safe for you.”
“For us.”
“For us,” he replied.
Chapter Fifteen
Going back to work on Wednesday had helped fill the hours while Mike was on-shift. With Keith hospitalized and Karen avoiding sheriff’s deputies, she felt fairly safe returning to normal activities, though she maintained diligence with safety precautions.
The routine and work had helped keep the lonelies away for the last two days. But oh, how Erica wanted to play hooky today, now that Mike was off-shift or would be once this firefighter demonstration was over. Complaints about the cancellation had reverberated up the chain, right to the school board. Mrs. Ritz had had no choice but to reschedule for Friday immediately. Mike and his crew waited in the parking lot with one of the engines. The children were beyond excited. Mild compared to Erica’s giddy anticipation over seeing Mike.
One look, and everyone would see how crazy in love she was with him. At least she had the buffer of children, teachers, and parent volunteers between them. Her sole focus would be on the second-grade students in her care, not on the yummy fire captain.
Liar.
Three days and very long nights had been sprinkled with text messages that would set the Cloud on fire, not to mention one or two very graphic phone calls. How could she not lock her gaze on him the moment he came into view?
She led the class toward the parking lot where the fire engine and crew waited to assuage the kids’ curiosity this morning. The roar of the truck shuddered through her first, churning her already fluttering heart. Nearing the gate, Erica turned around and walked backward in order to avoid the gaze she knew would spear through her.
“Stay together. Manners in place. Be respectful.” The kids were wide-eyed at the prospect of being so near the fire engine and the men and women who were their heroes.
“You’re going to trip and fall if you keep walking backward.”
Her heart jolted at the sound of Mike’s deep voice. She’d been too focused on not looking that she hadn’t realized he stood at the gate, ready to greet the kids as they arrived. His turnout gear made him seem larger than life. Hell, he was larger than life. Memories of his hot phone call last night shut down her brain and ignited her blood.
Wrapped in Flame Page 18
