by Stone, Piper
The real estate agent had pointed out there was a mound of firewood for the fireplace. Too bad at least half the stack was rotten, the wood consumed by bugs. Still, maybe he could find a few pieces to warm up the cabin. Tonight, would be in the forties. There was a heat pump of sorts, but the damn thing was inefficient as hell. He’d spend as much on electricity as he would purchasing a new unit. Another item on the very long to buy list .
He stood leaning over the railing, gazing up at the sky. The air was getting chillier, even reports that the first real snowfall in the city was expected within days. Getting ready for winter was going to take a miracle. He popped the top and took a swig. The cool beer tasted better than any he’d had in recent months. Perhaps because he was working with his hands, fixing up his own place. The first house he’d ever owned. He chuckled at the thought and darted a quick look at the fence. You bet he’d repaired several of the boards. As if he was getting livestock any time soon .
He’d never been on a horse in his life. There was always a first time. Hearing a rumbling noise, he walked down the stairs. A visitor meant someone knew where he lived. There was no way a lost tourist found the nearest respite, not at this location .
When a Dodge Ram pulled up into his driveway, the glare kept him from seeing who was behind the wheel. He was surprised at the man stepping out of the vehicle. “Stoker ?”
“In the flesh.” Stoker grinned as he closed the door. “Hope you don’t mind us just stopping by. As I mentioned, I live close by. Thought I’d come check on the new digs .”
Even more surprising was the other door being opened. The lovely woman stepping out of the passenger side he remembered seeing at Ziggy’s on the first night. Jessica Dunn. He’d figured out where he knew the name from, her previous life. Montana certainly had a draw. “No. That’s cool. Glad to have a visitor in truth, so welcome to my not so flashy abode .”
“Beautiful countryside,” Jessica said as she smiled .
Stoker scanned the entire area before grinning. “She’s right. Gorgeous piece of land .”
An awkward silence settled in until Jessica cleared her throat. “Okay, boys. This isn’t the first day of school .”
Stoker rolled his eyes. “Once a brat .”
Landen half laughed. “I’ll show you around .”
“We brought you a few things that you might need including steaks and potatoes.” Stoker grinned impishly as he closed the door .
“My dear fiancé has a way of inviting himself to a party,” Jessica chastised .
“I appreciate it since I haven’t been to the store.” Landen immediately liked her spunky personality .
Stoker inched closer. “I thought I’d give the place a once over, just in case you wanted some advice. No strings attached .”
Landen was shocked at the level of relief he felt. “You know what? I’d love that. Come in, but I can only offer you a beer and water at this point. On second thoughts. Don’t drink the water. Like everything else around here, needs work .”
“Don’t worry. I brought what I need.” Jessica held up a bag and walked closer. “I’m Jessica .”
“I remember. Thank you both.” This seemed so foreign to him. “Curious what you think. The agent was a damn good talker. Said the place was majestic. I think he meant abandoned.” Landen closed the door behind them, watching with growing curiosity as Stoker ran his hand along several beams as well as the fireplace stone .
“Why don’t I take the bags and make myself useful while you he men talk shop?” Winking, Jessica grabbed the bags and headed straight for the kitchen .
“She’s very nice,” Landen said quietly .
“Truth is, I’d be lost without her. You’d be amazed what a good woman can do for your demons .”
Was the comment directed at him? Landen could only nod .
“Let’s see what you purchased.” Stoker walked around the perimeter of the living room then into the rest of the house .
Landen trailed behind, following him outside onto the back deck, watching him saunter down the rickety stairs .
After a few minutes, Stoker returned, a frown on his face. “Here are my thoughts. There’s no real wood that matters for a fire. The heating unit is shot, the bathroom a wreck and the house has a distinct chill. The foundation is fine, but you have several beams that need repair. The barn is a nightmare, but fixable. The outbuildings? I’d tear them down. The rest is more cosmetic but will take you a shit load of time .”
Landen was disheartened. “Just what I thought. Let’s add that I’m worried about the well given the water is brown at times and I have no idea what to do with the barn, nor do I own any real tools to fix the problems. I purchased a tool bag from the local hardware store and I have no doubt it’s for girls. No offense to beautiful women,” Landen said then rolled his eyes .
“You paid for the land and the scenic view. Tourists would kill for this kind of location .”
“I guess.” Landen gripped the railing and gazed up at the mountains, studying the crystalized ice formations that seemed to slide down every mountain crevice. “The snow makes me think the mountains are weeping, their souls caught in an enormous transformation. Good versus evil .”
“Rather profound, brother. Didn’t know we had a philosopher on our hands,” Stoker teased .
Inhaling, he could detect a hint of smoke from somewhere close. “Just observant. My usual views involved screaming cabbies and exhaust fumes. Even the skyline seemed dingy after so many years.” He finished off his beer, crushing the can between his fingers. Why he’d made the comment was beyond him. Maybe it was time to trust his instincts .
“Then the change is good.” He leaned over the railing. “What brought you here ?”
“I’ve been asking myself that same question .”
“Don’t push him away so soon, Stoker. I think the townspeople love him already.” Jessica eased out onto the deck, handing both men a beer and taking the empty can. “What you did rescuing those people was amazing. You’re a lot like Riker. Fearless .”
“That doesn’t make me a hero .”
“No,” Stoker answered. “That makes you susceptible to dying .”
Landen exhaled and studied the writing on the can. “Then so be it.” He noticed the look between Stoker and Jessica, one of knowing, even understanding .
Jessica wrinkled her nose. “I don’t know you very well, but I can tell you’re a man of honor, much like Stoker. Then again, pretty much like the rest of the smokejumpers. You’re all fearless, as if danger means nothing to you. You don’t think before you jump into a horrific and very dangerous situation. You don’t realize that everyone around you is affected by the decisions you make. Some, even have lived through personal tragedies before and have a difficult time understanding why you’ve chosen this kind of career .”
“That’s what we’re trained to do, go into situations where no one else can go,” Landen said then looked down .
“That may be true, but remember that sometimes there are girlfriends or wives, children or other family members who worry every day and every night about your return home. Does that make them fearful of getting involved? Maybe, but I can tell you from direct experience that if I hadn’t taken a chance and learned to trust again, including my own instincts, I wouldn’t have found happiness. I would have remained lonely, terrified to step outside the box forever. Love comes around once, maybe twice. If you don’t grab ahold, you will be very sorry .”
With every word said and her impassioned statement, he was drawn into what she was telling him. Seeing the look in Jessica’s eyes told him Shannon had confided in her. He swallowed hard and felt a tic appear in the corner of his mouth. Hiding behind his beer, he took a long pull .
A full minute clicked by .
“Well, on that happy note, I’m going to see about starting some dinner. That is if you have anything to cook with or on.” Jessica looked from one to the other .
“Heard the place came fully furnished,�
� Landen offered .
“Guess you heard wrong.” Laughing, Stoker nodded in her direction. “Let me know if you need any help .”
“Don’t worry, my dearest sir. I will.” As she walked back inside, she started to sing, the sweet sultry sound floating into the air .
“Sir?” Landen managed to ask .
Stoker winked. “We have that kind of relationship .”
“Do I want to know ?”
“In good time. I have a feeling you might like being a part of a very secretive group. We value relationships just a bit differently than normal folk.” Stoker laughed .
Landen leaned against the railing, enjoying the sound. Relationship. Well, he wasn’t going to have to worry about that any time soon. Shannon would as soon shoot him in the chest than go out with him again. “I recognize her. Jessica Dunn of Fringe, right? Went to several of their concerts a few years ago .”
“That was then. Things have changed and she’s a different person now than the spitfire she was when she arrived. Let me tell you.” Stoker whistled .
“Interesting choice of words.” Sir. He understood the connotation, as if Stoker was in control. He was amused as well as intrigued .
“She’s amazing and I love her more than I can say. She’s a country singer now. Headed to Nashville to record a new CD after the holidays. I’m damn proud of her,” Stoker half whispered .
“Lucky man .”
“Yeah, I am. The love of a good woman will do wonders for you. Truly. I oughta know. Had my head firmly planted in the sand for years. I was angry, bitter at the world. She was the only person able to drag me out kicking and screaming. Something you need to keep in mind .”
Landen shook his head. “So, you’ve said. Don’t want to know. Don’t care .”
“So, you’ve said. Too bad I don’t believe you.” Stoker shot him a look. “All right. I’ll leave it alone.” He took another sip of beer then inched closer. “I have to ask. What do you think about the fire? Think it was set intentionally ?”
“Not necessarily this one .”
“Wow. That’s an accusation. What are you talking about ?”
Landen inched closer. “Did you hear about the apartment fire in Cheyenne last year ?”
“Honestly? No, but I have a feeling you’re going to tell me about it,” Stoker said as he swirled his beer .
“The owner didn’t want to sell the units, around 600 in a few dozen buildings. The area had been pegged for a hotel by Jeffries Development. They tried to purchase the property for over three years .”
“And it burned ?”
“You bet. Given the insurance issues that were supposedly found, the owner sold for less than half of the original offer.” Landon allowed the information to sink in .
“Let me guess. Jeffries tore the rest down and there’s a brand spanking new hotel there .”
Landen nodded. “There were also several complaints issued from workers but oddly enough, that information dropped off the face of the earth. I find that interesting .”
“Shit. You’re thinking they were paid off to keep quiet ?”
“Wouldn’t put it past a huge development firm.” Landen thought about the issue in New York. There was a hell of a lot of money wrapped up in resort properties .
“I will say this. Since the day the Jeffries family moved just outside of town, they’ve been vocal about buying up as much land as possible. They’ve even commented in the press that they alone can make Missoula great again .
“What’s wrong with the way it is now ?”
Stoker held up his beer. “Exactly .”
He thought about all the pieces he’d read, becoming more convinced certain fires had been set. “There was a small resort hotel in Mount Hood, Oregon. This is from about five years ago. They suddenly had tax issues and within two months, the place was burned to the ground. Arson was suspected of course, but nothing proven. Guess who owns the land now ?”
Stoker took a step closer. “Jeffries .”
“Yep. Coincidence? I found at least one additional fire that connected Jeffries in some manner. Everything can be explained but either these folks are damn lucky to be Johnny on the spot, they were tipped off or …”
“They had a hand in the fires. Did you tell the investigator ?”
“Not yet. I guess I wanted to see if you thought I was nuts.” Landen clenched his fist, anger furrowing inside .
“The idea seems plausible, but the investigator said the fire on the mountain was accidentally set, maybe by kids or a family that left a fire going. Pointing fingers at this junction isn’t going to win you any friends. The one thing the Jeffries do have is political clout. In other words, they have the ear of the city council, including the mayor. Just be careful, my friend. There’s an expression. Don’t poke the sleeping bear and I have a feeling that you’re the type who enjoys doing just that .”
“I believe in truth, Stoker. That’s the kind of man I am. But you’re right. I’ll stop at nothing to find that truth. Just how I’m wired .”
Stoker exhaled. “Then that makes you dangerous. Just be careful and I’m happy to help in any way I can .”
“Appreciate that more than you know.” Landen knew one thing. He was going to sniff around Montgomery Jeffries, who stood at the center of attention, larger than life. “What happens if a fire goes up that mountain that we can’t control ?”
Stoker thought about his question. “Then the mountain will weep fire embers and flames, licking down and over the mountain range. With as dry as its been, thousands of acres could burn in the matter of a few days. There are thousands of people living on or at the base of the various ranges from here to Idaho with nothing but brittle trees as fuel. Then the fire will continue to spread, rolling into the downtown. If we can’t stop a fire within forty-eight hours, we may lose everything we hold precious in Missoula and the land will remain scarred for decades .”
Landen held his breath as he gazed up at the mountain range, anger turning into a killing rage. “Then we need to make certain that doesn’t happen. No matter what we have to do.” No matter what I have to do .
Including destroying a wealthy family .
Chapter 10
L anden pulled the car as close to the area as possible. When he climbed out, he stood staring at the disaster, appalled that anyone would consider burning for profit. The scorched land and withered trees gave an ominous appearance to what had once been a pristine area. Everywhere he looked, there was nothing but debris and carnage. While he’d seen many after the fact fire locations in his career as a firefighter, nothing could have prepared him for the devastation in front of him .
He trudged through the underbrush, climbing over fallen limbs, their blackened skin leaving a disgusting stench. There were no sounds, no birds singing or crickets chirping. The dead quiet was chilling. As he made his way toward the burned-out remnants of the hotel, he searched the area, looking for any additional clues. While he wasn’t certain what he was hoping to find, he knew there had to be more to the story of the fire. There was no official ruling as of yet, but without clear evidence, the fire would be labeled suspicious at best and with an accidental label, Jeffries Development would obtain every cent of insurance money to rebuild. The only question he had was why go to all the trouble ?
From what he’d read, building the three-million-dollar property had taken jumping through dozens of hoops with the city, jabs in the press and years. Torching their own place didn’t make any sense. Unless there was something everyone was missing .
When he rounded the final bend, he stopped and sucked in his breath. “Jesus.” The sight was indescribable. The entire roof had collapsed and only one side of the building remained somewhat intact. The others had been all but incinerated given the exorbitant heat. Tape surrounded the entire area, the yellow film clinging to what few trees were left standing. A light breeze kicked up areas of soot and ash, creating swirling clouds as he walked closer .
He stood beside the �
��Keep Out’ sign and studied the ‘Condemned’ notice. “By order of the sheriff. Owner, the Jeffries Development Corporation.” Saying the words out loud gave a pronounced finality to the devastating situation. The cause was supposed to be the result of carelessness, but his gut told him otherwise. A round of ‘what if’s’ peppered the back of his mind, digging into the darkest recesses. He was well aware the area was off limits for a reason given what was left of the building was unstable, but he had to play out his hunch .
Very carefully he walked through the mounds of debris, taking pictures with his phone. His heart was filled with sadness. At least there had been no deaths. After almost an hour, nothing jumped out as being out of the ordinary. He moved around to the other side of the building, carefully walking over burnt timbers and twisted metal studs. He was surprised there wasn’t a significant amount of metal used, given the commercial building status. Yeah, more corners cut, which should have been red-flagged .
Crouching down, he picked up the remains of a sprinkler, the once polished steel shrived by the heat of the fire. There were tests being conducted to determine if they’d actually gone off. They should have been spraying in earnest during the time he was in the building. After fiddling with the mechanism, he tossed it to the side and continued his search. Kicking several pieces of wood, he was disgusted he was unable to detect anything amiss. He was better than this. As a light breeze whistled through the trees, creating a free flow of ashes, he turned in a circle, surveying everything in sight. Nothing. “Damn it.” Frustration gave him an intense headache as images from the past threatened to derail the remainder of his investigative skills. No, this he would work through .
After combing the majority of the hotel, he noticed a section of the far corner that was much blacker than the rest of the building, as if the fire was concentrated in this area. Standing, he looked around, gathering his bearings. Given what the fire investigator had said, any campsite would be way over on the other side, a solid eight hundred yards away. Why would there be a concentrated level here ?
