Page 69 of Wild Fires

“Gracie, check in,” he called over the radio.

“It's hot in here, but we're all alive and well,” she replied.

Just hearing her voice calmed me just a little.

Clarence was watching me closely.

“Thanks,” I mouthed.

He nodded, and I forced myself to walk away. But when I turned to leave, I noticed Vance still just standing there.

“Hey Vance,” I said as I approached him.

He didn't even seem to hear me.

“Vance?”

A little startled and shaken, he looked at me.

“Ryan? What are you doing here?”

“You called me, remember?”

“Well yeah, but I didn't think you'd come running to the scene.”

“Just here to find out how I can help,” I lied.

“Yeah, I think we all are. It's just unbelievable . . . and so beautiful . . . in a terrifying way.”

His words gave me chills. I was still struggling to believe he could be the arsonist, but I understood why Gracie had put him on the list. He wasn't acting like himself.

Though I supposed he wasn't the only one standing around watching the chaos in shock. A group of men stood just behind the caution tape one of the officers had set up after my arrival.

Herb, Carson, and Tony were set up in camp chairs with a cooler of beer, taking it all in.

“Guys, really?”

“Don't be a party pooper, Ry. This is the most excitement Ravenden has seen in a long time,” Carson said with a laugh.

“Maybe ever,” Herb added.

“Cheers to that,” Tony said, raising his beer for them all to toast to the fire.

I shook my head and went to check on Vance instead.

“Are you okay, Vance?”

“Yeah. Fine. What did Clarence say needs to be done?”

Just like that, he had transitioned back into my friend.

“Evacuating south of Main. I know some of your men are helping with traffic, but if you have any that can assist with going door to door and checking on the south side before the fire reaches it, that would be great. Oh, and we probably need to keep an eye on these assholes.”

He looked over to see the trio I'd just been talking with.

“I guess some of us never really grow up, huh? They always were a bunch of worthless assholes. How many times did Carson push me to the point of having to kick his ass?”

Vance was laughing, but it felt to me like a little piece of the puzzle clicked into place. Old Lady Pierce was Carson's grandmother. We hadn't been able to find a connection to that location between her house and Vance, but maybe it wasn't her house that was the connection, but his hatred of Carson. The two of them had never gotten along, but never so much that it was alarming.

---