Page 4 of Wild Fires

“Jennifer, I've got to go. Talk to you later.”

“Better not,” I heard her warn as I clicked the disconnect button.

“Oh, sorry. Didn't realize you were on the phone.”

“It's just my assistant being a pain in the ass,” I said with a chuckle.

Jennifer Montgomery was the best. And I truly didn't know what I would do without her.

“I'm sure she keeps you in line.”

“Whether I want her to or not,” I admitted, but there was no malice in my voice. I loved her for it, and she damn well knew it. “So, what's going on?”

I was never one to beat around the bush. Good news or bad, just give it to me straight so I could accept it and deal with it.

He closed the door and then took a seat behind his desk.

“We had a fire last night down by the cliffs.”

“I heard. Kim told me this morning. Is everyone okay?”

“Oh, yeah, sure. No incidents to report . . . yet.”

“Yet?”

“Ryan, it's the fifth one in as many days. I set up this meeting after the third because something in my gut tells me this isn't right. Now there've been two more. Nothing serious, but it's strange.”

“Strange how?”

“Five fires in five days. We rarely have more than one incident a month, especially after so much rain. And they've all been in more remote places.”

“Remote? How did you find them?”

“Anonymous tips through 9-1-1.”

“You think they were set on purpose?”

“I do. And last night's could have gotten out of control.”

“But it didn't thanks to Gracie?”

There was no point in denying I heard part of their conversation.

“That girl, I swear. Every gray hair on my head has her name on it, not my kids’, hers. That being said, we're still looking for a cause or some sort of link connecting them all. Aside from the emergency call by a blocked number each time, there's been no obvious connection. Maybe I'm overlooking something. Anyway, I just thought you needed to be notified, and I’d like for you to accompany her down to the site of last night's fire, maybe you could give a fresh perspective.”

“What aren't you telling me?”

He sighed. “I fear we have an arsonist in Ravenden.”

Gracie

Chapter 2

I was so mad I could see red like flames of fire around the edges of my vision.

Benched?

Clarence actually benched me from active duty?

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