Page 49 of Fireline

Booth clenched his teeth. He couldn’t lose his friend again.

He drew his gun out of the holster and clicked the safety off. Pulled the slide back enough to see the glint of brass in the chamber.

Up ahead, a small rustic cabin was nestled in a stand of pines, a beat-up old pickup truck parked beside it. A muddy four-wheeler sat in the front yard. Upended logs encircled a campfire ring on the opposite side of the yard. The woodsy smell of a still-smoldering fire permeated the area.

Someone had been here not long ago.

Easing back into the brush’s camouflage, Booth picked his way through the trees until he was beside the truck. He checked the cab. Empty.

Trash filled the truck bed. Crushed beer cans, an old shovel, fast-food wrappers, sandbags probably left over from winter, and a metal gas can.

Booth crept around the cabin and peered in the back window. Crispin lay unmoving on a ratty mattress. Just like with the photo, Booth couldn’t tell if he was unconscious or dead. Then he saw it. The slow rise and fall of his chest.

For now, Crispin was alive.

In the cabin’s small kitchen, a man with a sloped forehead and small coal-black eyes poured coffee into a chipped mug. A chain hung from his leather belt. He’d cut the sleeves off his T-shirt to expose the tattoos up and down his arms. Military bearing. Confident. Dangerous.

Floyd Blackwell.

Booth gritted his teeth. Eyes narrowed, he scanned the silent cabin once more. Floyd and Crispin were alone.

Booth sneaked back to the truck and crouched beside the front tire. His jaw ticked as a plan took shape.

He had an idea.

A dangerous one.

The roar of the airplane engines did nothing to drown out Nova’s pulse pounding in her ears. She was so dumb.

She’d taken a huge risk. Opened herself to the idea of falling for Booth. Laid it all on the line, and he’d left her standing there holding her heart in her hands.

And could she even blame him?

The man was saving the world.

“Hey, kid.” Aria’s voice came over Nova’s headset. “Come chat for a sec.”

Nova picked her way to the cockpit, stepping over the other jumpers and scooting around the cargo. The plane was stuffed tight with six new guys in from Alaska. They’d flown in to assist before the fire reached the small town of Snowhaven. Finn and Nova were the only smokejumpers from Jude County who weren’t either out with an injury or already out on the fire line.

Except Booth.

Who knew where he was?

Once Dr. Zamudio had cleared her to go back to work, Nova had tried to track him down, but her calls and texts went unanswered. That was nothing new. Booth was the worst at answering his phone. The crew needed his help, but the fire wouldn’t wait. So she’d loaded up and headed to do what she did best. Wildfire fighting.

Nova ducked into the cockpit and sat in the empty copilot seat. She buckled in and took in the view. White-capped mountains and rolling green hills spread out as far as she could see. “Wow.”

“Best seat in the house.” Aria gave her a long look that made the hair on the back of her neck prickle. “Except something’s going on with you.”

Nova picked at a callus on her thumb. “I’m just annoyed, that’s all.”

“Booth isn’t here. You’re storming around being short with everyone.” Aria tapped her finger to her temple. “I’m a smart cookie. I can put the two together. What’s up?”

She wasn’t that transparent. Aria just knew her better than anyone else. Nova couldn’t give her the full story, but she had to give her something. “I kissed Booth.”

Aria’s eyes went wide. “And?”

“And…nothing.” She folded her arms. “He’s not here.”

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