Page 95 of Scorched

Perfect. “Actually, I can do one better. Another emergency came up I need to be at, but I need a ride back to town. The fire station is near the sheriff’s department. Can you give me a ride and I’ll give you directions?”

“That works. Hop in.”

“Great, thanks.” Declan ran around the hood and got in. “I appreciate this. I’m the only supervisor on duty tonight, so I’m spread thin.”

“Not a problem.” He started the truck and held a hand out to Declan. “Name’s Robby.”

Declan shook his hand. “Declan. Nice to meet you.”

They made small talk for the rest of the drive into town. At one point, Declan ducked down, pretending to check his boot when he saw headlights coming at them. The last thing he needed was for Seb to see him and turn around.

Robby pulled up to the fire station and Declan got out. “Thanks for the ride. The sheriff’s department is just up the street. Just tell the desk sergeant who you are and why you’re there. She’ll do the rest.”

“Sounds good. Thanks.”

With a nod, Declan shut the door and hurried inside. He shucked his gear and snagged his truck keys from his office, avoiding anyone still left in the station. Once in his truck, he plugged the coordinates into the GPS app on his phone and peeled out of the parking lot. He had to take a couple detours to get around the accident scene and avoid unwanted attention.

Driving as fast as he dared, he drove deeper into the mountains, soon turning off onto a dirt road. His tires slid in the mud, and he fought to keep the vehicle out of the ditch. Crashing wouldn’t help Maggie. He slogged through.

The coordinates led him down a two-track that cut up the side of the mountain. Thankful for his four-wheel drive, he bounced over the uneven terrain through the trees until an old, but well-maintained cabin came into view. He parked near the porch and got out, scanning his surroundings as he knocked on the door. The man who answered—though not who he expected to see—wasn’t a surprise.

“Hey, brother. Good to see you. Come on in.” Jameson Gehring held the door wide so Declan could pass through.

He eyed the younger man as he entered. “We’re not brothers. That title’s reserved for firefighters who put out fires, not set them.”

Jameson chuckled, but didn’t reply.

Declan looked around the room and frowned. “Where’s Maggie? And my dad?”

“Maggie’s tied up in the bathroom. He went to get her.” No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the bathroom door opened. Cole pushed Maggie out ahead of him, a pistol pointed at her side.

“Are you all right?” he asked, his eyes roving over her face, pausing on the bruise forming on her jaw.

She nodded, her expression carefully schooled. He could tell she was scared, but she was doing her best to keep it off her face. He admired her grit.

“I’m fine.”

“See? Unharmed as I promised,” Cole said. “Have a seat, boy.”

Declan crossed his arms and planted his feet. Cole rolled his eyes. “Have it your way. It doesn’t matter.”

“Just explain what the fuck you’re doing. And why.”

“Why? I’ll tell you why.” He shook Maggie’s arm like a rag doll. “Her family ruined my life.”

Maggie scoffed. “I find that hard to believe.”

So did Declan. “I agree. What makes you say that?”

“Did you know her daddy’s the reason I went to prison the first time? He set me down a path I can’t shake.”

“No, you’re the reason you went to prison. Jenny told me you rustled a bunch of cattle from them. And you have no one to blame but yourself for continuing your life of crime. Plus, you’ve roped this poor sap into things now.” He hooked a thumb toward Gehring. “What I don’t get is how your grudge against Lee translates into the need to take your anger out on the entire Archer family and their friends.”

Twin pops of red bloomed on Cole’s cheeks. His light gray eyes turned to hardened steel. He shoved Maggie toward Jameson and advanced on Declan until they were nose to nose. “I’ll tell you why. Because their family needs to suffer like mine suffered. Like you suffered.” He jabbed a finger into Declan’s chest. “None of my children got a fair shake at life because of them. I had plans for all the money from those cattle. It’s not like they would have missed a few head. They’re worth millions! I was going to take you all away from this hellhole. Buy a boat and start a fishing charter service. But Lee ruined all that. And once I got out, no one would hire me. I wronged an Archer, and it made me unemployable around here. It’s why I eventually left.”

Declan held his ground as his father spewed hatred toward Maggie’s family in his face. He felt sorry for him. To hold so much bitterness for so long had twisted him up inside. He wished someone had helped his dad see the truth years ago—that there was no one to blame for the way his life turned out except himself.

“I tried to start over,” Cole continued. “But I couldn’t escape the stigma of being an ex-con. And even in Denver, the Archer name carries weight. Once potential employers caught wind of who I wronged, they kicked me to the curb.”

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