Page 69 of Exposure of Murder

She had a feeling that Ethan’s mother made sure the men in her family didn’t think they were beneath helping. The more she saw of Ethan and his interactions with family and friends, the more she liked him.

The moon was peeking over the horizon as they chatted and consumed even more food. Finally, Jane put down her fork, savoring the lingering taste of the tart berries and buttery crumb. “That blueberry buckle was delicious.” She looked at Leah. “Did you make it?”

Leah shook her head. “No, but I have to agree. Ethan bought it at Crumb & Co.”

The memory of Ethan finding her talking to Vanessa Crumb flashed through her mind, and she giggled. She looked overat Ethan, who must have gathered what she was thinking and simply smirked and shook his head.

“Well, this has been a perfect night,” said Jane. “I know Tanner has to get up early, so I’ll say good night and thank you.”

Leah and Tanner hugged her goodbye.

“I’ll see you out,” said Ethan. Then he looked over at her farm. His body froze.

“Tanner, call the fire department,” Ethan barked.

Jane followed his view and gasped. Flames shot out of the greenhouse, giving the night sky an ominous glow. “Oh my God!” A shudder ripped through her body. “Whaat?”

“Get in the truck,” he said to Jane. “Tanner, you got this?”

Tanner nodded, already on his phone. “I’ll be right up.”

They rushed to Ethan’s truck, the engine roared to life, and within seconds they were screeching to a halt by the barn.

The smell of burning wood filled her nostrils as she tried to move closer.

“Stay back,” Ethan warned. A loud crack shattered the silence.

“Damn, I think the glass is shattering,” said Ethan, his eyes locked on the greenhouse.

Jane moved toward the open barn door. The smell of smoke was thick and cloying. She gagged.

No!

Bucky was lying face down on the ground. Panic surged through her.

“Bucky!” she screamed and tried to run in. Ethan was faster and pushed her out of the way, dragging Bucky’s limp body out.

“Is he alive?” Her voice trembled as she ran her hands over Bucky’s body, noticing the gash on his head.

Ethan pressed his fingers against Bucky’s neck, searching for a pulse. “Yes, but it’s weak.”

The wail of sirens in the distance grew louder as they got closer. Jane glanced at the barn and realized the barn itself had not caught on fire and no animals were in the barn, bringing a sliver of relief.

Red and blue lights flashed in the night. The fire trucks roared into view. Medics rushed to attend Bucky, placing him on a stretcher and then into the ambulance. They sped off, their taillights growing dimmer. Jane said a little prayer for Bucky as Tanner arrived, holding Leah.

Firefighters jumped from the trucks in full gear and began uncoiling hoses.

“Hold up,” yelled Ethan. “There’s a propane heater inside.”

The team leader was already in motion, moving everyone away. “We need to cool it down before it erupts. It’s risky, especially if the heater is too hot. Then we could be dealing with a BLEVE.”

“A BLEVE?” asked Jane, her voice trembling.

“Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion,” the firefighter clarified. “If the tank is too hot, it could explode, sending shrapnel flying.”

Jane turned her head into Ethan’s chest. The pounding of his heart gave her some comfort. This was a nightmare, a disaster, and she prayed the fire department could quickly get it under control. He rubbed her back in a soothing motion.

“It’ll be okay. Hopefully, it’s only the greenhouse,” he said.

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