Page 6 of Stuart Woods' Smolder

The craft was high enough for the camera to take in the entirety of the Zurns’ property and much of the dark slope behind it. Everyone’s attention was on the latter.

After several seconds, Devin voiced what Benji was thinking, “They’re not working.”

“Relax,” Sticks said. “Just needs a little time.”

“It’s usually faster than this.”

“You saying I don’t know what I’m doing?”

“Relax,” Benji said. “That’s not what he meant.”

The last thing he wanted was to upset Sticks. The man was not right in the head even on the best of days.

Before anyone could say anything else, the yellow light of a flame flickered to life on the hillside. A beat later, two more appeared several feet away. Sticks’s igniters had indeed worked.

“See,” Sticks said. “What did I tell you?”

“Sorry,” Devin muttered.

Sticks grunted but let it go.

They watched the fire spread through the underbrush. When it began climbing up a few trees, Benji said, “All right, that looks good enough. Let’s get moving.”

They hopped into their faux sheriff’s car, with Benji behind the wheel. He waited until they reached the gate across the Zurns’ driveway before turning on the emergency lights and bathing the area in flickering red and blue light. Leaning out the window, Benji pressed the button on the intercom box over and over until the speaker finally crackled to life.

“Can I help you?” The man sounded sleepy yet surprisingly calm for someone woken in the middle of the night.

“Pitkin County Sheriff’s Department,” Benji said, soundingurgent. “There’s a wildfire nearby. We need you to open the gate for emergency services, then you need to evacuate immediately.”

“Fire? How close?”

“Too close to get into a conversation about it. Please open the gate, and then get everyone out of the house.”

“Oh, of course, of course.”

The gate swung open and Sticks laughed in delight.

“Quiet,” Benji hissed, hoping the man on the intercom hadn’t heard the outburst.

As soon as the gate was opened wide enough, Benji sped to the house.

“Radios on,” he said.

He activated the one in his ear, then jumped out and ran to the front door.

It only took a few knocks with his fist before it flew open. Both caretakers were there, eyes wide and hair disheveled. The woman was loaded with several shopping bags stuffed with who knew what, while the man carried a soft leather briefcase and a half-zipped duffel bag.

Benji put an arm across the door like he was holding it open for them and motioned for them to move. “Get in your car and head into town. Go, go!”

They rushed outside, then stumbled to a stop when they caught sight of the blaze. It had grown to cover a large portion of the slope at the back of the property.

The wife grabbed her husband’s arm. “Come on. We need to go!”

He blinked, then nodded. They raced toward the garage and, a few moments later, sped away in a Range Rover.

Once they were out of sight, Benji spoke into his radio, “Sticks, you know what to do. Devin, with me.”

He and Devin hurried through the open door and into a large living room. Benji scanned the walls for their target, but it wasn’t there.

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