Page 42 of Too Much Heat

She helped Sammy to the table. They drank coffee and orange juice, which he could still manage on his own with covered cups, but his hands shook more every day. After she cut his French toast up, he could manage that and the eggs. Sammy was unusually pleasant and Lara made small talk.

When the meal ended, Joe stood. He bent down and kissed Lara. “Do you mind cleaning up?”

Her pretty brow furrowed. “Are you leaving?”

“Yep.” He tilted his chin to Sammy. “You wanna come with me, Sam?”

“Where to?”

“We can play it by ear. Maybe have a little man-to-man talk.”

Lara was still staring up at him. “What are you doing?”

“I’m taking Sammy out for a say, an hour or two. Right buddy?”

“Sure.”

Joe helped Sammy into the wheelchair, then pushed him out to Joe’s SUV. The seat was higher than a car’s, where Sammy could slide in, so Joe had to lift him up and slide him inside and secure his seatbelt. He was struck by how awful this must be for Sammy, who was once a dynamic firefighter who saved people. Joe went around to the other side. They started to drive. “So, Sam, anything to say to me?”

“Yeah.” In a grave voice he added, “I’m her husband, you know.”

Joe’s brows shot up and he swerved to the side of the street. “I do know. I’m sorry if we hurt you.”

Sammy snorted. “Gotcha.”

Chapter 7

The firehouse was still closed the next day and instead of signing up for a shift at another station, Joe took a personal day and went to visit Jackson. Later, he might price out some screens. Lara was sent to a station where another female firefighter worked so she should be okay.

When he got to Jackson’s, he saw the police chief’s sedan parked outside. Joe exited the car and knocked on the side door.

Maisy answered. She seemed rested but still…worried.

“Hi, honey,” Joe said, hugging her. “You okay?”

“Yeah.”

“You got company?”

“Jackson called him to come over.” She squeezed his hand. “They’ll tell you all about it.”

She led him to the living room where Jackson was sitting up in a recliner. Joe crossed to his friend and squeezed his shoulder. “Hey. You seem better.”

“Some.”

He turned to Chief Thomas. “Hi, Chief.”

Mick Thomas nodded. “Joe.”

Joe dropped down on the couch and Maisy pulled up a chair next to Jackson. Joe saw the look they exchanged. He was about to comment but Jackson started to talk. “I asked you both here today because I have some insights. I was led to them when Adam Phillips stopped by and told me the Adventure Course rope had been cut.”

“Cut?” Hanson asked. “Hell, I wonder how my investigative team missed that.”

“So your fall was orchestrated by someone?” Joe asked.

“Yes.”

“Did the kids do it?”

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