Page 114 of Long Road Home

Someone hammered on the door from the other side.

Jax stepped back. “Give them some room.”

Kenna pocketed the phone, not sure if Maizie was still on the line. She started at the garage door, tearing everything down off the walls. She made her way around the room, piling the collection of papers in one hand. It got heavy, and awkward, so she set it in a pile. When she had everything, she rolled it up, noticing more writing on the back. Most of the pages were covered.

If they wanted to figure this out, they needed to know what was in Jennifer Rayland’s head.

Lord, what did she do?

The door to the house flung open. A hulking firefighter barreled in, along with a cloud of smoke.

The house is on fire.

Kenna scooped up the papers and put the roll on her shoulder. “Time to go?”

The firefighter looked between them. “That door is solidmetal.” His voice came through the mask, sounding faraway and tinny, but loud enough.

Jax grabbed the door before it bounced back and hit the firefighter again.

“Time to go.” The first responder stepped back into the hall and waved them out. “Ma’am, you don’t need to bring those papers. They aren’t worth it.”

“They’re evidence of murder.”

The firefighter stared at her. Then Jax. “Who even are you guys?”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Kenna held her breath until she stepped outside. The first inhale she took ended up in a cough.

The firefighter peeled off his helmet. “This way, ma’am.”

Jax, ahead of her, glanced back and smirked.

She sent him a smirk right back. “I’m not going to the hospital.”

“Ah,” the firefighter gave her a knowing nod. “One ofthoseis she?”

Jax grinned. “Yes, sir, she is.” He flashed his badge. “Special Agent Jaxton.”

Kenna strode past him, across the grass holding her bundle of papers. She set them on the hood of the sheriff’s truck that they’d driven here. Before she’d really thought about it, she had her phone in her hand. Who even realized how often they pulled out their cell these days?

The call was still connecting, the strip of green across the top of the screen.

She put it to her ear. “Maze?” She coughed, her voice little more than a croak.

“You need to get checked out. Is there an EMT there?”

Kenna looked around. “They just pulled up.”

“Go see them. Let them help you.” Maizie paused barely a second. “It is okay to let someone help you.”

She glanced at Jax. “He was there. He saw it all, like it was normal.” All those images tacked up on the walls, and he’d just…absorbed it. She looked from him to the photos. “Or he’ll cry later, in the shower.”

“Do guys do that?”

“I have no idea. Maybe? They should if they need to.” Kenna had to cough in order to catch her breath.

“Seriously, go see the EMTs. You don’t want to mess around with smoke inhalation.”

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