Page 56 of Burning Justice

Before he could ask, Maria said, “He’s the one who fired the shot that killed your dad, but that doesn’t mean it was murder.”

Raine’s expression twisted with a mix of grief and anger. “He killed Brian.”

“Tristan?” Kane looked over his shoulder and found Crispin. The other man nodded. “We know Tris. He isn’t a murderer. He’s Jamie’s brother. If no one intervened, would you have killed him?”

Raine stared at the roof of the mess hall, determinedly not looking at any of them.

“Would you have ended his life?” Maria asked. “For the sake of a bad guy who wasn’t even in your life all that much, right? I’m sorry, but it’s true, isn’t it?”

Raine said, “He was my father.”

“I know what it’s like to want something you don’t have.”

Kane shifted so he could put his arm around Maria.

She continued, “I know what it’s like to want to have your father in your life but he can’t be there, or he chooses not to be.”

Kane said, “You can trust us. We understand more than you think.”

His father had tried his best but had worked all the time so they’d have enough money. It had meant he did every scrap of overtime he could get his hands on for the paycheck. It was always about the paycheck. Gramps was the one who’d taught Kane how to be a man, until he died in that crash.

Raine said, “Yeah? You understand that Robert is dying? That he has cancer and there’s nothing anyone can do? When he’s gone, I won’t have a single relative worth anything still alive. I’ll be alone.” Her voice broke on the last word, and she cleared her throat.

“I’m sorry.” Maria shifted, hugging her injured hand to her front. “I know what that feels like. But you and I have talked about this place. About finding a family here with the team. Let us help you.”

Kane figured Raine had been bottling it up for a while, keeping to herself, given she’d chosen to try and shoot Tristan instead of coming to someone with her concerns. Did she really think they were harboring a murderer? Raine couldn’t believe Tristan had killed her father for any other reason than self-defense.

“We can’t all have a team of guys watching out for us,” Raine said. “Some of us are actually alone, not whatever it is you’re pretending to be.”

Maria flinched.

Kane said, “Raine, that was uncalled for. You know Maria’s situation as well as anyone.”

“I guess it’s just me that can’t do the super-secret stuff and get away with whatever I want.” Raine looked away, effectively dismissing them.

Mitch strode over to their huddle. “Okay, smokejumpers, back to training. Hotshots, with me.”

Kane turned and spotted Jade talking quietly with Crispin. The smokejumper team leader kissed him on the cheek and headed away from the group.

Maria touched Kane’s arm.

He glanced at her. “Are you going to be okay?”

Maria said, “We’ll figure it out.”

Kane kissed her on the cheek. “Gotta go to work. Tucker just told us there’s a flare-up happening about a hundred miles northwest of here. Sounds like a nasty fire, and it’s headed toward a small community.”

“Be careful.”

He jogged away, and Saxon caught up as he rounded the corner. Saxon said, “I knew she had it in her, but that was unexpected.”

Kane said, “Raine?” He had to pray that Maria and the rest of them were safe. That nothing else happened while he was gone.

“Some people…you can see it in them.”

“The potential for murder?”

Saxon shook his head. “Just a darkness. Unresolved feelings. Shadows. They’ve been abandoned too many times. They keep to themselves.”

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