Page 71 of Her Silver Fox Firefighters
I lay out my theory so far. “The guy knows how we operate. He knows how to set these fires, how to inflict the greatest amount of damage in the shortest amount of time. And if you look at the map, he chooses these locations because they’re the farthest from our reach. He’s clearly experienced with incendiary and explosive devices, and he doesn’t mind switching from one to the other, depending on his objective, so, yes, he could be a former or active firefighter or a member of law enforcement.”
“Might explain the guy I saw on the roof,” Dax mutters.
“We didn’t find anyone to corroborate that,” I remind him.
“I set that thought aside, but now that you mention it, he could be one of ours… Leo, I didn’t imagine him. Maybe he just knew where to be, so he could watch his work unfold without anybody detecting him.”
“Describe him again,” Beck says.
“Tall, light brown or blonde hair. I can’t remember much else. Everything was sort of hazy,” Dax says and sighs deeply.
“You were blown out of that warehouse, Dax. It’s a miracle you saw that much,” I tell him, placing a hand on his shoulder for good measure. “It’s better than nothing. Let’s see what Carlos’s search yields. If we get a match and the guy’s description fits what you saw, we’ll be a hell of a lot closer to catching the fucker.”
“Amen to that, because we already have enough on our plates,” Beck says.
“The guy they first arrested doesn’t match your description, and he has an alibi for today’s incident. They’re going to have to cut him loose. The arson investigation will confirm that it’s the same MO.”
“Jocelyn will throw a hissy fit,” Dax replies with a wry smile.
“At least it’ll keep her busy and away from us and Olivia.”
22
OLIVIA
Cravings are the worst, until I taste what I’ve been viciously longing for. Tonight, it’s a double chicken cheeseburger with a side of Parmesan fries at a small diner just outside of Ember Ridge. The waitress brings our milkshakes over. Mine is white chocolate, while Carlos went for strawberry.
He notices me staring at his glass while he uses a straw to slowly stir through the pink, milky concoction.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. It looks too pink,” I laugh.
“It’s supposed to be strawberry.”
“Still, it looks artificial.”
“Too pink,” he chuckles, shakes his head, and takes a sip. “Tastes like a strawberry milkshake to me. It’s actually pretty good. Wanna try it?”
I shake my head and taste mine instead. “No, I’m good. Thank you for stopping. I know you have work in the morning.”
“It’s alright. I don’t mind. They make a mean bacon burger here,” he says, eagerly gazing down at his plate.
“I’m trying to make these splurges slightly less frequent,” I say.
“And we both know you’re failing miserably,” Carlos replies, holding back a laugh. “But it’s okay. You’re allowed. If the twins demand something, you have to give it to them.”
“The last thing I want is to start a battle of wills with these two straight outta the womb.”
“Then dig in.”
We talk for a while, the conversation ebbing and flowing through a series of seemingly random subjects. The more I get to know Carlos, however, the less I like Jocelyn. He’s a good man. Not perfect, nobody is. But his heart is in the right place. And given how caring and honest he is, how hard he works, and how much of himself he invests in the people he cares about, Jocelyn is an absolute idiot.
Maybe, when this is all over, Chloe might have a shot. She deserves it.
“Chloe is doing better with each passing day,” I tell him at one point.
“Safety can do that to a woman,” he replies. “Plus, the fresh mountain air doesn’t hurt either. It’s nice and quiet up there. Sometimes, that’s all you need: to sit with your pain and heal.”
