Page 35 of Nicole's Shelter

Rick snorted. “Really? We could use a copy of that for our records.”

“Me too. One of the alphabet jackets mentioned it and I put in a request. We’ve got at least two other agencies poking around today trying to track her down. This woman’s a piece of work.”

“Must be to set the blaze in her own place.”

Nicole kept the ‘swagger-confidence-innocent man’ mantra cycling in her head. It kept her from screaming or otherwise blowing her cover. She focused her lens on the blackened area where her bedroom window had been, zooming in to get a closer look.

The fire had burned hot and fast here. From her limited experience, she guessed this was the flash point. Definitely an accelerant. She’d seen what lighter fluid could do when tossed into carpeting. If the fire had left anything of her front door, it would likely show no signs of a break in. She didn’t believe the arsonist, assuming it was the same disturbed man, had made that mistake.

“What’s the word on gangs around here?”

“In this neighborhood? No way.”

“Really?” Didn’t Rick know another reply? “I was sure I saw some gang color on the news footage. And there’s the alphabet soup hanging around. I just thought—”

“Well, it was an inferno. Those draw a big crowd.”

“Yeah. Just seemed like an odd place to stop and gawk if they didn’t have a dog in the fight so to speak.”

Go Rick! Anything that got people looking for a solution beyond her was a good thing.

She moved backward, letting him fuel the rumor mill while she did her best to document the fire’s trail through the building.

“DEA,” a deep voice said beside her. “Hand over the camera.”

She lowered the camera, but kept her finger on the shutter, capturing the guy’s face. It wasn’t the agent she feared most, but she worried he was nearby.

“No,” she said, coughing into her elbow and pulling the camera out of his reach. What cover had Rick offered? “Investigations.”

“Show me your credentials.”

“Over there.” She took a side step toward the building and the safety of Rick. “With my boss.” Like a boxer, she danced out of reach as the agent lunged for the camera strap.

Twisting free, she got another half step and screamed as he tackled her from behind. Her cap went flying as they landed and the baffled expression on the agent’s face when he flipped her face up again made her panic. He realized he’d landed on a woman and in the next second, his eyes narrowed and lit with recognition.

“It’s Liv—”

She cut off his cry of alarm with a knee to his groin. Squirming and shoving, she got free and rolled to her feet. “Help!”

But Rick was already on the way, cutting off the agent’s partner en route.

“What’s the matter with you?” he demanded of the DEA agents. Handing Nicole her ball cap, he stepped up, shielding her from their view.

“That woman is a suspect,” the man on the ground managed.

“Bull.” Rick flashed a badge. “This man is my assistant. I want your names and contact information right now.”

“Hand over the camera.”

“Hell, no. We’re with National Insurance. We’ve got as much right to be here as any of the other investigators. We have clients to protect.”

While the agents blustered, he turned to Nicole. “Go on.” He urged her toward the car, pressing the key into her hand.

Her heart pounded in her ears as she darted across the street, pressing the unlock button and wishing for a remote starter. Rick wasn’t going to be able to talk his way out of this one. They would see through his identification and drop him into a legal stew.

My fault. My fault. My fault. The words haunted her as she threw herself into the car and her hands fumbled the key as she tried to start the engine. She had to get to him, give him a way to escape. Or drive away and hope they chased her.

Either way, if she didn’t hurry, they’d arrest Rick. Irrevocably tied to her, his career would be over and possibly his life if the murderous DEA agent’s streak continued.

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