Page 44 of Scorched Secrets

His comment made her think about her own wedding. There had been a time about three weeks before when she’d almost broken things off. Looking back, she’d instinctively known Rory wasn’t right for her. Claire had told her she was just having the pre-wedding jitters that every bride experienced.

Somehow, she didn’t think the Finnegan spouses-to-be experienced those same doubts.

She veered away from those thoughts. She wasn’t in line to be the next Finnegan spouse. After the disaster with Rory, she’d vowed to never jump into marriage like that again. And the funny thing was, she’d known Rory for a year before they’d gotten married, never suspecting he was unfaithful.

Her career kept her busy enough. Too much time away from home had caused Rory to stray, or so he’d claimed.

“Are you familiar with Rosie’s Diner?” Colin’s question pulled her from her troubled thoughts.

“Yes, I’ve eaten there.”

“Great. I love their pancake breakfast specials.” He really was all about the food. “And Rosie always has fresh baked pastries too.”

She could feel her hips widen just thinking about Rosie’s pastries. But she nodded anyway. “Sounds good to me.”

If not for the fact that they were on the road in some strange guy’s car, with disposable cell phones and not one iota of luggage—unless you counted the laptop case—this was a pretty nice way to spend a Saturday morning.

An experience she longed to repeat once the danger was over.

Far too aware of Faye sitting beside him, Colin forced himself to concentrate on the road, both the cars in front of him and those coming up from behind. He’d stayed in the right lane, driving barely five miles above the speed limit, forcing other travelers to pass him in their hurry to reach their destination.

So far, none of the cars had lingered behind him. Which had been the whole point. They weren’t in a rush to reach Rosie’s. He was hungry, but he knew Mitch needed time to investigate the possibility of setting a trap for the arsonist.

Mitch also wanted to meet with the detective who’d handled Daniel Percy’s suicide. A note had been left behind, but the case would be thoroughly vetted to ensure this wasn’t a homicide staged to look like a suicide.

Hard to believe Jayson would kill his own half brother, but hearing stories from his cop brothers, Colin knew anything was possible. Dysfunctional families had become a big draw in reality TV shows. First responders tended to see that dysfunction up close and personal.

And what his older siblings had experienced over the past eight months when their loved ones were in danger had been worse than anything portrayed on television.

He needed to call Rhy once he and Mitch came up with a plan. His brother would want to be apprised of the details. As a tactical expert, his brother’s input would be invaluable in identifying any potential flaws in their plan too.

Yet Devon’s pregnancy meant Rhy could not be involved at the scene. His oldest brother’s place was at the homestead with his wife and unborn child. If Colin and Mitch needed additional firearm support, he’d rather ask for Aiden’s help.

The trip to Milwaukee proved uneventful. Which was a good thing as that meant their precautions regarding phones and swapping cars had worked. The parking lot at Rosie’s was only half full, and he could see at least two empty tables as he drove by.

“Ready?” He stopped the Explorer and put the gearshift into park.

“Yep.” Faye pushed open her door. “Do you need the laptop?”

He nodded and reached between the seats to snag it. “Mitch is meeting us here in about an hour.”

Inside, he walked straight to the last booth along the line of windows. Rosie’s Diner was an old-fashioned place, but the food was great, and he liked the quaint atmosphere. Rosie gave him a nod, indicating she’d be over shortly.

Faye peered at the plastic menu as he scanned the crowd. Rosie came over with two cups and a pot of coffee. “It’s been a while, Colin. I’ve been worried you found a new hot breakfast spot.”

“Never. You’re my favorite, Rosie.” He beamed at her.

“Ah, lad, you’re always the sweet one, aren’t you?” Rosie’s thick Irish accent made him laugh. She’d been born in the States, just like he had been, but she liked to play up their Irish roots. “Slow down and enjoy your coffee. I’ll be back to take your order.”

“Wow, I didn’t realize you were such a regular here,” Faye teased.

The back of his neck went hot. “It’s not that far from our firehouse. What can I say? I like the food, and Rosie is a gem.”

“I see the pancake special, but that is an awful lot of food.” She shook her head. “I’ll stick with a veggie omelet.”

“They’re good too,” he assured her. “I’ve had just about everything Rosie offers.”

Once they’d placed their order, he savored his coffee. This had to be his last cup, he was already over his self-imposed limit. While they were waiting for their meals, Rosie brought over a large cranberry muffin.

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