Page 65 of Scorched Secrets

“Works for me.” Rhy rose to his feet. “I’m going to notify my guys. They’ll need time to get geared up and settled in place.”

They hammered out the rest of the details over the next hour. By three thirty, they were ready to go. Faye took out her phone, powered it up, and used it to call her father.

“Hey, Dad, just want you to know I’m still doing well.” Her gaze clung to Colin’s as she spoke. He shook his head, indicating she shouldn’t go into detail about the fire at the lake house rental yet. They needed to set the phone down in the kitchen, then get out of the safe house.

“I have to go, but I’ll be in touch later, okay?” She was clearly trying to wrap up the call. “I promise everything is fine. Bye.” She lowered the phone and ended the call. “I feel terrible not letting him know about the lake house incident.”

“I know, but that would take a long explanation we don’t have time for now.” He took the phone from her fingers and set it on the kitchen table. “It will be easier news once we have the guy responsible behind bars.”

“You’re right.” Her smile was weary. “To be honest, I can’t wait for that to happen. For the danger to be over once and for all.”

“I’m with you on that.” He took one last glance around the safe house, then headed for the door. “Let’s go. Aiden found a spot down the road between three evergreen trees that we can use for cover.”

She nodded and followed him outside. Large puffy clouds had rolled in off Lake Michigan, providing some relief from the hot August sun. He didn’t bother locking the door since there were several tactical team members and Finnegans stationed in various locations nearby keeping an eye out for anything remotely suspicious. By the time anyone resembling the arsonist approached the door, they’d be on top of him.

Rhy’s team had earpiece radio devices that allowed them to communicate. Joe Kingsley, Rhy’s team leader, had brought extras for the rest of them. Colin wasn’t accustomed to hearing voices in his ear, but he did his best to listen to the chatter between the rest of the team while keeping alert for danger.

They walked down the street to the evergreen tree location. As they’d made plans, there had been a debate about evicting the neighbors. In the end, they’d agreed that with so many of them keeping watch, there shouldn’t be any danger to the nearby properties. Kyleigh and Brady, would be set up closest to those properties, had agreed to evacuate those homes if something did go awry. He trusted his siblings to do that without a problem.

One thing about fire, it took a while to gain momentum. Even with an accelerant, the flames didn’t spread instantaneously. Fire covered the area where the accelerant had been used, but the rest of the property would take time to burn.

Time enough to rescue anyone who might be in the houses nearby.

He and Faye stood near Aiden, nestled in the pine trees. Her gaze encompassed both of them. “How long do you think this will take?” Faye asked.

“No idea.” Colin glanced through some of the thinner branches to see the road. “I have to assume it will take some time for this guy to realize your phone is on, then more time to locate and track it here. I’ve put everyone on alert about the sedan, but we should make sure to look at every vehicle approaching the property as a potential suspect.” Colin wouldn’t put anything past this guy, including stealing a car to throw them off track.

“You may as well sit down,” Aiden advised. “We will likely be here for a while.”

“I’m too nervous.” Faye clasped her hands together. “I pray this guy shows up soon.”

Colin knew it was very likely the arsonist wouldn’t show up until dark, but he didn’t say that. In his earpiece he could hear the guys warning each other to stay alert, emphasizing that waiting was the hardest part.

After ten minutes of standing, Faye dropped to the ground. She put her arms around her knees and rested her chin on them. “Maybe we should have waited until dark,” she muttered.

“Maybe.” He dropped down beside her. “I have faith that he’ll show soon, though.”

The chatter through the earpiece went silent as everyone settled in.

After fifteen minutes, Rhy’s voice came through the earpiece. “Van approaching from the north, heading south.”

“I see it,” Joe Kingsley said. “Looks like two people in front.”

Colin had given Aiden the binocs, which he used to zoom in on the van. “A young guy and a woman. Doubtful they’re our target.”

“Agreed. They’re driving past,” Brady said. “Final destination seems to be a house farther down the street.”

“Roger that,” Rhy confirmed.

They waited another hour without seeing anything out of the ordinary. Colin was beginning to doubt the wisdom of his plan. Granted, Rhy and the others had agreed, so he couldn’t have been that far off base. This was their wheelhouse more so than his.

Still, the minutes dragged by with excruciating slowness.

“Another vehicle approaching from the south,” Joe Kingsley said. “It’s a dark-gray sedan.”

Colin jumped to his feet. “Can I see?” he asked Aiden.

“Sure.” His brother handed over the binocs. He found the sedan but couldn’t get a good look at the driver. The angle of the sun caused a shadow. “I can’t make out the driver’s features,” he muttered.

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