Page 29 of Tuck & Roll

“Oh, yeah. Okay.” Kylie rubbed at her forehead like a headache was coming on.

“Can she get a copy of the report also for her insurance? All of the contents inside were hers as well as the car was in the garage.” Tuck settled his hand on her lower back, offering comfort where he could.

“Yes.” He told them when and where they could get a copy. The inspector turned to leave, but Kylie stopped him to ask, “Is it okay to go in there?” She stopped him before he could get away.

“There isn’t anything worth saving in there. Between the fire, smoke and water, there’s nothing in there you can salvage.”

“That’s what I figured. I have a small safe in my bedroom closet I’d like to get if possible. It has all my important papers in it.” She brushed a few strands of her hair that had come lose on the bike ride from her face.

“I can get it for you if you can give me an idea of where it is.”

As Kylie led the way to the back of the house, Tuck noted the back fared better than the front. Crunching over broken glass, he looked up and found the window she’d broken out in her desperate race to escape the fire. Unbelievable. There was no way for her not to fall headfirst out of it and not land on the broken glass. It would have been more of a shock if she hadn’t hurt herself.

Rounding the corner, he caught up with them as she pointed through the bedroom window to where her closet was located. “It’s in there.”

“Okay. I’ll go in and get it. I need to take a few more pictures then I’ll meet you both out front with it.”

Tuck led Kylie back to the front of the house to wait. With their backs to the house, everything looked normal. The normal neighborhood sounds could be heard all around them; the sound of a lawn mower running, the bark of a dog, a car passing by. All of it so normal. No one would guess that someone in their midst was purposely targeted and marked for death last night. They all thought it a tragic accident.

The sound of his phone ringing in his pocket broke into his reverie. Checking the caller I.D., he answered, “Is this an emergency, Race?”

“No. Was wondering if you’d heard anything regarding the police chief from Kylie.” There was a pause, then, “Why did you ask if it was an emergency?”

“Because I’m at Kylie’s house right now. Someone broke in last night and set it on fire while she was sleeping.” He hated the way she flinched at his words.

“The fuck you say?” Race growled.

“You heard me.”

“On our way.” Race disconnected before Tuck could say anything else.

“That was Race.”

“I heard.” She gave him a weak grin, but he’d take it.

He took a step closer and cupped the side of her face. “Everything is going to be all right, Kylie Jo. We’ll fix this.”

“Someone tried to kill me.” Her bright blue eyes sparked with fire, her voice cracking as she spoke through clenched teeth. “How do you plan on fixing that? Can you?”

Before he could answer, the sound of multiple bikes coming down the street drew their attention. His hand fell away as he waited for his brothers to back their bikes in at the curb and shut them off. The instant silence that followed was almost ominous. They were all here for Kylie, to have her back in any way needed, whether she understood it or not.

“How did you get here so fast?” Race, along with Jackson, Jed, Trick, Tulsa, Darren and Dagger, gathered around Tuck and Kylie.

“We were a couple of blocks away at Dagger’s house.” He gave Kylie a top to bottom scan, then said, “Kylie girl, I’m so sorry you lost your house. Is there anything we can do for you?”

She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. “I honestly don’t know.”

“What happened?” he asked Tuck.

He recited everything Kylie had told him and the fire inspector earlier, finishing with, “He said the fire started in the kitchen and it was deliberately set.”

“What the fuck? Someone broke into her house and set the fire?” Darren growled, his hands fisting at his sides. The man looked ready to kill someone.

“Yeah. Looks that way.” Tuck bobbed his head and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Someone tried to kill our Kylie?” Jed’s eyes were almost feral. He might be an easygoing, fun-loving guy, but he wasn’t the club enforcer for nothing. The man, when provoked, could lay down some serious damage on anyone he felt threatened the club or their family.

“Kylie, have you had a chance to look into the police chief yet? Is that why you were calling my phone?” Race had his arms crossed over his chest, his feet shoulder width apart.

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