Page 1 (1/2)
Chapter one
Darcy Michaels adjusted her gloved grip on her toolbox and picked her way carefully over the charred rehtersevery crevice and corner to be certain the fire was couished Water dripped fro to puddle on the floor below, and the s to her nostrils and skin, sinking into the very fiber of her uniform
"Third one in as many weeks," James Ralston muttered behind her "I’m sorry, Darcy I know you loved this place"
She stopped and faced her ripped in a vise of pain Like the two previous fires, this blaze had destroyed a location that was dear to her and had held precious memories She’d celebrated her twelfth birthday at the Sweet Spot candy shop, and she stopped by every Friday to stock up on the sour lemonade straws her sister had turned her on to
Focus on the details, Darcy Don’t lose it now
"Whoever the arsonist is," she said, "he’s not going to quit He’s been doing this too long It’s in his blood"
The frequency of the acts and the terrible brilliance of the ti used spoke of someone who’d had ti violated, despite knowing how irrational that response was As much as she’d wanted to leave Lion’s Bay as a kid, she couldn’t even conte the sleepy seaside to The same memories that had driven her parents to move away kept her bound to the area
"I don’t knohat to reen eyes ith compassion and intent on her face "We don’t have any new residents and it’s the off-season Tourism is down Anyone not from around here sticks out like a sore thuaze following the burn patterns he’d taught her to read
"This guy didn’t just crawl out of the ork," she said, startled to hear her voice cracking She cleared her dry throat "I think we need to bring the big guns in on this"
"Miller’s doing a good job He’s htly "You don’t want to be the one who steps on his toes"
Darcy nodded, acknowledging the sensitive nature of her relationship with the town’s sheriff "I know, but I think he needs more resources, and I think he’s too stubborn to ask for help"
The last tihshod over Chris Miller and his deputies, cutting hi his limited resources She remembered that tense ti had been the tragedy that brought her hoo is the least of our probleather the evidence, then we’ll discuss the next best steps" Setting his hand on her shoulder, Ji squeeze "Maybe you should stay with so up, she set her hand over his He knew her so well
She wanted a particular kind of support, the kind where someone was nearby if she needed them but out of her way if she wanted tiaze met Jim’s and he read her mind "My couch is always open to you, Darcy You know that"
She nodded "Thank you"
"Anyti away, Darcy looked for a place to set down her kit and begin
ROLLING OVER WITH a sigh, Darcy looked at the clock over Jim’s fireplace mantel and noted the time: quarter after five It was still dark outside and she’d been tossing and turning all night, too wired by her restless thoughts to catch the sleep she desperately needed There was so at her, but she just couldn’t place it Turning it over and over in herfor towhat had to be done She wanted her treasured equanimity back, and the only way toit froe The sooner, the better A possible pissing h to hold her back So far no one had been hurt, but their torch was barely catching his breath between fires If he kept to his established pattern, they had only days before he struck again
A warht her attention to the handsome German shepherd sprawled on the floor at the foot of the couch When her brief relationship with Ji keenly
"Thanks for watching out fordown, she scratched behind his ears
The residents of Lion’s Bay were paying her to provide the same service to the town--to watch out for the to let them down
Chapter two
Deputy US Marshal Jared Cameron waited until the Lion’s Bay sheriff sucked in a deep breath lanced at his partner
"This winner is all yours," he drawled, turning on his heel and leaving Deputy Trish Morales to it She’d been assigned to him for just that reason: she had the patience of a saint and he had no patience at all Especially not for defensive, posturing small-town authorities hipped their dicks out and startedtheir territories the moment he rolled into town