her I missed her, that I wanted her in my bed, my hands all over her sweet body as soon as humanly possible.
But I was a big sissy, so I shoved those uncomfortable feelings back down where they belonged.
“I think the arsonist has done it again,” I said. “Forest Hill trailer park. Ring a bell?”
She gasped. “That place is dangerous. Not even the cops like to go out there. Are you sure?”
“No, but there was mention of several explosions.”
She paused for a moment to listen to something on her radio. “Yeah, I just got a call about it myself. I'm heading down, okay? The longer I wait, the bigger chance any key witnesses will be gone.”
“Sure, but you're not going near the place until the fire's totally out.”
When she hung up, I felt weird. It almost sounded as if she was disappointed, somehow.
I brushed it off as we pulled into Forest Hill. The blaze had struck five of the trailers, and thanks to the dry, dead grass, it was spreading quick.
“Come on, guys. Let's move!” Jayce shouted. “Brett, you and I will take those three. The others can handle the rest.”
Park residents stood behind the fence, watching us put out the blaze. I kept my eye on the crowd, scanning for anyone or anything suspicious. But these folks just looked like your typical redneck fare; certainly none of them were the culprit.
Still, I knew that arsonists often hung around to watch things burn. The guy could be here, right now, studying his handiwork while we struggled to snuff out the flames.
A police cruiser whipped into the parking lot, tires screeching as it came to an abrupt stop. Madison climbed out and surveyed the inferno with wide eyes.
“Keep back,” I yelled. “Don't want you to get hurt.”
Her gaze shifted from the burning trailers to me. Then she frowned and looked away.
“Yeah. You got it.”
My heart sank. She already had been hurt – by me.
Nah, don't be dumb. You didn't do a thing wrong. Never made her any promises; didn't lead her on.
She should have known what she was getting into with me. She was well aware of my reputation.
But then why did she look and sound so sad? Stranger still, why did that bother me so damn much?
“Hold onto that hose,” Jayce shouted. “I'm gonna spray down the grass so we don't let it spread.”
Madison milled around the perimeter, studying the residents and probably wondering the same thing about them I had been. It was good she'd come. Now she could worry about catching the guy while I focused on the job.
“Excuse me, sir? I have a few questions I'd like to ask you.”
She pulled a man aside to speak with him. I watched her, transfixed by her beauty, even though I should have been keeping my eye on the target.
Oliver, Billy, and I cut through the yards and went to work on the next trailer. This one was engulfed in fire, likely already totally destroyed inside. Could be the source, where it started.
A few guys caught my attention then. They stood off to the side, heads down, their faces covered by baseball caps. Madison didn't seem to notice them.
There was a hissing noise, though, coming from the trailer behind me. I braced myself, knowing whatever made that sound couldn't be good.
An explosion tore through the trailer, sending hunks of the roof and debris sky-high. Pieces of something metal flew in every direction as the crowd screamed and ran for safety.
Scorching heat rippled over my flesh. I covered my face, the pain of it almost too much to bear.
“What the hell was that?” Oliver screamed over the racket. “Everybody, stay back!”
We scrambled to get the hoses on it. I scanned the yard for Madison and said a silent thank you when I found her hiding behind her cruiser.
That's when I spotted him through the thick smoke: a figure of a man – no details stood out, but it freaked me out anyway. He looked directly at me for a long time, not moving. Then he turned and walked away, vanishing into the gray clouds.
“Madison!” I yelled as best
But I was a big sissy, so I shoved those uncomfortable feelings back down where they belonged.
“I think the arsonist has done it again,” I said. “Forest Hill trailer park. Ring a bell?”
She gasped. “That place is dangerous. Not even the cops like to go out there. Are you sure?”
“No, but there was mention of several explosions.”
She paused for a moment to listen to something on her radio. “Yeah, I just got a call about it myself. I'm heading down, okay? The longer I wait, the bigger chance any key witnesses will be gone.”
“Sure, but you're not going near the place until the fire's totally out.”
When she hung up, I felt weird. It almost sounded as if she was disappointed, somehow.
I brushed it off as we pulled into Forest Hill. The blaze had struck five of the trailers, and thanks to the dry, dead grass, it was spreading quick.
“Come on, guys. Let's move!” Jayce shouted. “Brett, you and I will take those three. The others can handle the rest.”
Park residents stood behind the fence, watching us put out the blaze. I kept my eye on the crowd, scanning for anyone or anything suspicious. But these folks just looked like your typical redneck fare; certainly none of them were the culprit.
Still, I knew that arsonists often hung around to watch things burn. The guy could be here, right now, studying his handiwork while we struggled to snuff out the flames.
A police cruiser whipped into the parking lot, tires screeching as it came to an abrupt stop. Madison climbed out and surveyed the inferno with wide eyes.
“Keep back,” I yelled. “Don't want you to get hurt.”
Her gaze shifted from the burning trailers to me. Then she frowned and looked away.
“Yeah. You got it.”
My heart sank. She already had been hurt – by me.
Nah, don't be dumb. You didn't do a thing wrong. Never made her any promises; didn't lead her on.
She should have known what she was getting into with me. She was well aware of my reputation.
But then why did she look and sound so sad? Stranger still, why did that bother me so damn much?
“Hold onto that hose,” Jayce shouted. “I'm gonna spray down the grass so we don't let it spread.”
Madison milled around the perimeter, studying the residents and probably wondering the same thing about them I had been. It was good she'd come. Now she could worry about catching the guy while I focused on the job.
“Excuse me, sir? I have a few questions I'd like to ask you.”
She pulled a man aside to speak with him. I watched her, transfixed by her beauty, even though I should have been keeping my eye on the target.
Oliver, Billy, and I cut through the yards and went to work on the next trailer. This one was engulfed in fire, likely already totally destroyed inside. Could be the source, where it started.
A few guys caught my attention then. They stood off to the side, heads down, their faces covered by baseball caps. Madison didn't seem to notice them.
There was a hissing noise, though, coming from the trailer behind me. I braced myself, knowing whatever made that sound couldn't be good.
An explosion tore through the trailer, sending hunks of the roof and debris sky-high. Pieces of something metal flew in every direction as the crowd screamed and ran for safety.
Scorching heat rippled over my flesh. I covered my face, the pain of it almost too much to bear.
“What the hell was that?” Oliver screamed over the racket. “Everybody, stay back!”
We scrambled to get the hoses on it. I scanned the yard for Madison and said a silent thank you when I found her hiding behind her cruiser.
That's when I spotted him through the thick smoke: a figure of a man – no details stood out, but it freaked me out anyway. He looked directly at me for a long time, not moving. Then he turned and walked away, vanishing into the gray clouds.
“Madison!” I yelled as best
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