townsfolk shaking their heads. But maybe Jeremiah figured it was safer having Carly close to keep her out of trouble.
Cain blew out a breath and moved toward the group. The brunette was the sheriff’s problem now. He headed toward him.
As he approached, Josh tilted his head toward the cabin. “Went up too quick to be any accident. And the chief’s already confirmed use of an accelerant.” He pointed toward the porch, which was fully engulfed in flames. “Started there. Don’t think the woman set it. I found her crawling out of a window in the back. Nearly came out of her skin when I shouted.”
They both turned their gazes to the brunette who quickly averted hers.
“Something’s off about her,” Cain said, wondering if the sheriff had learned something. Not that anything but his professional curiosity was aroused. He cleared his throat.
Josh’s gaze didn’t stray from the woman who stood with her shoulders hunched and her arms wrapped over her chest. “I’m gonna stay here. The chief wants volunteers to spread out and walk the area into the woods with rakes and water pumps to make sure this thing doesn’t get any bigger than it is.”
He stiffened. Cain didn’t like where this discussion was leading.
“I’ll need you to take her back to the station to get her statement and see what she knows. Be sure to run the plates on that car—”
Cain cussed silently but didn’t bother arguing. “And I’ll see if she has any outstanding warrants…”
Josh gave him a quick grin and clapped his shoulder. “Figured you’d be the last man to be tempted by a pretty face.”
Cain narrowed his gaze, but otherwise didn’t rise to the jibe. A town like Caldera had no secrets, at least none that stayed buried long. His next door neighbor had made sure all his buddies at the diner knew exactly what had transpired when Susan left, down to the make and model of the pickup truck that pulled away with all his furniture and appliances, even his own clothing. Cain guessed it had made for a rip-roaring story since the smiles and pats of commiseration hadn’t stopped.
Yeah, he’d be the last man to let down his guard with a pretty brunette. But man, he did have a type. The woman who refused to meet his stare was everything he liked in one curvy little package—including that lost, lonely look. Shit.
He hitched up his belt, drew a deep breath, and headed toward her, noting the frantic way her gaze hit everything around him before, at last, widening and rising to meet his. She wore the same baggy, oversized blouse and slacks she had when she’d stood inside the motel office—an outfit his grandma might have worn. And she was barefoot. For some reason, that last fact made his stomach ache.
Damn, this close she had the face of an angel—if angels had dark, doe-like eyes, skin the color of fresh cream, and lips as plump and dark as ripe cherries. Firelight lent an illusion of intimacy…
Shit.
He reached for the brim of his hat and tipped it. “Ma’am.”
Her gaze went to the badge pinned to the pocket of his denim shirt. “Deputy.”
“I need you to accompany me to the station so I can take your statement.”
Her eyebrows drew closer. “We can’t do it here?”
“No, ma’am. That wouldn’t follow protocol.”
“And you always follow the rules?”
Her question came quick and with a touch of vinegar, which still didn’t lesson the sweetness of her honeyed voice. He liked a bit of tart with his sweet. Dammit. “Rules keep us all safe, ma’am.” He tilted his chin toward his squad car. “You can ride with me.”
She straightened. “I can drive myself.”
“Someone will bring your car along later,” he said, crossing his arms.
Her gaze whipped between the house and the car. “My things.”
What things? He glanced into the back, but it was empty. He raised an eyebrow.
The breath she blew out billowed her cheeks. “My purse is in the cabin.”
“Then it’s lost.”
“They didn’t even
Cain blew out a breath and moved toward the group. The brunette was the sheriff’s problem now. He headed toward him.
As he approached, Josh tilted his head toward the cabin. “Went up too quick to be any accident. And the chief’s already confirmed use of an accelerant.” He pointed toward the porch, which was fully engulfed in flames. “Started there. Don’t think the woman set it. I found her crawling out of a window in the back. Nearly came out of her skin when I shouted.”
They both turned their gazes to the brunette who quickly averted hers.
“Something’s off about her,” Cain said, wondering if the sheriff had learned something. Not that anything but his professional curiosity was aroused. He cleared his throat.
Josh’s gaze didn’t stray from the woman who stood with her shoulders hunched and her arms wrapped over her chest. “I’m gonna stay here. The chief wants volunteers to spread out and walk the area into the woods with rakes and water pumps to make sure this thing doesn’t get any bigger than it is.”
He stiffened. Cain didn’t like where this discussion was leading.
“I’ll need you to take her back to the station to get her statement and see what she knows. Be sure to run the plates on that car—”
Cain cussed silently but didn’t bother arguing. “And I’ll see if she has any outstanding warrants…”
Josh gave him a quick grin and clapped his shoulder. “Figured you’d be the last man to be tempted by a pretty face.”
Cain narrowed his gaze, but otherwise didn’t rise to the jibe. A town like Caldera had no secrets, at least none that stayed buried long. His next door neighbor had made sure all his buddies at the diner knew exactly what had transpired when Susan left, down to the make and model of the pickup truck that pulled away with all his furniture and appliances, even his own clothing. Cain guessed it had made for a rip-roaring story since the smiles and pats of commiseration hadn’t stopped.
Yeah, he’d be the last man to let down his guard with a pretty brunette. But man, he did have a type. The woman who refused to meet his stare was everything he liked in one curvy little package—including that lost, lonely look. Shit.
He hitched up his belt, drew a deep breath, and headed toward her, noting the frantic way her gaze hit everything around him before, at last, widening and rising to meet his. She wore the same baggy, oversized blouse and slacks she had when she’d stood inside the motel office—an outfit his grandma might have worn. And she was barefoot. For some reason, that last fact made his stomach ache.
Damn, this close she had the face of an angel—if angels had dark, doe-like eyes, skin the color of fresh cream, and lips as plump and dark as ripe cherries. Firelight lent an illusion of intimacy…
Shit.
He reached for the brim of his hat and tipped it. “Ma’am.”
Her gaze went to the badge pinned to the pocket of his denim shirt. “Deputy.”
“I need you to accompany me to the station so I can take your statement.”
Her eyebrows drew closer. “We can’t do it here?”
“No, ma’am. That wouldn’t follow protocol.”
“And you always follow the rules?”
Her question came quick and with a touch of vinegar, which still didn’t lesson the sweetness of her honeyed voice. He liked a bit of tart with his sweet. Dammit. “Rules keep us all safe, ma’am.” He tilted his chin toward his squad car. “You can ride with me.”
She straightened. “I can drive myself.”
“Someone will bring your car along later,” he said, crossing his arms.
Her gaze whipped between the house and the car. “My things.”
What things? He glanced into the back, but it was empty. He raised an eyebrow.
The breath she blew out billowed her cheeks. “My purse is in the cabin.”
“Then it’s lost.”
“They didn’t even
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