“What do we know?” I clipped.
Lawson’s gaze narrowed on me. “Firefighters just put it out. They’re doing a cursory examination now.”
“Who reported it?” I asked.
Nash motioned to a couple talking to another officer. “Tourists from Seattle. They were walking to breakfast when they saw it. They called it in and shouted for help.”
“They see anyone lingering around?”
Holt shook his head. “The vehicle was fully engulfed by the time they saw it.”
I cursed under my breath and glanced down at Grae. She was pale. Too pale. Fear put my chest in a stranglehold. “Do you need something to eat? Is your blood sugar okay?”
Grae blinked a few times and pulled out her phone, checking an app. “I’m fine.”
“You’re sure?”
She nodded, showing me the screen. “See? Right in range.”
A little of that fear lessened but not enough. I leaned in closer, my lips grazing the shell of her ear. “We need to tell them about the break-in.”
She squeezed my waist hard. “No. This could’ve been some freak vehicle malfunction. Just wait.”
My jaw clenched. Holding this back was a bad idea. But when I registered the pleading in her eyes, I couldn’t go against her wishes. So much had been taken out of Grae’s control. She needed it now more than ever.
“What’s going on with you two?” Lawson asked, suspicion lacing his tone.
Grae scowled at him. “Caden’s worried. Just like you four were.”
“Yeah, but—”
Lawson’s words were cut off as Fire Chief Ramirez and Rance strode up. Rance made a beeline for Grae. He looked as if he might try to pull her out of my hold, but I shifted my body so that wasn’t possible.
He glared at me, but then his expression gentled as he turned to Grae. “Are you okay?”
She nodded. “I’m fine.”
“This could’ve been really bad. You’re lucky the SUV didn’t explode.”
“Not helping,Rance,” I gritted out. It was then that I realized he was still in civilian clothes. “Are you even on duty?”
He flushed. “I heard the call come in over the radio, so I came straight over.”
Of course, he had.
Ramirez cleared his throat. “I’m glad you weren’t injured, Grae.”
“Thanks for putting out the fire, Chief,” she said.
Lawson was all business, shifting seamlessly into police-chief mode. “What’d you find?”
“We found the remnants of what appear to be fireworks.” Ramirez turned to Grae. “Did you have your window down?”
She nodded. “I always leave them cracked in the summer. It’s not like there are many car thefts around here.”
Holt groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Seriously, G?”
“It gets hot. I don’t want my car baking for hours while I’m at work,” she defended.
