“Linden!”
Annaleise Bell is waving frantically from behind the police perimeter.
My thoughts go to Meg. Shit. Did something happen?
I hurry over, worry twisting my gut. “Is Meg okay?”
Her eyes flash with surprise, but she recovers quickly. “Did an arsonist start this fire?”
Only then do I remember Annaleise is a reporter. Sure enough, the cell phone clutched in her hand has the voice recorder app open.
Gritting my teeth, I spin on my heel and walk back to the engine. Once I’m inside the cab, Hickman pulls away from the curb. Scotty jerks his chin in the direction of the crowd hoveringoutside the barricade. “You need a reminder of our public affairs policy?”
“I thought—” I stop myself. “Never mind.”
He arches an eyebrow, but I ignore him.
Back at the station, I check my phone, but there’s no text from Meg. I drag my thumb down my grit-caked chin. I need a shower and food, but the craving to hear her voice is clawing at my chest like a wild animal.
Fuck this.
I don’t know what’s happening here, and hell if I have any clue what to do about it.
After stuffing my phone back in my locker, I head for the showers.
Twenty minutes later, when I punch through the doors with my gear bag over my shoulder, Will Hayes is right on my heels. I’ve been so lost in my stupid thoughts I haven’t taken time to check in with him.
“Big plans today?” I ask when he falls in next to me.
He gives me a sideways glance. “House stuff. Probably swim some laps. Dinner with Zach’s family.”
“Where do you swim?” I ask.
“Community pool.”
“You ever want to try long distance, the lake is great in the summer.”
“Yeah maybe.” He’s quiet for a beat. “That was intense today.”
“I don’t know what they taught you in the academy, but fighting fire is pretty rare.”
“How rare is a dead body?”
“In conjunction with a fire? Maybe once or twice in a career.”
He nods. “There wasn’t anything else we could have done for her, was there?”
“No.”
He releases a full breath, puffing hischeeks.
“You ever need to talk?—”
“I don’t,” he interrupts, then runs a hand through his hair. “Sorry. My sister in law is a shrink. I love her, but I’ve talked enough to last me several lifetimes.”
I chuckle. “Understood. Permit me to offer one piece of advice?” I squint at him. “One you are free to ignore.”
He cracks a smile. “Shoot.”
