“Quinn McCreary hired his firm to protect Harry, Cass, and Raimy while the arsonist was still on the loose. I met him then.”
“Ah,” Oakley said. “Good old cousin Quinn.”
Emerson startled for a second. “I forgot Dash was Quinn’s cousin.” He was mating a McCreary?Fuuuuuuuck.
“I guess that makes us family,” Oakley said.
“Excuse me?”Emerson growled, gaze whipping to Oakley’s.
Oakley looked a bit taken back. “Tanner McCreary mated your brother Fitz. He’s our cousin andyourbrother-in-law. So, we’re related by their mating.”
Emerson snickered. Oakley relaxed, smiling.
“I guess we are,” Emerson said, eyeing Oakley. They were related even closer than Oakley realized. The omega would be his brother-in-law if Dash and he could legally mate.
“Howare you related to Quinn and Tanner?”
“Their grandfather, Tolliver, was my papa’s uncle. But we didn’t grow up around them.”
“Why not?”
“That’s a long,longstory.” The doors pinged and opened on Oakley’s floor. He stepped out and smiled at Emerson. “Have a good one!”
“You, too,” Emerson said as the doors slid closed.
His interest piqued, Emerson wondered if he could get that story out of Dash. He knew little about his mate’s family and wanted to know everything.AnotherMcCreary was entering the Walker family.
A few more stories up, Emerson walked out of the elevator and into the Fire Investigations office. Pausing outside Harrison’s office, he found his brother looking dapper, wearing a suit, and standing behind his desk.
“Who’s getting married?”
Harrison looked up from whatever he’d been reading. “I’ve got court today, remember?”
“Oh, right,” Emerson said, walking down the hall to his own office. He yelled over his shoulder, “Better you than me.”
Before he entered his office, the sound of an explosion went off not too far away. The entire building shook, one of the panes of glass in his windows splintering. Emerson set his items down and rushed to the window. A raging fireball had been shot into the sky.
Following it to the base, he realized the general area it had come from and his body went cold.
“What the fuck was that?”Harrison roared, his voice growing louder as he neared.
Emerson swept over to the old emergency radio in his office and flipped it on. Nothing. He reminded himself it would take a minute or two for calls to come in through the emergency line and the operators to notify dispatch.
Harrison walked deeper into his office, staring out the window.“Oh, fuck…” He reached into his sportscoat and retrieved his phone. “I need to get out of court.”
As Harrison stepped out into the hall, a squawk came over the radio.
“Attention all units, stand by for emergency traffic.”
A pause came. Emerson stared at the radio, his stomach in knots.
Come on, come on, come on…
“Reported explosion in the east sector of Downtown. 4236 Milsap Avenue. Multiple calls reported an explosion and fire at an office building at that location. Dispatching Engine 1, Engine 3, Engine 6, Ladder 1, Rescue 2, Battalion 1, and Medic units 3, 4, and 5. All units respond, code 3. Be advised of possible structural collapse, fire involvement, and multiple casualties. Law enforcement and utility services have been notified. All responding units switch to Tactical Channel 3 upon arrival. Stage as directed and use caution for possible secondary explosions. Dispatch clear.”
Emerson spun for the door. Harrison stood in the middle of it, listening to the radio.
“Move!”Emerson roared as he ran towards the hall.
