“I’m extending an olive branch.” That was all Gabe could think of to say at this point. Hopefully, his friend would know where to take it from there.
“Oh yeah? I’ll take your olive branch and raise you a beer.”
Gabe grinned inwardly. “That sounds good, but will I be safe if we talk about your sister? Or are you going to break that beer bottle over my head?”
Parker chuckled. “We’ll see.”
That wasn’t exactly the answer Gabe had hoped for, but it was better than he’d expected. The two of them made plans to meet up the next day. Gabe wouldn’t get off until six, and he’d need a few minutes to make it home, shower, change clothes, and steel himself for whatever would follow.
At least there would be an end to this. Just knowing that much gave him a sense of relief. Not that he would ever admit it to her, but maybe his mother was right. He needed to take the initiative a little more often.
The guys returned to the truck and hopped in.
“Nothing?” Gabe asked.
“Not that we could find,” the captain answered. “Let’s go.”
Gabe put the truck in gear and began driving around the back of the gas station when he saw some familiar sparks and slammed on the brakes. “Fire.” He pointed to a small pile of wood and newspaper…and the backside of a fleeing arsonist.
“Fuck. That must’ve been the gas the woman smelled.” All four of them jumped out. The captain addressed Gabe before he slammed his door. “You can put that puppy out with the fire extinguisher. I’m going after that bastard.”
“I’ll go with ya, Captain,” yelled Donahue.
Gabe grabbed the fire extinguisher and followed Fritz to the mini bonfire near the propane tanks. “It’s a damn good thing we saw this here… Stand back.”
He had just started to aim it when the pile exploded. Fritz swore and jumped out of the way. Gabe felt like everything was happening in slow motion.
The probie’s eyes rounded, and he lunged for Gabe, pushing him to the ground. It was about that time that a thousand bees were stinging his face—at least that’s what it felt like. He closed his eyes and covered them with his hands out of instinct. Soon, the smell of gas was joined by another horrible odor. Gabe smelled his own flesh frying.
He heard two sets of voices yelling. Even as he was on fire, he was concerned about the probie who had dived right on top of him and was probably also getting burned. That was no ordinary bonfire. Something had to have been planted and set to explode as soon as the arsonist had cleared the scene.
He heard the captain yelling instructions, saying he’d use the snow to smother the fire until Tom returned with the fireproof blanket. That’s the last thing Gabe remembered.
* * *
“Thanks for driving me to the dealership, Misty,” Adam said.
She shrugged. “You’re the one driving. Why didn’t you pick up the neighbor whose car you borrowed this morning? She could have dropped you off and gone right home.”
“Oh, I was going to, but she called and said one of her kids came home sick. She has to stay with him. You know how to drive, don’t you?”
Misty laughed. “Yeah. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have gone much of anywhere when I lived in the ’burbs.”
“Oh, that’s right. I forget you went from living in the city to the suburbs and then back. What was that like for you?”
She shrugged. She didn’t really want to chitchat with her boss. Truthfully, she didn’t even want to be in a car with him. It seemed too personal. Where Adam was concerned, she’d rather keep things strictly business.
After an uncomfortable silence, he cleared his throat. “Um, Misty. I wanted to talk to you alone. Outside work. Not as your boss, but as your friend.”
She glanced over at him and raised her eyebrows.Friend? Since when?She didn’t interrupt him though. Part of her was curious about what he wanted to say.
“It…well. It’s about that firefighter.”
“Gabe?”
“Yeah. I hope you’re not getting too involved with him. I mean, I know he proposed, but I was relieved to hear you didn’t accept. I hope you’ll say no altogether when you hear what I have to say.”
What could he possibly have to say? Did he put a private investigator on Gabe who saw him shift into a bird and fly away?She remained quiet.
