Page 114 of Burning For You

“It’s not connected,” Christian said. “I’m the one who brought it up to the chief so if you’ve got a problem with it, then we can go in my office. You’re cleared for now, but I can make that change.”

Alan shoved his arm away and stalked out of the conference room.

“Is he really cleared?”

“Yeah,” Christian said. “There is no proof other than what he said. And no reason to dispute it either right now. He’s always shown up at fires, even ones that we know the causes of. Like last night.”

“I know.”

“But you still thought it might be him?”

He shrugged. “It’s hard to turn your mind off anyone.”

“Like Skye,” Christian said. “That email last night, she admitted she was right there when it was sent.”

“Oh, are you kidding me?” he roared. “There is no way.”

“You don’t know that,” Christian said. His captain backed up when Ash hissed. “But highly unlikely.”

“That’s right. I’ve been with her when she gets those emails. Explain that?”

“That’s why I said it’s highly unlikely. But Alan has pull in this area. His family has long ties to the GFFD. You know that. I know that. I didn’t bring his name up as an accusation.”

“Then why did you?”

“Because we need to catch this person before it gets out of hand. And that email last night says it’s escalating. The fact that the person was so close to Skye, again, is she a target? Is she in danger? I brought up Alan, because maybe he’s seen something we haven’t, and if the questions turned another way, that’s on the chief.”

“You think I haven’t asked myself those questions? I’ve got her brothers on my case right now too. I should have been with her last night. I should be with her tonight, but I can’t be because I’m here.”

“Seems like she’s got a big enough family to keep an eye on her,” Christian said. “For now, we have to keep our eyes on everyone and everything. I know the chief told Alan he was brought up to be eliminated.”

“Is he? Is he really?”

Christian looked around. “I don’t want to accuse anyone, but I’m not closed off to it. You and I both know, it happens. He’ll be watched, but that is all we’ve got. Having him here and still working actually makes it easier to watch than not.”

“If he’s smart he won’t show up at any more fires unless he is working,” he said.

“Or he will do it out of spite and say he has no reason to change what he’s always done.”

Ash groaned. “The guy needs to get a life. He’s got a wife and kids at home. I don’t get it.”

“It’s not for us to ask or question,” Christian said. “And I don’t need to tell you to keep us informed of anything you find out.”

“I’ve got nothing to hide,” he said. “Everything that Skye finds out, it’s reported. I don’t need to be on her case to do it. Like you said, she’s got enough others ahead of me.”

And he’d just have to accept that for now.

That he might not be the first person she called or went to.

Or he’d have to get back to being the first and that meant apologizing for being pushy and angry because he was worried about her.

But that wouldn’t happen until he was off shift and they had more time to talk.

At nine that night, when most of the town was settling in, lights going out one by one and routines pulling people towards getting cozy for the night, the alarms screamed again.

Another structure fire.

He told himself he wouldn’t see her there. That he didn’t want to.