Slow Burn (Smoke Jumpers) by Anne Marsh Read Free Book Online

the pattern fit. Hell, the pattern was staring him in the face, giving him the fucking bird. “Lots of little fires, all called in. Plenty of action for every man based in Strong, plus enough overtime to put some cash in a man’s pocket.”
    “Who would do that?” Rio asked. “If the arsonist is one of ours, who is he?”
    Jack scrubbed a hand over his face. “Someone who doesn’t give a damn that I’ve only got half a fire department here. Word gets out that we can’t shut down an arsonist, finding funding isn’t going to get any easier. I’ve got a photographer coming on board.” Jack swore. “She’s taking pictures for a magazine piece about the firehouse and my plans for it. That article is supposed to be our calling card—a little hey-look-at-me when I go out and hit up potential donors.”
    Sure wasn’t going to look good if the article mentioned unsolved arson. Plus, the truth was, none of them wanted Strong burning up. Slow, hot anger blew through Evan, mean and strong. He had Jack’s back on this. That went without saying. This fire department was Jack’s baby, his dream. He’d hunt down the son of a bitch setting fires. That also went without saying.
    Rio looked over at Jack. “When’s that photographer due?”
    Jack tossed him his gear bag. “Yesterday. Today. Whenever she gets around to coming. She’s freelance, so she’s not punching a clock.” He looked up at Evan. “Even you can’t shanghai her, Evan. She comes when she comes, and she does her thing. That’s non-negotiable.”
    “Yeah. About that photographer . . .”
    His brothers must have seen something on his face, because they stopped talking.
    “Hell.” Rio whistled. “He’s already done something, Jack.”
    Jack raised an eyebrow, and Evan could feel a dull flush heating up his face. “Yeah. I’d say he has. You lock the photographer up in your cabin with Mike’s ex?”
    “Mike’s ex is the photographer.”
    “Fuck.” Jack’s palm hit the closest locker. “We’d better have been joking about locking her in, Evan.”
    “She can leave anytime she wants.” She simply wasn’t getting far on foot.
    Rio pointed toward the door. “Our ride is about to leave, ladies. Argue later, and get your asses out there.”
    “I took her car keys,” Evan admitted right before they cleared the door and their boots hit the tarmac.
    Jack and Rio looked at each other, and then Jack groaned. “She’s going to kill you, Evan. You know that, right? You’d better hope you’re not coming back from this jump, because she’ll be waiting for you.”
    Tucking his helmet under his arm, Evan ran flat-out for the plane, his brothers whooping and hollering beside him. Last man in bought the night’s beer, and it sure looked as if it was going to be Evan’s night to pony up. That was fine, too, because as soon as he was on board, the plane would hit the runway and then the air. The ground and his problems would all fall away.
    If only it was that simple to leave Faye Duncan behind.
     
    Jesus. This fire business was better than porn. Yesterday, Hollis had waited until the flames really got going, eating up the side of the hill where he’d set his latest fire. He’d wanted to get a little excitement going on a slow Friday night, and the brush fire had been good stuff, although the lady in the red Corvette had given him a scare when she popped up out of nowhere. She’d forced him to put a temporary restraining order on his fire until she’d pulled out and he could fan the flames some more before he left and called it in.
    Today’s fire call, however, was the real deal. He had to set his fires in accessible spots, so he could get in and out quickly, but this new blaze was way out in the wildlands. Probably a summer lightning hit that had started a sleeper fire in some deadwood. Left alone long enough, that little spark had eventually lit up the side of the mountain. Now the jump team was headed up to check it out.
    The DC-3 rumbled,