Page 31 of Fighting Fire

“Yes, you have a dream schedule, but a tough job,” Kate said.

“I’d do this job for free,” Lana said. “Kate, before you go, I wanted to give you this.” Lana stepped over to her purse and pulled out the evidence bag. “Here’s the sample we talked about.”

Kate took the bag as she rose from the couch. “I can’t do this for you until the end of the day tomorrow.”

“That’s okay. I appreciate you doing it for me at all.”

Kate grabbed Lana’s hand before she could withdraw it. “What happened to your hands?” Kate demanded, alarm in her voice.

“When I was gathering this evidence, someone shoved me down in the dirt. When I got back to my car, my tires were slashed.”

Sienna rose from the couch. Eyeing Lana, she straightened. Her face was flushed and there was a furious glint in her eye. “Yes, I filed a police report for whatever good that will do.”

“Who do you think it was?” Sienna asked.

“Bryant was there, but I can’t prove he shoved me. The guy caught me from behind.”

“But who do you think it was?” Sienna persisted.

“I think it was Bryant.”

“Why do you think it was him? Sienna asked.

“He whispered, ‘Mind your own business, bitch’”

“Sure sounds like him,” Kate said, looking worried. “You need to be more careful.”

Sienna’s eyes narrowed, her voice tough as steel, “Want me to pay him a visit?”

Lana smiled. “No, I can handle Bryant, and from now on I’ll be more careful.”

“You’re still going to pursue this?” Sienna asked.

“I have to because Bryant doesn’t believe it’s a serial arsonist and I do.”

“Okay, but if you need me, let me know. Be careful.”

“I will.”

Sienna opened the front door and stepped through, but Kate hesitated at the doorway. She put her hand on Lana’s arm.

“Friends are friends,” Kate said with a small smile. “Sometimes they fight and get mad at each other but make up. It’ll be fine.”

“I hope so. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt Sean.”

“Did you think about why he reacted this way? He must have pretty strong feelings for you.”

Kate squeezed her arm and turned toward the porch. She stepped out and Lana watched as she got into her car.

She had been preoccupied with thinking about Sean’s obvious hurt and not why he was hurt. They were good friends, and she should have taken that into consideration before she’d gone ahead and seduced him. Although Sean was her friend, their relationship had been volatile from the beginning. She’d always been attracted to him, but now she was just realizing that maybe Sean hadn’t explored his feelings for her.

Then she’d blindsided him.

Unsettled by the emotion, confused by her own feelings, Lana headed back to her room. There was one consolation in that Sean was just as confused as she was. Maybe he needed time to work through it by himself. Once he did that, they could go back to normal.

Whatever that was.

* * *