Page 52 of Fighting Fire

“No!” Lana said more sharply than she meant to.”

Sienna raised her brows. “Have you signed up for the test?”

“Yes. I did. So, see, I’m committed.”

“That proves it. Lana, I’ve never known you to go forward with something you don’t feel one hundred percent about. You must want this very badly. Look what you’ve accomplished to get where you are now.”

“Right. You’re right. I’m second-guessing myself for nothing.”

Sienna nodded. “So, do you want to know what I found out about Bryant?”

“Sure.”

“Nothing.”

“Not even a speeding ticket?”

“Nope. He’s clean as a whistle, except…” Sienna said, looking up at Lana.

“What?”

“He’s received some extra money lately. Two payments.”

“Bribes?”

Sienna shrugged. “Not sure. Could be anything—extra work, inheritance, or lottery winnings. Problem is that unless he’s a suspect, I can’t go further with the investigation.”

“I’m probably off base about this guy anyway. Incompetence isn’t a crime. He just doesn’t do his job well.”

“You think he might be the arsonist?”

“I thought so, but it could be because I really dislike him.”

“Could be.”

“Pete Meadows said he was also incompetent as a firefighter, so I’m probably wrong.”

“That leaves a suspect out there somewhere.”

“Right. Someone is setting those fires.”

“Did you get a soil sample from the last one?”

“No. If I get caught doing that, the captain will come down on me hard.”

“How about I do it?”

Lana sat up in her chair. “Good idea and that leaves me out of it.”

“I’ll let you know the results.”

“The results of what?”

Lana’s head whipped around, and Bryant was standing next to Sienna’s desk.

For a moment she just stared at him, then came back to her senses. She stood up and slid the folder with the results of Bryant’s background check under some of Sienna’s other folders. “It was personal, Lieutenant Bryant.”

He glared at her, but she was pretty sure that he hadn’t seen the folder. If he had, he wouldn’t have hesitated to make a stink about it and rat her out to her captain.