Page 136 of Fire Fight

Crew practically shoved me away in his haste to get up. “You can’t be serious.”

“It’s the best lead we’ve got,” Lane said as he stood, though I could tell he wasn’t happy about it.

I was missing something here.

“You’re fucking insane,” Trey muttered. “There’s no goddamn way.”

Crew vigorously nodded. “Agreed.”

“I want to think you’re both right, but I have a job to do.”

“Will someone tell me what the fuck is going on?” I asked, rising to my feet. Crew and Lane shared an unreadable look but didn’t speak, so I turned to the third brother. “Trey?”

He ignored me in favor of shooting Lane a pleading glance. “You really think it’s him?”

Lane shrugged slightly. “I have to explore every possibility.”

Trey finally moved, getting off the couch and stalking toward the door, disappearing without a word.

“Crew?” I pleaded. “Who is this man?”

“This man…his name is Ward Saunders. His daughter, Wyatt, is Trey’s best friend, and his wife has worked at the school for probably three decades. She started as a teacher, but has been the principal for the last twenty or so years.”

thirty-five

. . .

ASPEN

Ice slid down my spine.

The principal’shusband? And the father of Trey’s best friend? That explained his pained expression and wordless retreat.

Fucking hell.

I didn’t realize I’d spoken the words aloud until Lane said, “Yeah. So this should be fun.”

“You’re going to interview him now?” Crew asked.

“Yep. I was about to head over there before you called earlier, actually.”

“I’m coming with,” my man said, and Lane gave him a curt nod.

They headed for the door, but I stopped them.

“Wait, what about me?”

Lane’s smile was brittle, like his facial muscles didn’t want to cooperate. “Oh, you’re coming too, little one.”

On the way into town, Lane glanced at me in the rearview and said, “I don’t need to tell you we need to handle this carefully, right?”

I shook my head. “I’m no stranger to interviews, Sheriff.”

“Just let me do the talking and we’ll be fine.”

“Then why are we even coming along?” Crew asked.

“I want Aspen to get a read on Ward, see if you have any sort of reaction to him. And you’re here because?—”