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Caroline was crumpled to the floor amid a mess of cleaning supplies. She’d wedged a wet mop beneath the edge of the door to block the smoke. Smart girl. But she wasn’t moving. Terrified, I scooped her up just as something exploded.
Shit!
The fire had reached the bar area and all that alcohol. Turning quickly, I realized the way I’d come in was blocked. Both our escape routes were covered up with flames.
Suddenly, the back door splintered open, and familiar helmeted shapes were coming through the door. The one in the lead waved for me to come on, even as water was being directed against the flames. Eyes stinging, chest burning, I hurtled out of the building and away from danger.
Someone tried to take Caroline from me, but I clutched her close. At least, until another coughing fit took me down to my knees. Somebody put an oxygen mask over my face. I started to shove it away, to push it toward Caroline, but I realized they’d done the same for her. And her eyes… those beautiful, bloodshot eyes were open. Thank God.
I reached out a hand and snagged hers, relieved to feel her squeeze my fingers.
Looking back at the building, I saw multiple lines being run. They’d be prioritizing keeping the fire from spreading to buildings beyond. I didn’t know if any of this one would be salvageable by the end. But Caroline was okay. That was the only thing that mattered right at this moment.
Abruptly, she sat up, tugging off the mask. “Jasper! Where’s Jasper?”
“He’s out.” I spotted him being treated a couple dozen feet away. “I found him knocked out by the dumpster, but he’s alive.”
Caroline scooted closer and slumped into me. “Thank God. You came.”
“Of course I did. I always will.” I wrapped an arm around her. “What happened?”
She started to speak and fell into another round of coughing, then had to wait for a little more oxygen. “We closed early. It was just Jasper and me left. He’d gone to take out the trash, and I was about to go mop the dining room. Somebody shoved me into the closet and blocked the door somehow.”
“They’d wedged a chair under the handle.” And now that I was out of the danger zone, the full implication of that began to sink in.
This fire hadn’t only been arson, it had been attempted murder. And Caroline had been the target.
20
Caroline
The sun was cresting the horizon by the time we made it home from the island clinic, where Hoyt and I were both treated for smoke inhalation. There’d been a raging debate about whether we ought to be transported to the hospital at Nag’s Head, more for Hoyt than for me, as his injuries were worse than mine. Ultimately, he’d insisted he was fine, and he knew how to treat the second-degree burns he’d sustained. Because he’d rushed into a burning building with no gear to save me.
I was still processing that and pretty sure I’d fall apart about it later when the numbness of exhaustion had worn off. Judging by the crowd of vehicles at the house, that wouldn’t be anytime soon. I didn’t recognize all of them, though I knew at least a couple belonged to Sawyer and Ford, who’d come over to stay with Gabi while Rios was with me at the clinic. But the fire chief’s truck and the police cruiser were obvious enough.
I’d known I’d be questioned about last night. But I’d passed on as much information as I could to the firefighters on the scene before we’d been taken to the clinic, so I’d hoped there’d be a chance to rest before going through everything again. No such luck.
Hoyt and I were both moving slowly as we slid out of his father’s SUV. He’d been the one to stay with us all night. Rios had already parked his car on the shoulder of the drive and raced around to meet me. I waved off his effort to help me up the stairs. Everything hurt, but I was getting inside under my own power. Hoyt needed to see that I was okay so that he’d sit his ass down and rest himself.
Gabi flew out of our apartment. “Caroline!” She raced over to me, skidding to a stop inches from touching me.
I worked up a tired smile. “I won’t break, hermanita.” When I opened my arms, she came into them, squeezing me tight. It hurt, but I just held on because she needed the reassurance.
Her eyes were welling with tears when she pulled back. “You smell like smoke.”
“Yeah. Haven’t gotten the chance for a shower yet.” Though the nurse at the clinic had managed to dig up some scrubs for me to change into. That had helped a little, but the scent still clung to my hair and seemed to emanate from my pores. I wasn’t sure a single shower could wash it away.
“Chief Carson and Chief Thompson are here.”
“Of course they are,” Rios muttered.
“It’s procedure,” Hoyt said. “Let’s get this over with.”
We all trooped inside to find not only Ford and Sawyer but also Drew, standing like a sentinel. Ibbie hovered, a dishtowel in her hands as she frowned at the two unwelcome guests. The moment her eyes lit on Hoyt, she dropped the towel and rushed to him, stopping at the last second, as Gabi had.
“I’m all right, Mom. Promise.”
Her lip trembled as she spotted the bandages covering his burns. “But your hands.”
