Just as I bend my head, my phone rings in my pocket.For a moment I’m tempted to ignore it and keep my focus on Tessa’s slightly parted lips, but she’s already taking a step back.
“Shouldn’t you get that?”
I should probably at least have a look at who the hell is calling me at this time of night.That rarely ever happens anymore.
One glance at my phone screen has the very short hair on my neck stand up.
“Yes, what’s up?”
“Where are you?”Omar Westover asks.
Omar is one of the Battaglia Security guys who were at the firehouse earlier.I watched them follow Tessa and Remi when they left to go home.
“At Tessa’s.Why?”
Tessa moves a little closer and looks at me with concern in her eyes.
“Because something is happening at the firehouse.We’re on our way.”
Chapter17
Clem
“It makes no sense.”
It was barely ten when I got here to find a sheriff’s deputy, along with a few security guys, milling about outside the firehouse.
Nothing visible was amiss, at least not at first glance and not on the outside, other than that the rear door stood open.That was a bit of a relief, the fire that decimated the original location of my auto repair shop still fresh in my mind.Roy Battaglia, who showed up at the same time I did, pulled me aside and warned me to stay out of the way.Apparently, two deputies were inside doing a search of the building in case the perpetrator was still inside.
They just came out to tell us no one was found on the premises and, from what they could see, there didn’t appear to be anything disturbed, except for the door, which had been forced open.
“Whatever reason they had might not have been obvious to us,” Deputy KC Kingma returns.He was one of the deputies who searched the building.“Althoff is on his way, so you’ll be able to do a walk-through with him.”
I’m glad I insisted Tessa stay home with her boys.She’d been ready to come with me when I told her something was going on at the firehouse.She took a little convincing, but ultimately stayed behind, insisting I call her the minute I know what’s going on.Of course, I’m not sure of anything yet at this point, but I send her a quick text anyway.
Don’t know much yet.
They’re making me wait for Althoff before letting me inside.
Her response is immediate,confirming she was waiting to hear.
Yeah, that’s standard OP.Just hang tight.
I’m guessingOP stands for operating procedure.
Did they get anything on the feed?
I hadn’t thoughtto ask, so immediately turn to Roy.
“Omar mentioned seeing movement on that one.”I point at the small, almost invisible camera mounted just underneath the ledge of the upstairs window.Did we get anything useful?”
Battaglia shrugs.“Possibly, but I’ll leave that for Althoff to discuss with you.”
Right then, another sheriff’s cruiser pulls into the back lot from the alley.
Maybe.I hope to find out soon, I think Althoff just got here.
Okay, let me know.
