“A fire displaced a lot of kids at the university. Zullies are working it.”
Exhaling, I tried to keep my wits together. Viper was going to be just fine. He knew exactly what he was doing. I needed faith. And I needed to get out of here.
Fuck it. I knew what made people talk. I dug in my purse, pulling out a twenty, keeping my hand on the bill as I slid it across the bar. “Look, I really need to know if there’s any way you can help me. This might be the lighter used to start a fire that killed my parents. It’s the only thing I’ve found that might lead me to finding out who killed them. Anything you might know, no matter how small might be helpful.”
His sigh wasn’t what I expected. Neither was the softening in his eyes. “Let me see it again.” He took more time, examining the piece, even leaning over before he answered. “These were given out by the owner one year for spring break. He was trying to draw the kids in from the university. Only the college kids picked them up. A few were won in contests, but I wasn’t a part of that.”
“What year?”
When he told me, I realized it was the spring after I’d left for college. It wasn’t much, but worth the trip. I released my hold on the money, nodding. “Thank you very much.”
Before I started to walk away, he said something under his breath. “Be careful, miss. If it’s the fire I think you’re talking about, he ain’t done yet.”
“How do you know?”
His shrug meant he wasn’t going to tell me anything. “Just a feeling.”
I knew even if I offered more money, he wasn’t going to talk. At least I had a motive. Sounded like revenge to me. For what? Now all I had to do was make a connection to the sporting goods store, which seemed like a longshot, but what other choice did I have?
Frustrated, I was almost to my truck when my phone rang. Seeing Darlene’s number for the third time, the first two with her leaving messages, I felt guilty for shutting her out.
Especially since she’d also sent a few texts. She’d only been looking out for me. Even if I was still angry at her father, I missed her too. “Hey, bestie.”
“You’re alive. I was worried about you.”
“There’s nothing to worry about. I’m fine. I’m sorry I haven’t called.” As soon as I climbed in, I noticed one of the guys from the bar had come outside. With dark sunglasses covering his face and with a ballcap on, I couldn’t see much of his face. While he was smoking a cigarette, since he could do so inside, I was on edge.
“Look, I’m so sorry. I know it was none of my business. Who you date is entirely up to you.”
“But…” I started the engine and I could swear the guy was studying what I was doing. He didn’t give off the same vibes as what I’d felt before, but he was definitely not the kind of man I’d want to meet in a dark alley.
“But I’m still going to worry. Is your houseguest working out?”
Chuckling, I put the gear into reverse and by the time I’d pulled out of the space and turned to check out what the stranger wasdoing, he’d disappeared. Breathing out, I made sure the doors were locked. “Yes, he’s just… incredible.”
“Then you need to tell me all about it. Tomorrow night. Ziggy’s. A couple girls from the office are going to be there.”
I thought about her offer as images of Viper moved to the very front of my brain. “It depends on when Viper gets home from the fire.”
“Girl, you cannot tell me you two are tied at the hip already. Come on. Just one night.”
“Maybe.” I could pick her brain and see if there’d been any other fires considered arson that she’d heard about. I knew she heard all the scuttlebutt. And she owed me. “A definite maybe.”
“Excellent. Fire. Oh, Viper is at the big fire on Mount Sentinel.”
“What do you know about it?”
“Don’t get all worked up. They sent a lot of Zullies there and my father is helping coordinate evacuating the students who live on campus. Just a precaution given the proximity.”
“Shit. Shit. There were still some things I needed to share with him.”
Darlene chuckled. “You make it sound as if the man isn’t coming back. Not a single smokejumper has lost his life in an actual fire in years. Only one in a helicopter malfunction. But he won’t be in a helicopter today with the wind picking up. There might be a storm rolling in.”
“You’re not making me feel any better.”
“Oh, come on. Your man knows what he’s doing.”
“My man?” I checked the rearview mirror to ensure I wasn’t being followed, sighing when I didn’t see any suspicious vehicle. “Yes, he is my man.”
