Page 58 of Playing With Love

I didn’t know how he knew that and I didn’t ask. I followed him to a side door. He fished out his keys, unlocked the door, and entered first. I unholstered my Glock and trailed behind him through the empty garage. Empty in the sense there were no cars.

“I don’t hear the alarm,” I noted.

“That’s why we’re clearing the house first. No sound means Chelsea hit the panic button. That sends a silent alert to Matt, TC’s control room, and the nine-one-one dispatch.”

How in the world had we beat the police if they’d been alerted before Tucker got the call?

I didn’t ask that, either. Instead, I silently entered the house behind Tucker. Thankfully, the house was well lit by the waning sun. There was a glass jar candle burning on the stovetop. The kitchen looked neat and clean, no signs of struggle. The dining room was visible from the kitchen, chairs all pushed into the table, upright, nothing out of place. Tucker jerked his head to the left and my eyes followed to the open door. I went left, Tucker continued to move to the dining room. I briefly peeked around the doorframe, staying to the side, and saw an empty laundry room. I stepped in and looked around. Saw a basket of folded laundry on top of the dryer. I touched the clothes, finding them warm.

Lit candle. Warm clothes.

Chelsea had been doing laundry when something caught her attention. I glanced out the small window and saw nothing but smoke rolling across an open field. I shuffled in front of the window, looked right, and that’s when I saw flames.

A barn was almost fully engulfed. A woman was at the mouth of the open door, smacking a big brown horse on the ass. Logan was at the fence opening a gate.

Shit.

“Tucker!” I shouted and holstered my gun. “She’s outside with Logan.”

Without waiting for a response, I darted to the door. Once I hit gravel, I sprinted across the small grassy area and very ungracefully scaled a metal gate. Logan saw me first. I ignored him yelling my name and beelined to the woman.

“How many more are in there?”

Chelsea startled then looked back to the burning barn.

“Two.” Was all she said before she bolted.

“Don’t you fucking dare!”

I ignored Logan’s shouted warning and followed Chelsea into the burning barn.

Thick smoke filled the air. I crouched as low as I could and ran to catch up with Chelsea.

“Where are they?” I yelled over the crackling wood.

“Back. Far right.”

Of course they were. Up front would be too easy.

Suddenly I slammed into something and tripped. My knees landed on the ground with a thud. Pain shot up my back, dirt and sawdust kicked up around me as my hands caught before I face-planted.

“Are you okay?” I felt a hand curl around my bicep, Chelsea’s smoky silhouette next to me.

“Go. I’m fine.”

She let me go. An alarming sound of wood falling brought me to my feet. By some miracle only bestowed by the horse gods, I found my way to the back. Chelsea was opening the door of a stall. I moved to the other one, found the handle hot, powered through, and swung open the door.

“Come on, horse,” I called.

The beast didn’t move.

“How do I get it to move?” I called out.

“Go in and smack her ass.”

Smack her ass?

Good lord, I was going to die. If not by flame by a horse kick.