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“No fucking way!” Joe’s blood ran cold as he realized his brother was right. “Someone lit this deliberately.” He’d known it, but having it confirmed forced hot, seething rage to overtake the cold fear he’d experienced when he knew Bailey was in danger. She could have been killed, and it had been deliberate.
“I was in the tack room with Buzz. I was having a soda, and him a biscuit,” Bailey said from behind him. “Someone closed the door, and jammed something against it.”
“You were locked in the tack room?” Jack went to inspect.
“I’m going to kill someone. Christ, Bailey.” Joe stepped closer, and held her face.
“I’m all right, Joe.”
“I need to get you to the doctor.”
She shook her head. “I don’t need a doctor, because I got out before the fire really took hold.” She held out her hands. “See, no burns.”
Fin walked in with Chief Blake.
“I called him,” Luke said, returning. “He needed to be here.”
Joe nodded.
“This is becoming a habit, Miss Jones,” Chief Blake said.
“And what the hell does that mean?” Joe demanded.
“Simmer down, Joe. I just meant there was the business with Jack being shot, then the man in the bar, and now a fire has been deliberately lit. Miss Jones was there for each.”
“She had nothing to do with it.”
“I can figure that out for myself, Joe.” The chief of police sent him a steady look. “Now, are you all right if I ask you some questions while the incident is fresh in your head, Miss Jones?”
“Of course.”
Joe let her go, but only because she was going to be a few feet away where he could see her. He then formed a huddle with Fin and his brothers.
“Chief Blake’s just doing his job, Joe,” Luke said.
“I know, I’m just so fucking angry. Someone is either out to get us, or her. My money’s on us,” Joe growled. “And I’ll double that bet by saying that piece of shit who donated sperm to get us here is involved.” He’d told his siblings about Elijah’s sighting of their father.
“I changed my plans this morning. I was meant to be here with her, so my guess is you’re right,” Jack said. “But why does he want to come at us? We’re his children, for Christ’s sake!”
“He asked me for money six months ago. Rang the bar. I refused, and he said he’d make me pay, and I thought it was just his way of blowing smoke out his ass. Now I’m wondering.”
“And you didn’t tell us?” Luke didn’t look impressed.
“Tell you what? That your father’s an asshole? You know that already.”
“So what? Bailey and my horses were just going to be collateral damage?” Jack looked mean, his eyes narrowed, face rage-fueled.
“Okay, you both need to calm down now,” Fin said.
“Calm down!” Joe roared. “My woman was nearly burned to death, and you want me to calm down. First someone shoots Jack, now tries to burn the stables down. Both times someone I love could have been killed!”
He realized what he’d said a second after the L word left his mouth. “Fuck,” Joe growled.
“Nice.” Luke nodded. “About the love thing, but this other shit’s seriously disturbing. We have to find him, our sperm donor, before he does anything else.”
“No disagreement there,” Jack snarled. “And ditto on the love thing.”
“I actually came here for another reason, before I heard what had happened from the chief after we pulled up at the same time,” Fin said. “Still pissed, FYI, that no one called me.”
