Page 26 of Chilled

CHAPTER 7

“And this is a liability?”Nick smiled, and his eyes sparkled in the lights from the haloed streetlamps. “I see it as an asset.”

“Sometimes. But it comes with its own baggage.” She turned away from the impact of him in a muscle-hugging black T-shirt. Wrapping her arms around herself, she walked a few steps, the cold beginning to spread from her feet up into her arms. “Do you mind if we head back?”

“Lead the way.”

She took off at a light jog, not the driven run she’d started with. The exercise had the desired effect, and she was back in control, for the most part. If only she didn’t have Nick dogging her every step, she’d relax and think through her panic in the hotel room and her reaction to being held in Nick’s arms.

To be honest, she had needed him like she needed a life raft in a stormy sea. However, needing people always interfered with her judgment. This case required her full attention and sound conclusions.

As they approached the hotel, Nick pulled up alongside her and placed a hand on her arm to stop her. “Do you hear that?”

She strained to hear the faint wail of a siren. “Sounds like a fire truck.”

Nick patted his side. "Damn, I left my cell phone back at the room."

"And you feel naked without it?” She chuckled. “Me, too. When I’m working a case, I like to be on top of everything."

"Absolutely. Come on." He stretched his legs into ground-eating strides.

Brenna began to appreciate how much he'd held his pace in check for her. The added exertion kept her concentration rooted on Nick's backside and the tight muscles beneath gray sweats.

When they arrived at the hotel, they took the stairs two at a time, arriving at the door to the room in a full lather and breathing hard.

With a quick swipe of his key card, Nick swung open the door. Before they took a step to enter the room, an electronic ringing sound greeted them.

Nick raced to the bedroom where he’d dumped his duffle and grabbed his cell phone from the bedside table. "Tarver."

Brenna hovered in the doorway, blatantly eavesdropping.

"Damn." He glanced over at Brenna. "How bad is it?"

Brenna fought to breathe quietly, though she was still winded from her mad dash back to their suite. She wished she could hear what was going on.

"We'll be there in five." He ended the call and stared across the room at her. "That fire engine we heard outside was headed for Dr. Drummond's office."

For a moment Brenna couldn't respond past the lump lodged in her throat. She swallowed and asked, "Anyone hurt?"

"No, the office was empty."

"Except for any evidence we might have gathered. What are you waiting for?" She grabbed her keys and a jacket and headed for the door.

“We’ll meet Paul and Melissa at Drummond’s office.” Looping his leather jacket over one shoulder, Nick jogged down the hallway and out of the building with Brenna right behind him.

They accomplished the short drive to the doctor’s office in silence.

Red, blue and amber lights flashed, and the street was jammed with fire trucks and emergency vehicles. Forced to park around the corner and a block away, Brenna shut off her engine and got out. The overwhelming scent of smoke assailed her senses. Bright orange flames shot up over the top of a two-story office building still blocking their view. Brenna stood for a moment, tamping down the urge to run in the opposite direction.

“You okay?” Nick slid an arm around her waist.

“Yes. I wish you’d stop asking me that,” she snapped, angry with herself for the flash of panic. With Nick beside her, she didn’t have to face the blaze alone, and that comforted her.

As images of the charred remains of her grandmother’s barn flashed through her memory, she prepared herself for the worst.

Brenna let Nick lead her forward and around the corner. The firefighters shot steady streams of water from two directions directly into the center of the building. The flames were beaten down until all that remained was black smoke churning and mixing with the low-lying clouds, spreading sideways instead of dissipating into the night sky.

They stood for a moment, getting their bearings with the people scattered around the scene. Three individuals broke away from the fire chief and moved toward them—Paul, Melissa and Chief Burkholder.

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