Page 28 of Flashback

Dakota raised an eyebrow. “You watch her. Like a hawk. All the time. I mean, she’s got more attitude than I like, but if that’s your thing?—”

“It’s not like that.” Kane grabbed his saw and hiked uphill toward the next patch of vegetation. “And you have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Dakota followed after him. “Then how is it?”

“Not…that. And that’s all I’m saying on the matter.”

If this were his old SWAT team, Dakota would know how far was okay to push or tease or when to back off. But thiswasn’this old team. This wasn’t the group of guys he’d once considered as close as family. Gage still called. Liam had moved to a federal task force, and both Blake and Jasper were detectives in different departments.

They’d all tried to stay tight over the last year, but it wasn’t the same. Benson SWAT wasn’t working together day in and day out. After Dakota left, the whole team had disbanded anyway. They weren’t putting their lives on the line to protect each other and the citizens of Benson. They might be cops still at least, but Dakota wasn’t one of them anymore.

And there was no one but himself to blame for that.

“Let’s get this break line done.” Kane yanked on the rope start. His saw revved to life, the loud motor putting an end to the conversation.

Fine with Dakota. He started his own chain saw and sliced through the branches in their path. The others followed in line. Some on the saw crew, others with their Pulaski pick hoes and pick rakes, digging through the ground to clear a thick black line of soil.

Hopefully, removing all the fuel would stop the fire.

Dakota watched Kane as he attacked a thick lodgepole pine. Probably he shouldn’t begrudge the guy if he wanted to ask Allie out.

After all, the woman was stunning, smart, and brave. She didn’t back down from danger. He liked that spunk. The way she was tenacious going into a dangerous tinderbox of a forest to find the Haroldson boys wasn’t something a guy found every day. When they’d all had to run, she’d fought the pain and pushed through.

Kane seemed like the decent sort too, but he didn’t like to picture Kane and Allie together.

At all.

A tickle in the back of Dakota’s throat demanded attention. He stopped his chain saw and dug in his pack for water. He couldn’t afford to get distracted by thoughts of Allie.

Dakota needed to find out more about this dead guy. Maybe he should go into Ember and see if he could talk to the medical examiner. Find out who the man was. Then he’d find a way to talk to the boys?—

“Watch out!”

A half-burnt Douglas fir some fifteen feet away swayed toward the line. Dakota jumped out of the way. He lifted his left arm to shield his face from the branches and sparks crashing toward him.

Pain seared his side as he fell to the rocky soil.

SIX

She had to do something.Allie drummed her fingers on the now pristine counter and glanced around the Jude County Hotshots’ base kitchen. The lemon-scented cleaner still lingered in the air. There had to be something more to do. But the stainless steel sink sparkled, the floors were swept and mopped, and no more science experiments sat rotting in the fridge. Instead, she had raw oatmeal chocolate chip cookies ready to slide into the oven when her main dish was done baking. She released a long sigh and checked the mac and cheese. According to Emily’s recipe, it still needed time.

She’d rather be searching for Scout, but Emily and Dakota together had put the kibosh on that plan before they’d left. It wasn’t fair how they’d both ganged up on her.

“There’s no way we’re letting you go out there. Especially alone!” Dakota blocked her way to the door outside, his blue eyes sparking with challenge.

“I can take care of myself. I have to find Scout.”

“And we’ll help you as soon as it’s safe. But if you don’t promise me right now that you’ll stay put, I’ll tie you to a chairmyself.” Emily stood shoulder to shoulder with Dakota, hands on her hips.

Knowing Emily, she’d do it too. So what other choice had she had but to stay and distract herself by giving the place a thorough scrub down?

Allie jumped to grab her ringing phone, resting on the table in the middle of the room. Maybe someone had found Scout!

The picture of her mom and dad shone up from her screen. Again. Allie sucked in a deep breath. Better to get this over with.

“Hey, Mom.”

“Allie, are you okay? Belle told us you were caught in a forest fire. Your father and I are worried si?—”

---