Page 44 of Burning Secrets

The jumper put his feet on the outside of the ladder, hands gripping the edges—and slid.

Crew backed up just before the jumper landed, stumbling back. Crew caught him, and they both went down in the dirt.

But the jumper rolled off him, scrambled to all fours. “Run!”

Through the caged visor, the goggles, and the helmet, the gaze of the jumper landed on his.

Aw—

“C’mon, Crew!” JoJo had found her feet. “It’s collapsing!”

He turned, dug dirt as his feet peddled, and she grabbed his jacket.

They sprinted out of the way just as the grand wall of the barn crashed down, right where they’d been lying.

JoJo tripped, skidded into the dirt and grass, then rolled onto her back, fetal position, her hands over her helmet.

He had fallen too, taken down by her grip on him, and now rolled, crawling back.

Flames caught on the grass, but the dirt snuffed them out, and just the wall lay, burning out, smoking like a pancake on a griddle.

He glanced over at her. She still lay, curled. “Jo—it’s okay. We’re okay.”

She lifted her head, glanced at the fire, then pushed herself up. Her hands shook as she unsnapped her helmet, pulled it off.Dropped it in the dirt. Sweat streaked her face, matted her hair as she tore off the goggles.

Stared at him, breathing hard.

“What are you?—”

He leaned over, grabbed her around the neck, and kissed her. Hard, fast, more instinct than thought, and nothing like the kiss he’d left her with last time.

Not even long enough for her to respond. Just desperation, and he pulled back, met her eyes. “You okay?”

She swallowed, nodded, reached up and hooked a hand on his wrist, as if to hold on.

Then he crushed her to himself, arms around her, also shaking a little.

Behind them, the barn still flamed, although the collapse had turned it to rubble, the flames localized. So maybe he wouldn’t start the entirety of Denali National Park on fire.

He finally let her go. “What happened?”

“My primary chute got snagged. By the time I pulled my backup, I was too low to navigate the wind. The fire pulled me into its vortex.” She put a hand on his face. “What are you doing here?”

Oh, that.

He ran a trembling hand across his mouth. “Long story.”

“Condense.” She pushed herself up from the ground.

“Four days of torture, wondering if Viper might kill me. If he didn’t suspect me then, he’ll certainly know now.”

“Why?”

“A chopper came into the compound last night. Three men got out. I think one of them might be someone important. Wore a suit. Looked a lot like a guy I knew, but I couldn’t be sure.”

“Who?”

“Senator Geoff Deville. He’s an Alaskan state senator. Former prosecutor with the state.” He spat out ashy debris onto the ground, wiped his mouth. “He and I have a personal history.”

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