Page 12 of Into the Fire
Gage crouched, inspecting a stuffed animal that looked like it’d been kicked halfway across the room. “You touch anything?”
“I just walked in. Waited for you.”
Jess wandered toward the kitchen, opening a few drawers. “What would they even be looking for?”
Levi frowned. “No idea, doesn’t make sense.”
That’s when Emery’s car pulled up.
She stepped out, concern lining her brow, June trailing behind her holding a juice box. She slowed when she saw the men all standing around likesomething serious was going down.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“See for yourself,” Levi said in a low voice, stepping forward. “We were broken into.”
Her brows pulled together. “What?”
“Go inside and look,” he said, jerking his chin. “Just don't touch anything.”
Emery walked in slowly, eyes moving over the mess. Then she blinked. “Oh my god…”
Levi crossed his arms. “Exactly.”
She turned back toward him. “Levi…”
She didn't have a chance to say anything else as Gage walked in further, taking it all in. “No sign of forced entry. TV’s still here. The rest of the house looks okay. Whoever it was could have gotten spooked.”
“Maybe they weren’t after stuff,” Levi said. “Maybe they were sendin’ a message”
Jess raised a brow. “Message in the form of Legos?”
“Levi, I…” Emery tried to interject, but Levi turned his back and walked to stand next to Gage, who was now photographing the living room.
“Levi!” Emery practically shouted, this time getting not only his attention, but Jess and Gage’s, too. They all turned and stared, waiting for her to speak.
Her eyes darted around. “Shit… I—I did this.”
“You what now?”
“I wasn’t—” she stammered, hands flying up. “I didn’t mean to leave it like this. I started deep-cleaning and organizing today and ran out of time before picking up June. I thought you’d be home later.”
“Organizing? The couch cushions? You made it look like we were ransacked!”
Jess wheezed out a laugh from behind them. “She did a damn good job of it, too.”
Levi shot him a glare. “Not helping.”
“I was trying to help,” Emery said defensively. “I emptied the toy bins, sorted the junk—there was cereal in the couch cushions from who knows how long ago, and I left early to go buy storage bins. I was making things easier, yes! Organizing.”
Levi looked at her like she was speaking a foreign language. “You trashed my damn house to make it easier?”
Emery marched out to her car, cranky cowboy, his sarcastic brother, and town sheriff all in tow as she popped the trunk and pointed. Plastic bins, organizers, and drawer dividers. Even a label maker.
Jess burst out laughing, trying—and failing—to cover it. He slapped a hand over his mouth and turned around, making a beeline for the barn while muttering, “I ain’t gettin’ in the middle of this.”
Gage tipped his hat back and chuckled. “Well, I don’t think I’m needed here anymore.” He gave Levi a look. “Try asking the help first before panicking next time.”
Once the men were gone, Emery stood with her hands on her hips. “I'm sorry, okay,” she said, clearly annoyed.
