Page 48 of Bait and Switch
“What is that Shakespeare quote?” Greta teased. “The grumpy man doth protest too much? You can’t tell me you haven’t thought aboutit. With him. And by it, I meanit, it.”
He was certain she was making a lewd gesture with one hand. Why was he allowing this ridiculous conversation to continue?Because this was Greta, his closest, oldest friend. And because of that status he let her get away with shit no one else did. Hell, no one else would even try.
Except for Charming Fucker, a little voice murmured.
Goddammit. No.
“For Christ’s sake, why would I think about Karne that way? He’s a drifter and a con man. I’ve already told you he infuriates me daily, hourly even. Did I remember to tell you that not only did he name that stray catKeith,but it’s a girl cat? The cat clearly has no survival instincts because when she finally decided to come in out of the rain, she chose him! Of all the people, she chose him.” He shook his head, disgusted. After feeding Keith half the summer, she chose Charming. “And besides, I don’t need anyone.”
Greta ignored his protest and focused on the cat instead.
“Apparently Keith has recognized the good in your guy. And I think Keith is a great name.”
Gabe was not his guy, but Casey didn’t bother to correct her. When she got going like this, nothing would stop her. He just had to let her run out of steam or find a subject that was not Gabriel Karne and distract her with it.
“Greta, you’ve never met the man. When you do, you’re going to hate him.”
“I don’t think I’m going to hate him. I think I already love him. Big Guy, Elton has accepted him. I’m not saying run off to Costa Rica together, I’m saying maybe see if there’s something to explore, maybe you’ll be surprised. And I didn’t say you needed someone, I said you’re protesting too much.”
“Frankly, I’m surprised we’re having this conversa—what the fuck?”
Something just down the road caught his attention, something that, if it was what he thought it was, would distractGreta from this awful conversation. She wasn’t going to like it; Casey already didn’t like it.
“What? What’s going on?” she demanded.
Greta had taken an alternate route, one that led toward Westfort instead of through The Valley. She’d drawn the short stick and had to drive all the way into town and help Tor fill out the damned paperwork. The idiots had wisely chosen to ride with Tor, likely to avoid the rest of the lecture Greta was spoiling to give them.
“I dunno for sure. I’m going to hang up and call you back in a few.”
“Casey, don’t you dare!”
He peered into the dark past the truck’s headlights, trying to parse out what he was almost sure he was seeing. Something that was unwelcome. Maybe, if he was lucky, it wouldn’t be what he suspected, and he’d be able to continue on his merry way.
Luck rarely took Casey’s side.
The glow intensified.
Dammit, it was midafternoon and only a month out from winter solstice, but it was close to dark in the east-facing valley. Even the creeping shadows had withdrawn into the surrounding forest. Or maybe it was that they’d swallowed it. Casey found that it was easy to get fanciful about the forest. With no streetlights and only a few outside lights, it was fucking dark. Except for that flicker every human was wary of.
“If you don’t hear from me in twenty minutes, call the cavalry,” he told Greta. “I’m about a half mile northeast of Gordon MacDonald’s place and I’m seeing what looks like fire.”
There were few structures on the north side of this fire road, not as high up The Valley as he was now. The only place he could imagine it being was Gordon’s. If it hadn’t been so damn dark, he might have spotted smoke first instead of the glow of flames, not that he would’ve been able to respond any faster. Thankfully,Gordon was on the mend and currently visiting some car-buddy friends in Skagit.
If it was his place, he was going to be devastated.
“Shit.”
“Yeah. You know what? Put the call in for the water trucks anyway, and if it’s nothing, I’ll take the heat, ha, ha.”
“I’m on it. Stay safe and call me back as soon as you can.”
Casey knew the way down The Valley like the back of his hand, so even with the deepening dark, he hadn’t been concerned about the drive home. A possible fire was not what he’d been anticipating this time of year, but at least the snow and rain had stopped for the time being.
Tapping the brakes, Casey eased the truck down a steep incline. The glow he’d seen disappeared, but only because the road curved to the south before again heading east and angling north. As soon as he was around the corner, he saw the blaze again.
“One damn switchback after another,” Casey grumbled, downshifting to take yet another corner.
When he rounded the last curve before Gordon’s place, the glow increased in intensity. Casey was certain that he was seeing an active fire. Which, considering just how wet everything was with the recent snow and rain, was remarkable.
