Page 13 of Through the Fire
“What?” Jules’s voice rose several octaves, finally bringing Theo’s attention back to her. “The house isn’t safe?” When she started to make her way around Kit and Hugh toward the back door, Theo grabbed her hand, halting her progress.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“To get the kids.”
“The kids are fine,” Theo assured her, but she gave him a flat look.
“Then what’s going on? You’re being all cryptic and weird, and it’s freaking me out. Does this have something to do with…?” After a glance at Kit, she pressed her lips together in a frustrated line. “Just tell me.”
“We’re just going to check the house,” Theo non-explained in a tone that Kit assumed was supposed to be soothing, but wasn’t. She had to literally bite her tongue to keep herself from taking over the situation. All Theo was doing was panicking Jules, and he seemed oblivious to the fact that he was making things worse. There was nothing Kit could do, though. It was her first day. She didn’t know the people involved or their backgrounds, and it wouldn’t be good for her to act like a pushy know-it-all this early on, especially when Theo’s girlfriend was involved. She snuck a glance at Hugh, and he bugged his eyes out in an I know, right? gesture before clearing his throat.
“Kit’s dog tracked someone from a possible arson scene to your back porch,” Hugh said, and Kit sighed inwardly as Jules sucked in a horrified breath.
“Here?” she almost shrieked before lowering her voice to a whisper. “Here? An arsonist was here?”
“Probably not.” Theo scowled at Hugh before turning back to Jules, his expression gentling. “We’re just going to take a look around, make sure the house is clear and you’re safe. The dog is new.”
Kit stiffened, shooting a glare at Theo. He didn’t seem to notice as he continued.
“Besides, we don’t know whose scent he was tracking. We don’t even know if it was an arson. This was a long shot, and your house is just the dead end to a possible lead.”
Kit held herself rigidly, swallowing back her words for another reason. Although she’d taken offense on Justice’s behalf for the “new” comment, she couldn’t argue with the last part of Theo’s statement. The partial boot print had been a long shot, and it could easily have been from someone completely unrelated to the arson—if it actually had been an arson. Theo wasn’t wrong, but it grated on her to hear him blame their failure on the dog.
Theo’s reassuring words worked on Jules, though, and she visibly relaxed, no longer pulling against Theo’s hold to get out the door.
“We’re going to search the house, just to make sure it’s clear,” he said, and Jules tensed again.
Her face tightened with something other than fear, and Kit watched her expression with interest. Was that guilt? She wondered if Jules had someone in the house that she didn’t want Theo to know about—another boyfriend, maybe? “Um…I’m not here alone.”
Kit’s eyebrows shot up. Even though she’d immediately suspected Jules of having an affair, she hadn’t expected her to flat-out admit it in front of all of them.
“I knew it!” Hugh exclaimed, sounding more satisfied about being right than put out on his partner’s behalf. “Gracie refused to tell me, but I knew what was going on the second I saw her chasing you down at the viner.”
Kit blinked. Theo’s girlfriend and Hugh’s girlfriend were having an affair? This small-town policing had a lot more drama than she’d expected.
Theo’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Jules. “Did another one of your…childhood friends show up unexpectedly?”
There was a third person? Kit was very confused at this point.
Straightening her shoulders, Jules met Theo’s penetrating glare straight on. “Yes. Elena. She’s very sweet and extremely shy, so you’re not going to bully her.”
Giving up on trying to figure out what was happening, Kit looked back and forth between them.
“Jules…”
“I know!” She threw up her hands. “You’re just worried, since all of my friends seem to bring an army of enemies with them. I can’t turn them away, though.” She sent Kit another of her wary glances, the kind that said she was verbally editing herself because of Kit’s presence. “Elena just needs a safe place to stay for a while. Mr.—ah, I was promised that no one will be looking for her.”
Hugh gave a forced cough. “No offense, Jules, but Mr. Ah’s track record isn’t the best, and I just got my cast off. I’d really like to stay off medical leave for a while.”
Releasing Theo, Jules propped her hands on her hips, looking ready to face off with Hugh, but then her gaze slipped to Kit again. “Could we discuss this later? Maybe after you check to make sure there isn’t an arsonist hiding in my house?”
After a moment of silent yet expressive shared glances between Jules, Theo, and Hugh, Jules’s hands slipped off her hips. “Fine. She’s in Sarah’s old room. Be nice.”
Hugh chuckled. “We’re always nice.”
Staring at Hugh skeptically, Jules said, “Theo?”
“We’ll be nice.” Theo moved toward the hallway, looking at Jules over his shoulder. “Stay in here. We’ll check the house and then talk to Elena. This won’t take long.”
