Page 6 of Built of Flames

“I’d be dead if not for that girl. The flames were gaining on us. There had to be another ignition source in the rafters. Didn’t act like a regular fire. Nothing I’ve seen before. If it hadn’t been for Bella, I’d have fried up right there. Girl deserves a medal for this.”

Christo swore under his breath and moved to the window.

Roberto’s eyelids were drooping again, leaving Mitch glad he didn’t have to explain what had really happened. Not while the man was in this condition. Roberto was going to be pissed.

With a shared glance of dismay, he and Christo headed to the truck and turned to their house.

“I took my old man’s word for it. I’m as bad as he is. Thinking she screwed up because she’s a woman, she’s small, and she’s only a couple of years in. I still look at her as my kid sister.”

“We all screwed up. The Chief most of all.” Mitch sighed and tried to figure out how they were going to fix this. What were they going to say to her? With the age gap between the siblings, they weren’t super close to each other. Isabella had always been the tagalong. Mitch was probably as close to her as her brother. And they’d both let her down.

Christo pulled into the driveway, and they sat for a minute. “I guess we’ll start with an apology and go from there.”

Mitch slammed his fist on the dash. “None of us even asked her how she was. We don’t know how badly she was hurt. We’re such assholes.”

Christo managed a small smile. “I think we’ll lead with that. She’ll enjoy knowing we realize we’re assholes.”

She would.

They took the outside stairs to her apartment above the garage and knocked. No answer.

Christo knocked again. Harder. Even if she was sleeping, they needed to see her. Check on her.

“Isabella! It’s us. We’ve come to grovel. Let us in.”

Still no answer.

“We’re not leaving, Izzy. Come on. Let us in.”

Nothing.

“What if she has a concussion? Roberto said the debris crashed into her.”

Christo sighed and used his key to turn the lock. “Isabella. We’re coming in. We need to talk with you.”

It only took about three steps for Mitch to realize something was wrong. Very wrong.

Some pictures and decorative things that Izzy had scattered around the space were gone. Mitch hurried to the bedroom but didn’t find Isabella napping as he’d hoped. Instead, he found her closet open and mostly emptied. Dresser drawers had been emptied as well. Pillow and comforter gone.

Swearing, Christo came in behind him. “All of her stuff is gone from the bathroom, too.”

“She did all this one-handed. Packed up and hauled it down to her car.” Unless she was still there.

Together, they raced down the interior stairs, but the garage sat empty. A bag lay on the floor, with its contents scattered on the floor. A couple of jackets, a cracked picture frame, a pair of shoes, and her cell phone. Had she realized she’d dropped it? Would she come back for it?

Back upstairs, they found a note on the kitchen counter.

Christo. It’s time for me to make a change, so I’m moving out and leaving town to take on a new job. Goodbye. Love Isabella.

Christo thumped into a chair and buried his face in his hands.

Mitch stood frozen while all the possibilities raced through his head. They didn’t even know if she was supposed to be driving. How would they know she was safe?

Izzy had to be hurt on so many levels. Physically, mentally, and emotionally.

How were they going to find her?

And how were they going to fix it?

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