“I’m awake,” she said around a massive yawn. “See what your brother wants and I’ll join you in a minute.” On her way past him, she gave him a quick peck, then slipped into the bathroom. The door closed with a quiet click.
“Hunter?” Memphis repeated, a little more urgently. “Seriously, open up.”
Glad that Jodi was in the bathroom, Hunter strode for the door. It had to be something important, but whatever it was, he wanted to spare Jodi for a few minutes more. He stepped naked into the hall and pulled the door shut behind him. “What’s happened?”
With the kitchen light on, Hunter could see that Memphis wore unbuttoned jeans and nothing else.
His brother’s gaze flashed over him. “Mountain life has been good to you. You’re shredded.”
Hunter’s molars locked. “It’s not even five, you woke Jodi from a rare sound sleep and I’m cold. You’re about two seconds away from getting clocked.”
Keeping his voice as low as Hunter’s, Memphis muttered, “Right. I’m damned sorry to interrupt, believe me, but there’s a fucking fire.”
“Here?” Hunter started to push past him.
“No.” Memphis leaned in, his gaze hard with rage. “Her place, Hunter.” He put a staying hand on Hunter’s shoulder when he again started to charge past him. “I already called it in. If Turbo hadn’t started whining, I wouldn’t have noticed, but he did, so I looked out the window...”
Turbo stood there behind Memphis, sniffing the air.
“Hunter, whoever set the fire probably assumed Jodi was in there.”
Hunter drew a controlling breath. “Her truck wasn’t there, so maybe not.”
“Idiots set on destruction rarely notice details.”
True, yet he had a feeling Remmy wasn’t an idiot. So had King acted without telling him? “They probably thought she would run out...”
“And they’d have had her, with time to get whatever is hidden in her house.”
Just then, the sound of sirens reached them. Turbo started his unique rendition of outraged dog—bouncing, howling and croaking. Jesus. A hundred scenarios ran through Hunter’s head, but first...clothes.
“Don’t take a single step outside the house. I mean it.”
“What about the dog? I think he has to go.”
“Leash him for me, but stay inside. I just need a minute.” A minute to dress. To arm himself. To alert Jodi.
To try to hold her back.
He wanted a lifetime, damn it. To get it, they’d have to eliminate the threats against her, once and for all.
* * *
JODI STOOD SEVERAL feet from the fire engine with Memphis at her side, each of them holding a hot cup of coffee. Every so often, his shoulder touched hers. Oddly enough, she appreciated the human contact. Hunter had wanted to do the same, but Turbo needed him more.
He was near her feet, squatting down to give the dog affection and comfort to help him deal with the chaos. Hunter’s gaze continually swept over her, then lingered on her face, as if looking for signs of her losing it. Yeah, she wanted to. That wouldn’t help the situation, though.
Her house, scorched.
A combination of rage, regret and smoke burned her eyes. All the beautiful things Parrish had sent her—would they be smoke damaged? Soon now, she’d be able to watch the playback feed from her security cameras. She’d see who had done this—and then she’d make them pay.
One firefighter walked over to her. “You’re the homeowner?”
Playing it cool, Jodi sipped her coffee. “Yes. How much home is left?” To her, it didn’t look that bad, but she wasn’t a firefighter and she hadn’t been allowed inside yet.
“The stone is intact. Most of the fire was contained to the outside back wall on the addition. Structurally, it’s not bad, but you’ll need a professional cleaner to remove the scent of smoke. Looks like some trees will be lost, too.”
“I hate that,” she whispered. Everything she’d done since moving here had been with the distinct attempt not to disturb nature. “The fire was set. Of course you realize that.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He eyed her, his gaze shrewd yet sympathetic. “We found accelerant near the back door.”
“That confirms it, then.”
“Generally speaking, if someone wants to burn a house down, the accelerant is in two locations, front and back. Your front door is intact, though, undisturbed.”
If she’d been in the house, the back door would’ve been her first option. With that way blocked by fire, she’d have been forced to use the front door...where someone had no doubt been waiting for her.
She’d have made them sorry. So damned sorry.
“You know anything about arson?” the firefighter asked.
“Only that I wasn’t here or it wouldn’t have happened.”
“You seem mighty calm about it.”
Jodi took another sip before looking up and meeting the question in his eyes. “Nah. I’m nowhere near calm. Try enraged and you’ll be a little closer to the mark.”
Her tone and her look caused the guy to hesitate.
Immediately, Hunter was at her side. “She was with me.” He nodded to his house. “My brother got in last night and we were all visiting until late.”
The guy talking to them didn’t look like a total dunce. Just because he couldn’t read her mood... Well, few could when she chose to contain her fury. Hunter was one of those few.
“I’d already planned to stay the night, though,” she admitted. “Before his brother got here, I mean. I have a big commercial mower I use for my business. Usually it’s chained to a stake in the ground right outside my house.” She lifted a hand and pointed. “I didn’t want to risk leaving it here if I wasn’t around to protect it. Hunter said I could park it in his garage, so I did. Same with my truck.”
“You were expecting trouble?”
“I’m a woman alone, living off the beaten path with only a rinky-dink town around and not close enough to help if I need it.” The orange sunrise looked hazy through the smoke-filled sky. Jodi realized her hand was trembling when Hunter took her cup and squeezed her fingers. “I’m not an idiot and I don’t take chances.”
The firefighter nodded. “Then good thing you moved them.”
“She hasn’t lived there long,” Hunter calmly explained. “In the eighteen months I’ve been here, the house was empty. I didn’t know it was livable until she moved in a few weeks ago.”