Playing With Fire (11 page)

“Hell, half pint. You look terrible. Damn, I didn’t think
you could get any thinner. Are you sure you’re okay?”

When she’d claimed she felt fine, he conceded, but insisted
that if she felt sick, all she had to do was let him know.

The big news at the Firehouse was the identification of the
bodies at the Charlotte Prairie fire. The entire town was consumed with the
story. It was the focus of the local news, the topic of each excited
conversation. It wasn’t every day that Chicadia Falls was the locus of the
hottest news in the state, or it seemed in the country. Connor told her that he
and Chief Halloran had been interviewed by every newspaper in the state from
the Minneapolis Star to the Chicadia Falls Gazette. Hell, the New York Times
and the Wall Street Journal even sent stringers, confirming Masterson’s
standing in the financial world. A couple of reporters from California showed
up and television crews camped at the entrances surrounding the Firehouse until
Connor shooed them off. His exasperation was clear. What was exciting at first,
quickly became a nuisance. When two of the news trucks blocked the driveway to
the engine bay, Connor’d had enough. He established a 500-yard perimeter around
the firehouse, insisting that any news people required permission from him or
the Chief to pass the boundary.

“It’s a damn good thing you weren’t here, half pint. Those
news vultures are always looking for a new hook. After we’d told them the same
thing for two days in a row, they got bored. All they would have needed was a
beautiful firefighter to add ‘color’ to their stories.”

Erin kept her head down entering and leaving the station.
Dressed in slacks and a blouse, the news people assumed she was a secretary and
she made her way in and out of the station unnoticed. She didn’t have a
television and hadn’t read any of the newspapers and she didn’t participate in
the ‘buzz’ throughout the station regarding the ‘big news.’ Blessedly, everyone
assumed she wasn’t feeling well, and gave her more distance than usual.

Fortunately the work load yesterday and today was light. A
couple of calls for minor accidents on Highway 2 and several school visits at
the firehouse were the only things she had to do outside of training exercises
and paperwork. After Erin’s first month at the firehouse, Connor had asked if
she minded being one of the presenters for the school groups. He’d laughed.
“Don’t want you to feel like a circus act, half pint, but you’re our star
attraction. Sure, some of the other Houses have women firefighters but they
sure as hell don’t look like you.” She vaguely remembered the faces of the
children yesterday, their eager questions. Watching them clamber over the
trucks, asking about the ‘jaws of life.’ Wanting to know how girls could become
‘firemen.’

Nate had left several messages checking up on her when she
called in sick, as did Blake. Both wanted to make sure she was feeling okay and
to see if she needed anything. She assured them she didn’t. She thought about
running away, but after sitting in her car for over five hours without turning
on the ignition, she acknowledged she had nowhere to go. Laying on her bedroll
staring sightlessly at the ceiling, she marveled at the irony. It was as though
God had played a hideous joke on her. For two years on the run, she’d managed
to escape Dylan. Now that he was dead, he’d caught up with her.

~~~

Erin looked up to see Officers Maze and Coulter approaching
her desk. She took a deep breath and stood up, reaching for her purse in the
bottom drawer of her desk.

“You’re going to need to come with us, Erin.” Peter Maze’s
voice sounded like an echo as though he was speaking to her through a long
tunnel.

She nodded and moved into the aisle between the desks. As
they were leaving, Connor rounded the corner.

“Hey, guys. What’s up? Aren’t you getting enough attention
from these newshounds? Damn, I’ve finally got the vultures behind a perimeter.
That’s all they’ll need to see — two of Chicadia Falls’s ‘finest’ coming to the
firehouse. They’ll smell a story for sure and try to break through the barrier.
Christ, did you have to drive up in a squad?”

Connor’s annoyance was only somewhat contrived, the strain
of the last two days showed on his handsome face.

Peter Maze faced Connor head on in sheer cop mode. His eyes
were hooded, his voice and face expressionless.

“Nate sent us to pick up Erin. We need to take her to the
station.”

Connor started. He looked from the two men to Erin and back
again.

“What are you talking about?”

When neither of the officers responded, Connor turned to
Erin, annoyance crossing his face.

“What’s going on, half pint? Surely that cuz of mine knows
you’re on duty.”

When Erin didn’t answer, Dan Coulter broke in.

“We’re here on official business, Connor. Detective Stryker
sent us to bring Ms. McFadden to the station.”

“What the hell?
Ms. McFadden
? You mean Erin? What the
hell are you talking about, Dan?” Connor’s voice rang with exasperation.
Looking from one impassive cop to the other, his gaze landed on Erin.

“Do you know what this is about, Erin?”

He frowned, as though seeing her pale face for the first
time.

“What’s going on, half pint?”

When she just shook her head and looked at the floor, Connor
whirled on Peter Maze.

“Okay, Pete, I’ve had enough. Why are you here?”

“It’s like we told you, Connor. Detective Stryker sent up to
bring Ms. McFadden to the station. That’s all I can tell you. Now if you’ll
excuse us.” Maze started to move past Connor.

Connor put up his hands stopping him.

“Hell, no. Absolutely not. If Nate wants to see one of my
rookies in the middle of a shift, I damn well want to know the reason.”

When none of the three answered him, Connor turned to Erin.

“Erin, do you know why Nate wants you at the station?”

She met his eyes and struggled to speak. When words wouldn’t
come, she just shook her head and gazed at the floor.

Seeing the determination on their faces, Connor finally
seemed to understand that the officers were not leaving without her. This was
actually happening.

He looked down at Erin. “Do you want me to come with you,
Erin?”

When she shrugged and avoided his eyes, he turned to the two
policemen.

“Look, I don’t know what the hell is going on. But let me
make one thing clear. I don’t appreciate you coming into my firehouse to ‘pick
up’ one of my people without an explanation. If Nate needs to see Erin, I’ll
drive her over. I just need to get in street clothes.”

“Sorry, Connor. But Nate told us we needed to bring her over
in the squad.”

Connor faced Dan Coulter and glared at him. His voice was
tight.

“I don’t give a good goddamn what my cousin told you, Dan.
But you can tell him that
I
will bring
Ms. McFadden
to the
station in my car when I’m damned good and ready.”

He nodded to Erin.

“Erin, come with me to my office. You can wait for me there
while I change.”

He turned to the two policemen.

“Good day, Gentlemen. Please tell Detective Stryker that I
will see him shortly, and that he better have a damn good explanation for
this.”

Grabbing Erin by her arm, Connor strode to his office.

~~~

Connor pulled into a reserved spot in front of the police
station. Hopping out, he was over at the passenger side before Erin could open
the door. Helping her out of the car, he led her up the short sidewalk through
glass doors at the front of the low brick building. He nodded brusquely to the
armed security guard standing by the x-ray chute. Impatiently he emptied his
pockets, dropping his keys and change in the plastic dish. He took Erin’s purse
from her, put it in a plastic basket, then shoved both containers along the
conveyer belt. Pushing Erin in front of him through the security gate, he nodded
at the guard then snatched up their belongings from the trays. He handed Erin
her purse and stuffed his keys in his pocket. Grabbing hold of Erin’s elbow, he
pulled her closer to him.

Nate was waiting for them in the center of the anteroom. He
was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. Dan Coulter and Peter Maze stood on either
side of him. Nate’s voice was quiet, and laced with cold anger.

“Since when do you interfere in police business,
Lieutenant?”

Connor stepped back, not hiding his surprise at his cousin’s
tone.

“What the hell is going on, Nate? What is this about?”

Nate glanced at Erin. She looked fragile as fine glass — as
though she would shatter at any moment. When she looked up at him, her eyes
were wide, her face pale. She closed her eyes as if she couldn’t look at him,
then stared at the floor. That pained look said it all. Anger flooded him. He
turned back to Connor.

“I repeat, Lieutenant. Since when do you interfere with the
police?”

Connor took a half step forward, his eyes blazing.

“What the hell are you talking about, Nate? What’s going on?
You send a
squad
to my firehouse to pick up one of
my
rookies —
who just happens to be Erin — and you don’t expect me to be involved? What the
hell is going on? Who do the hell do you think you are?”

Nate’s voice was ice.

“I’ll tell you who I am. I am the lead homicide detective on
this police force. Because you are an officer in a corresponding discipline,
Lieutenant, I’ll overlook your insubordination. But it is not going without
notice. In answer to your question, I asked my officers to bring Ms. McFadden
to the station because I want to ask her some questions.”

“
Ms. McFadden
? You mean
Erin?
” Connor’s voice
rose several decibels.

Attempting to quell his fury that was threatening to flare,
Nate glared at his cousin, his stance warning him to back off.

Connor glanced around the anteroom. A number of policemen
had stopped and were staring at them. Connor made a visible effort to control
his anger. His voice dropped.

“What kind of questions? About what? Answer me, Nate.”

Nate took a deep breath. He forced himself to speak calmly.
He didn’t know how much longer he could contain his growing rage. He spoke
slowly.

“Connor. I’m gonna give you a chance to back off. I suggest
you take it.”

Connor’s face flamed.

Nate was at least three inches taller than Connor. But what
Connor lacked in height, he made up in heft. The electricity between the two
men zinged across the room.

Connor’s voice was as low, as dangerous as Nate’s.

“I’m not going to do that, Nate. I’m not going to do that to
Erin, unless you tell me what is going on.”

Nate clenched his fists at his sides. He took another deep
breath and then nodded at Erin.

“All right. I’ll tell you what Erin already knows. Take a
look at her face, Connor, if you don’t believe me.”

Connor looked down at Erin and frowned. He put his arm
around her and pulled her up closer to him, then glared at Nate.

Nate met his gaze.

“We have new information on the murder victims.”

“The ones in the fire?”

“Yes. I want to ask Erin about them.”

Connor’s expression was incredulous.

“You want to ask her about the victims? You think she has
information? That she knows something about them that she hasn’t said?”

Nate nodded.

“Jesus. You mean she… she’s under some kind of suspicion?
Are you
nuts
, Nate? Erin? You’ve got to be joking!”

“Do I look like I’m joking, Lt. Lang?”

Connor frowned and looked at Nate and then to Erin. When she
just shook her head, his frown deepened. He whirled back to his cousin.

“You goddamn better read her her rights, Nate. I don’t like
this one bit. I’m not letting her go anywhere with you. Not until you Mirandize
her. You hear me, Nate? I don’t trust you.”

Nate managed to check his impulse to drive his fist through
Connor’s jaw. The look in Connor’s eyes and his clenched fists confirmed he
would gladly return the favor. Dragging his fury down to a simmering level,
Nate forced himself to be calm. His voice remained cold as ice. He nodded to
Dan Coulter.

“Read her her rights, Detective Coulter. Take her to Room
17. Wait for me there.”

He turned back to his cousin.

“Connor, I want to talk to you. In my office. Now.”

Connor returned Nate’s quiet fury.

“What a fucking coincidence! I wanna talk to you, too. And
this better be good, Nate. Or I’m gonna shove my fist so far down your throat—”

Nate’s formerly quiet voice suddenly rang across the hushed
room.

“My office. NOW.”

Connor turned to Erin.

“Listen to me. Goddamn, honey. Don’t look like that. Jesus,
Erin. Listen to me. Whatever this is, we’ll figure it out. Do you hear me? I’m gonna
be right here, half pint. Waiting for you. Do you understand?”

Erin visibly swallowed. Her eyes were wide, glazed. She
nodded.

Dan Coulter stepped forward.

“Ms. McFadden, come with me, please.”

Nate stood by the doorway to his office and watched Dan escort
her down the long hallway to the interrogation rooms. He turned to his cousin,
glad for the moment that he had another object on which to unleash his rage.

Nate stood for a moment outside the one-way window watching
her. She was pale, still. Only her eyes moved in a patterned direction. Slowly
from one quadrant to another, and back again. He’d seen it in children who’d
been abused or torture victims who’d been locked up for long periods of time.
He refused to believe that was true of Erin. More likely it was a practiced
gesture, meant to confuse, to betray. It hid a multitude of sins.

“I offered her water. She refused.”

Dan stood beside him, watching her. He held a couple of
bottles of water in his hands. He shook his head.