a gash on his forehead sending a river of blood trailing down his face.
“She tried to kill us,” Travis said, speaking to himself.
This had to be Juliet Prince. Based on what he knew of her, she was crazy enough to blow up a house and anyone in it. Which meant she was the one who had texted him, lured him. Probably had intended for the house to blow up with him inside of it.
Was she doing it? Was she playing them like puppets? Looking at it rationally, it wasn’t difficult to put the pieces together. Probably wouldn’t take much for her to find out who Travis was associated with. She would likely recognize Brantley and Reese since they’d been on the news after Kate’s rescue. The task force had gotten some press lately. She could easily tie the team to the governor.
Had he not given her enough credit? Here he’d thought they were dealing with a vengeful woman, but this… This spoke to something else entirely.
Travis shook his head, managed to get to his feet as the sirens grew nearer, flashing lights already blanketing the houses as an ambulance pulled up.
“Fuck,” he groaned, pulling out his phone.
Wouldn’t take long for Gage to get wind of what had happened, and he needed to call them to let them know he was all right before they came looking for him.
“Please tell me you’re not involved in whatever just happened,” Gage said without so much as a hello.
Evidently he already knew.
“I’m fine,” he assured him. “Brantley and Reese and Trey are fine. That bitch blew up Jessica James’s house.”
There was a brief pause, then, “You know for a fact it was her?”
“You’ve got a better explanation?” he snapped defensively.
“Faulty gas line,” Gage growled softly.
“Deadly fuckin’ coincidence if that’s the case, Gage,” he bit out.
“Quit makin’ this into—”
Before Gage could rip him a new one, Travis heard rustling on the phone.
“Come home, Trav,” Kylie insisted, her tone heated but not as angry as Gage’s. “Let Brantley and Reese deal with their stuff. JJ shouldn’t be callin’ you over there.” Her tone cooled, held a wealth of concern. “You promised you’d let them handle this.”
He didn’t bother to tell his wife that it wasn’t JJ who’d texted him. Nor did he tell her the house he was at had blown up, because it didn’t sound to him like she knew. More than likely, Gage had gotten one of those automated text updates from the sheriff’s department regarding the fire. Later they would see the aftermath on the nightly news. At that point, he would earn a bit of sympathy.
“I’ll be home in a minute,” he promised.
“Okay. Hurry, please. It’d be nice if we could have lunch together today.”
Travis promised again, then disconnected the call. When he turned back, Brantley and Trey were standing beside him.
“Where’s Reese?” he asked, scanning the area.
“With the EMTs,” Brantley said, his tone level but hard. “Probably needs stitches, but he’s refusin’ treatment.”
Of course he was.
“You all right?” Trey asked, giving him a once-over.
“Fine.” Travis massaged his shoulder. “Nothin’ some ibuprofen won’t fix.”
“Was it rigged to blow? Or did someone set it off?” Brantley asked, all three of them peering up at what was left of the house.
Damn good question.
“I’m leanin’ toward rigged,” Travis replied. “She thought we’d all be inside that house. Otherwise, she would’ve waited until we were.”
“She?” Trey questioned.
“Juliet Prince.”
“Right now, there’s nothin’ to say this was her,” Brantley said firmly. “I believe in followin’ the evidence, and right now, I don’t have anything to say she’s involved.”
Travis didn’t bother telling him he had nothing at all since his crime scene was still burning.
“What would she have to gain by kidnappin’ Dante Greenwood?” Trey asked, sounding sincerely perplexed by the notion. “It just doesn’t fit.”
Travis sighed, hating that the man made sense.
“Charlie just got here,” Trey said. “Lemme go fill her in on what’s goin’ on. I’ll check on Reese, too.”
Travis noticed the concern in Brantley’s gaze as he glanced over at the ambulance on scene.
“He’s tough,” Travis told him.
Brantley turned back. “I know it.”
Yet he still worried. Travis could understand. He was in the same boat. Although he knew Gage could hold his own, he worried about the man the same way he worried about Kylie and the kids. That was what happened when you loved someone.
“Why don’t you get outta here,” Brantley told him. “If by chance this is her, I’d prefer to keep you off the news.”
“I’m happy to talk to the sheriff.”
“Not necessary. Get