to answer but a female he’d never met popped over the back of Josh’s bench and answered for him. “Word is the cremator is to blame for the explosion. The fire started in the embalming room then spread until the cremator exploded and put most of it out.”
“That makes sense, but how did the fire start in the first place?” Skylar questioned.
The woman popped down and emerged from behind their booth, then scooted in next to Josh. She looked to be Skylar’s age, with medium brown hair, big green eyes, and dimples that made you think of baseball and apple pie. Another all-American girl.
“I’m Sarah Piechuta.” She stuck out her hand, and he took it, engulfing her tiny hand with his own. “And you’re beyond hot. Bruised eyes and all.”
Logan’s mouth twitched in response.
“This is Logan, you big flirt.” Skylar smirked at her friend. “And he’s mine.”
“Yes, I’ve heard all about it. You always were a lucky duck.”
“Luck’s all mine,” Logan threw out, winking at Skylar.
Skylar rolled her eyes at him, so he grabbed her chin and slammed his mouth over hers for a quick hard kiss. “Keep rolling your eyes at me, I dare you.” It was whispered but Josh gagged in reaction.
“Scoot over, Sarah. Only so much a man can take when his sister’s involved.”
Sarah snorted, but scooted out of the booth so Josh could hang with his friends. Max followed close on his heels, so Logan kept watch for a moment.
“So… the fire?” Skylar asked Sarah.
“Started in the embalming room, like I said. Fire marshal said they found a candle at the point of origin. They think Frank forgot to put it out and it caught the curtains on fire. When the fire spread it set off the gas line to the cremator.”
Logan started to question Sarah, but his attention shifted to the front door when Ty came in followed by Gerry Sullivan, Ed Burk, and Andrew Gordon, three men he’d met the night before in the bar. They were heading straight for the two deputies waiting on their food, and they looked alert.
Logan climbed out of the booth immediately, telling Skylar to, “Hold tight for a minute,” so he could find out what had the men buzzed.
Ty saw Logan approaching their group and peeled off to talk to him.
“What’s happening?” Logan asked.
“A call came in to the mayor from the National Park Service in West Yellowstone. They found Duke’s truck and his boat drifting on the lake.”
“He went to Wyoming?” Logan asked in disbelief. “How far a drive is that from here?”
“West entrance to Yellowstone Park is a ninety-minute drive.”
“He ever go that far on a day he had to work?”
Ty thought about it for a moment then shrugged. “The man’s dedicated, and several people heard him say he had a new reel he needed to test. The fish are big in Yellowstone, he may have gone that far to test it before the park closes in a few weeks for the winter.”
It didn’t sit right with Logan, no matter how you justified it, not after the warning he gave Logan the night before to stay vigilant. If Duke was worried about Skylar, he’d stay close. Logan felt that in his bones.
“You headed to Yellowstone?”
“I don’t know. The mayor tried to call the sheriff, but he’s out on a call in Twin Bridges. They had a double murder there. Victims were dead a day before they were found, so he’s gonna be tied up with that. United States Park Police are in charge of the investigation, but they won’t share information with anyone but law enforcement. Ennis doesn’t have anyone but Duke, so we’re left blowing in the breeze. Ed says we need an interim police chief if we want to know what the hell is going on.”
“He’s right. If your city council doesn’t assign one, you’ll have to jump through hoops to get any information from the CI division.”
“Glad you feel that way,” Gerry Sullivan cut in, with Ed Burk and Andrew Gordon hot on his heels. “Because Duke named his future replacement just last night at the bar.”
“Who?” Ty asked.
Three sets of eyes landed on Logan.
Fourteen
Storm Control
“WHAT DO YOU think they’re arguing about?”
I glanced at Logan, who was slicing his hand through the air, drawing an imaginary line in the sand at Gerry, Ed, Andrew, and Ty. They’d been arguing for a few minutes. I was about to head over the moment Logan growled, “What the fuck?” but Ty caught my eye when I