Midnight Exposure (Midnight #1)(47)

Reed’s conscience nagged as he made the turn onto Main Street and parked in front of the municipal building. Hugh’s truck wasn’t there yet. Reed glanced at the dashboard clock, his fingers clenched on the steering wheel. Hugh had specified he wanted to interview Jayne early, before the nine o’clock church service swarmed the town with well-intentioned busybodies. Except for the police, the township building would be empty on a Sunday morning.

Hugh pulled in next to him and got out of his car. Instead of his uniform, he wore a navy-blue parka, jeans, and work boots. He walked up to the passenger window of the Yukon and opened Jayne’s door. “My goodness, am I glad to see you safe and sound.”

Reed loosened his fingers as he resisted the urge to drive away with her.

Jayne slid out of his truck. A Lincoln Town Car pulled in at the diner next door. The old man at the wheel pointed at Jayne and said something to his wife. Reed jumped out of the Yukon, rounded the front of the vehicle, and planted his body between Jayne and the gapers.

Everyone in town knew by now that she’d been abducted. The press would be here any minute. If Jayne didn’t leave town soon, she’d suffer an onslaught of media exposure. Reed would spare her that horror no matter what her departure did to his heart.

“Let’s get her inside. It’s cold out here.” Hugh frowned and drew a ring of keys from his pocket as they trooped up the rock salt—dusted steps to the porch. He blew on his gloveless free hand as he inserted his key into the lock and shoved the door open. “What the hell?”

Smoke wafted down the hallway. Reed pulled Jayne back.

“Get her to a safe place, Reed.” Hugh rushed ahead. “I’ll make sure there’s no one inside. I forget what time I told Evan to come in.”

“Don’t go in there, Hugh.” Reed turned and propelled Jayne away from the building, keeping his body between her and the smoke. He yelled at the old folks in the Lincoln, “Call the fire department!”

Reed shoved Jayne into the Yukon and handed her the keys. His heart kicked as he turned to look back at the building. The smoke was still thin, but the building was old and mostly wood. “Park down the street and wait for me. Lock the doors. Drive away if anything seems suspicious.”

“What’s going on?” Nathan rushed out of the diner, sliding into his coat as he jogged toward Reed.

“Fire. Hugh went in. He wanted to make sure there wasn’t anyone inside.” Reed ran toward the municipal building.

“Why would there be anyone in there? It’s Sunday.”

“He was worried about Evan.”

Nathan kept pace. “Evan’s at home. He’s not due in until ten.”

“Good.” Reed pointed at the mayor’s chest. “Stay here and show the firemen where to go.” The last thing Reed needed was a civilian getting in the way.

Nathan backed away from the doorway with a nod. He was a little too easily convinced, Reed thought as he pushed through the door. He pulled his collar over his mouth and nose as he navigated the stairs. Downstairs, yellow smoke filled the top half of the hall. “Hugh?”

Reed coughed at the invasion of smoke in his lungs and crouched to get under the worst of it.

“Hugh!”

The chief stood in front of the police station door, handkerchief-wrapped hand on the knob. Another hand splayed on the door, probably testing for heat. At the bottom crack, yellow smoke puffed and was sucked back under the door.

Backdraft.

“Don’t open that, Hugh!”

The sound of approaching sirens drowned out Reed’s warning. Hugh looked over his shoulder as he yanked the door open. “What?” he mouthed.

The door blew out with a gigantic ball of fire as oxygen rushed into the starved blaze. Reed’s world muted as the force of the explosion knocked him backward. He hit the floor flat on his spine. Pain slammed through his head as it bounced off the commercial tile. The little air he had in his lungs whooshed out. His chest locked down like someone had dropped an anvil on him, and he sucked at the smoky air in vain.

Reed rolled onto his hands and knees. His heartbeat echoed inside his head as he squinted into the haze. A blurry shape lay unmoving at the end of the hall. Reed crawled toward it. Heat seared the side of his face. Embers hit his exposed skin as burning pinpricks.

Huge black boots ran past his head.

“Easy, buddy.” A hollow voice sounded in his ear. Gloved hands hooked under his armpits and dragged him up the stairs. Pain zinged through his legs as his shins bounced on the treads.

“The chief.” Reed coughed and pointed into the smoke. Flames leaped from the doorway below.

Hugh’s office was an inferno.



A full block down on Main Street, Jayne turned the truck around and parked so she had a clear view of the municipal building. A fire engine roared past, sirens wailing. Down the street, people gathered across from the burning building. Firemen leaped from two engines and got to work with practiced efficiency amid the chaos.

Jayne gnawed on her lip. Several volunteer vehicles flew down Main. Single blue lights flashed from their car roofs. Emergency personnel milled about.

Jayne searched the crowd but couldn’t see Reed’s tall form anywhere.

Emergency workers sped up with a flurry of renewed urgency. Something was happening. Her heart stuttered. She locked her gaze on the front of the municipal building. No Reed. The firemen were pushing people away from the building, their movements insistent. Jayne cracked the window and strained to hear.