far more personal. At the thought, her heart tingled with warmth that was more than what she should feel for a friend. She and Gage had been friends before and they were still friends. She trusted him with her life, but feeling something more for him? That would never work. Even though he wasn’t active duty or reserve Coast Guard and instead worked for CGIS as a civilian, he might as well be a Coastie, and Sadie had written off falling for a Coastie ever again.
Another smaller explosion at the house rocked the SUV. Sadie jumped and let out a small yelp. Gage leaned closer to her and together they watched the house now completely destroyed as the bright, hot flames continued to devour it.
A shudder ran over her.
Sadie pressed her face in her hands and leaned forward. Sucked in a few breaths.
Gage’s hand pressed against her back. “Sadie?”
“I’m good. I’m fine.” Karon had been murdered. Sadie had almost been murdered. And now Karon’s house. “I don’t understand. Why would someone go to all this trouble?”
Sirens resounded in the distance, coming from Bay City to the south. She sat up and watched the volunteer fire truck that carried a huge tank of water lumber up the drive to the house. The sheriff’s vehicles soon followed and parked along the street next to Gage’s SUV, and then the ambulance.
“Here’s your ride, Sadie.”
She didn’t want to go. She wouldn’t argue with him, but would simply ask the EMTs to look her over and leave her behind. Then Gage would have to keep her close, and she could find out more.
He exited the SUV and she followed his lead, getting out before he had the chance to open the door for her. He guided her over to the ambulance and handed her off to the EMT that jumped out. “You’ll be in safe hands now. I need to talk to the sheriff.”
Gage disappeared up the drive.
The EMT’s name was Gary and he assisted her onto a gurney, but she refused to lie down. “I’m okay. You can give me a once-over, but I’m not going anywhere with you.”
The scrawny, much-too-young-looking guy arched a brow. “If I find something that needs attention, you might change your mind.”
“I just got out of the hospital earlier today. I’m not changing my mind. I don’t want to go back for any reason.”
Gary listened to her heart and checked her vitals. Looked in her eyes. Just the basics. Then he tucked the equipment away. “I think you should let us take you to the hospital. Get your head checked out just to be sure it’s not something to be concerned about.”
“I promise I’ll set up an appointment later if I start feeling any symptoms. But I didn’t lose consciousness.” For more than a few seconds. She hoped her smile would convince him.
She let her gaze roam the area around the burning house and then twisted around to look behind her.
Was the man responsible for the explosion watching them? The water hose spray drew her attention. Firefighters directed the hose at the burning house, but now and then a flame would crackle and shoot back up. The propane tank had blown too.
Again, the sensation that someone watched her washed over her. Sadie hugged herself and rubbed her arms. Time to find Gage.
She left the ambulance to search for him. He wasn’t going to be happy she’d followed him closer to the house and the action, and hadn’t stayed behind for her own safety, as he would put it. But she felt safer with him.
She found him speaking with the sheriff and another deputy—the same guy who questioned her in the hospital. Deputy Crowley. He’d seemed nice enough at the hospital, but she wouldn’t take the chance that he would send her away from the scene. Sadie hung back near one of their official vehicles, almost hidden, so she could catch some of their words, though with the fire hose and the residual ringing in her ears, she couldn’t understand everything said.
“Miss Casings must have seen something or knew something and it cost her her life,” the deputy said. “There was obviously something we missed in the house. At the time, her death appeared to be a drowning accident.”
Gage had his hands on his hips and his back to Sadie. “I think we can all agree this must be big if someone went to these measures to destroy evidence.”
The sheriff spoke up. “If that’s true, and someone purposefully destroyed the house, it’s likely connected with Miss Strand’s search of the house and her subsequent abduction. With the house now destroyed, we can assume the evidence went with it. We should get a deputy over to the aunt’s house to stand watch at all times. I’m concerned about Miss Strand’s safety.”
“You’re not the only one. I agree that she needs protection.” Gage suddenly twisted around and stared right at her, his gaze pinning her.
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