Read Online Up in Flames [The Heroes of Silver Springs 10] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic) by Tonya Ramagos - Free Book Online Page A

breath and let it out slow. “All right, stupid question. I’ll give you that one. There’s no sign of forced entry here, meaning it had to have been opened from the inside. Dean—” She broke off, silently cursing herself for using the man’s first name on the job. “Wolcott said the first garage bay was open, and you guys were responsible for the double doors in the front. He didn’t mention this door.”
    “Probably because he doesn’t know it’s here.”
    Regina stepped back and slammed into the solid wall of Max’s body. She stiffened as a riot of sensations raced through her. Wanting to stay there, to melt against him, to turn to him as his arms came around her, she chose the one thing she knew she must. She retraced the step and took three more to the side before she turned and let her temper fly.
    “Do you have to stand so damn close?”
    “You were talking about the door facing,” he fired back. “I moved in to get a closer look, too.”
    “Well, stop.” She pivoted and marched along the rear of the building, her gaze once again scanning the structure from roof to ground. The siding gave way to concrete, and she judged if she were inside, she would have stepped out of the customer and office areas and into the garages. About twenty feet down, she spotted a window, followed the concrete down, and stopped. “There you are.”
    “There what is?”
    Max was right behind her again, peering over her shoulder. He even kneeled with her as she lowered herself to sit on her haunches.
    She did her best to ignore the way his cheek brushed hers as he rested his chin on her shoulder and the way the day’s growth of stubble on his face tickled hers and sent a zing of heady desire straight to her pussy. She did her best, and failed miserably.
    She gritted her teeth. “Would you please back up?”
    “Only because you asked so nicely.” She felt him smile against her cheek before he lifted his chin and eased back. “Is that a footprint?”
    Regina set her ready-to-go kit on the ground next to her and pulled out her digital camera. “It is.” She snapped several pictures of the print, zooming in to get a close enough shot of the tread of the shoe for further analysis later. “I’d say about a men’s size eight and a half, maybe a nine. I’ll let the officers out front know I need a cast made. It looks fresh.” She hooked her bag over her shoulder as she straightened and tipped her head back. “The window is open. It’s likely whoever did this used it as their means to make their escape.”
    “You’re already figuring this was arson, then?”
    “I’m not figuring anything. However, I was called to the scene today on the assumption that arson is a good possibility. I inspected this place myself less than a month ago. It passed every code. Every possible fire hazard was properly contained and handled, all fire extinguishers were in place, and the internal sprinklers were in working order.”
    “Wait a minute. This place has internal sprinklers?”
    Regina tossed a look over her shoulder and couldn’t pass up the chance to shoot him a satisfied smirk. “Missed that one, did you? Yes, it has internal sprinklers and a security alarm. Both of which, I’m quickly learning, were apparently not working when this fire was set.”
    “Sounds to me like we should go inside and find out why.”
    Regina had started walking again, but stopped at Max’s statement. She turned slowly to face him, her gaze dropping first to his bunker pants before climbing to meet his eyes. “We? You got in a mouse in your pocket today, Jasper?”
    Max shoved his gloved hands in his pockets, pretended to dig around, then pulled his hands out and held them up. “Nope, guess you’ll have to stand in for Minnie today since it appears I forgot to grab her on my way out of my apartment this morning.”
    Regina rolled her eyes and turned away quickly before he caught sight of the smile she was unable to hide. “You’re