Free Up in Flames [The Heroes of Silver Springs 10] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic) by Tonya Ramagos Page B

carved the flesh on the bridge of her nose and between her brows as she turned slowly, her gaze scanning, and her mind reeling. “The obvious answer is the back door off the office.”
    Max lifted a brow. “What was that lecture you gave me a few minutes ago about obvious answers?”
    “You didn’t let me finish,” she said tightly, holding up a finger. “It isn’t so obvious when you take into account there are no signs of forced entry on that door. It was open from the inside. I checked the garage door before I entered the building. No sign of forced entry there either.”
    Max threw his head back, his mind working as he attempted to piece it together. He let his eyes close as he tried to picture it, and came up with only one possible conclusion. “The guy had a key?”
    “The evidence so far would lead you to believe that, wouldn’t it?” She got a faraway look in her eyes as she pointed toward the back door in the office, barely visible from where they stood in the middle of the customer area. “He comes in that door, douses the office, waiting room, and customer service desk heavily with the accelerant. He lets it trail to the glass door.” She started walking, tracing the movements she spoke of with her own feet. “He opens it, spreads the accelerant around the frame, and then continues it into the garage.”
    Max followed her back into the garage, watching her, listening, and admiring her mind.
    “Maybe he stops then to open the garage door.” Her gaze sliced to the control box on the wall for the garage doors. “Maybe the fumes are too much, even for him, or maybe he just knows he’s going to want that oxygen to feed the fire when he lights it. Given the hour of the morning, anyone passing by wouldn’t have thought it suspicious seeing as how automotive shops usually open so early. He continues to pour the accelerant, creating the path, and the start.” She kept walking, moving now to the workbench beneath the window. “He climbs up, makes sure the window is unlocked, and probably opens it in preparation of his escape.”
    Max watched her, wondering if she even realized she was still tracing the movements she talked about, completely to the point of climbing onto the workbench.
    She stood on top of the bench, her head angling slowly from side to side as she studied the window. “He’s not a big guy, otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to fit through this window.” She said it so softly he figured she was talking more to herself than him. “He gets back down,” she continued as she turned, careful not to disturb anything still lying on the bench, and moved to the edge.
    Max hustled toward her, his arms going up more out of reflex than thought, to catch her waist and help her down.
    Her hands closed around his biceps, but her gaze stayed on the point of origin of the fire. “He starts the fire. He’s in awe over the beauty of it as it springs to life. He stands there, watching it for as long as he dares, then climbs out the window and runs.”
    Max waited a beat to make sure she was finished before he spoke. “Sounds to me like you’ve got your opinion, Investigator.”
    Her gaze snapped to his, the dreaminess in her eyes clearing and surprise rapidly taking over. She attempted to cover it with a flash of temper. “What I have, firefighter, is an opinion based on half facts and half conjecture.”
    Max bit back a grin. “And that’s too close to a theory for you.”
    “You’re damn right it is.” She tried to pull away, but with his hands still locked on her waist and the workbench behind her, she didn’t get very far. “Are you going to let go?”
    Max pretended to think about that. “Naw, not yet. I like you this way, having you in my arms pinned to the workbench…It reminds me a lot of last night.” He knew the instant the words left his mouth that he shouldn’t have brought up last night and wished he could take it back.
    “I don’t need anything to remind me of last