Against the Fire (36 page)

It was becoming harder and harder to breathe, but they kept working, chipping away at the wallboard until a large enough portion of the framing was exposed. Gabe used the hammer to knock one of the 2x4s loose at the top, giving him enough room to maneuver his big body through, and slipped into the four-foot crawl space. Crouching in the four-foot area below the heavy oak floor, he stuck the hammer into the black lizard belt that matched his boots and he held out his hand.

“Come, on, honey. Let’s get out of here.”

Mattie took his hand and climbed in beside him. It was easier to breath down here, the air moist and the smoke spiraling upward away from the heavy wooden floor that protected them from the flames. Behind Gabe, the fire had chewed through the wood, the orange glow outlining his broad-shouldered frame and making it possible for them to see in what otherwise would have been total darkness. Mattie let him guide her away from the room, her feet sinking into the muddy earth caused by the broken water line.

The crawl space was high enough for her to stand partway up. Bent nearly double, both of them staying low where the air was still fresh, Gabe took her hand and they started making their way toward the front of the warehouse.

“He’ll be in back of the building, enjoying his moment of triumph.”

Mattie shivered, dragged in a breath. “He’s insane.”

“His name’s Jacob Mueller. He thinks I’m responsible for killing his mother. She was one of the tenants who got evicted when Harwood was condemned.”

“So we were right.”

Gabe coughed, dragged in a lungful of air. “Looks like it.”

They moved forward, mud squishing through her torn black nylons, the fire creeping ominously closer. Mattie glanced up at the sound of breaking glass as some of the windows on the first floor exploded, but the thick wooden floor remained a barrier to the flames.

“Keep going,” Gabe commanded, taking her hand and tugging her forward. Something heavy crashed down and a hole opened up in the floor above them not that far away. “Don’t look back, just keep moving.”

They dropped to their knees, trying to find fresh air. Mattie tried to drag in several labored breaths between coughing fits, then continued forward.

Another loud noise sounded as timbers collapsed on the upper level. “Oh, God. I hope someone’s called the fire department. The guard is still tied up out there.”

“Probably used a stun gun on him, too.” Gabe coughed. “Guard didn’t stand a chance.”

They trudged through the muddy earth, the water in places well past Mattie’s ankles, both of them bent over, moving one direction, then changing course to dodge the flames eating through the floor overhead.

Finally in the distance, the sound of sirens cut through the evening air, loud enough to be heard even over the snap and roar of the flames.

Fighting through the muddy crawl space, Mattie searched the darkness, grateful Gabe seemed to know exactly which way to go. “How…how are we going to get out?”

“There’s an access to this area on all four sides of the building.” He coughed a couple of times, caught a breath. “Guy who designed it was pretty conscientious about maintenance needs.”

She remembered that now. Still… “What…what if the access is locked?”

He held up his hammer, and in the glow of the distant flames, she thought that he grinned. He paused, turned to face her, his expression serious once more. “You risked your life to get me out of that room. I’ll get you out of here, honey. I promise you.”

And she trusted that he would. She trusted Gabriel Raines with every ounce of her soul. She was surprised she hadn’t realized it sooner.

They reached the access. It was locked from the outside just as she had feared, and when an explosion hit, shaking the entire building and crumbling another portion of the floor, fear curled in her stomach.

She gasped for breath, felt Gabe’s hand reach for hers, steadying her. “Easy. We’re almost there.”

“But it’s locked from the other side!”

She watched the heavy claw hammer come down, wood chips flew, then the hammer turned and chipped away several big chunks. Gabe struck again and she realized the door was made of nothing more than plywood.

He swung and chipped until she could see through to the latch holding it closed, watched it tumble uselessly to the ground on the opposite side, then he pushed open the door.

He eased halfway out to take a look around. “All clear. Let’s go.”

He took her hand and hauled her out behind him. They crawled into the darkness, far enough away to be safe, both of them coughing, dragging fresh air into their smoke-filled lungs. Fire trucks were pulling up at the curb in front of the warehouse as Gabe came to his feet, hauled her to hers and they raced away from the blazing inferno.

“What about the guard?” Mattie asked hoarsely, lungs burning, her bare feet leaving traces of blood on the walkway. Her gaze flashed toward the big wooden structure almost completely engulfed in flames.

“Looks like the fire guys have him.”

Mattie followed Gabe’s line of sight to a man in black pants and a plain white T-shirt standing next to one of the firemen. His face was pale, his hair disheveled, his T-shirt hanging out of his pants. “Yes, that’s him.”

Gabe let go of her hand and tipped his head toward a familiar man walking rapidly toward them. “Talk to Daily. Tell him what happened.” He dragged in a lungful of cleansing night air. “I’ve got something to do.”

Mattie caught his arm. “Where are you going?”

“You know where I’m going. This has to end, Mattie.”

“But you can’t go after him alone! You don’t even have a gun!”

“I had my gun before and it didn’t do me any good. I don’t need a gun to take this guy down. I just need to outthink him for a change.” He leaned over and kissed her hard, turned and darted away.

“Gabe!” Mattie started coughing as one of the firemen ran up with an oxygen tank and placed the plastic cone over her mouth and nose.

Her eyes found Gabe, but he was already disappearing into the darkness.

And Mattie was terrified she would never see him again.

Jacob stood in the shadows of a thick-trunked tree just a little ways away from the warehouse. When the fire trucks arrived, he’d retreated from the spot he had chosen, the place close enough to hear the screams.

He’d really wanted that. After the woman had arrived to join his little party, he couldn’t wait for the screams. Here, he was either too far away or the smoke had reached them first.

He hoped not. He wanted Raines to suffer. And the woman? Well, she was just a little bonus.

His fingers twitched as he held up his cell and pushed the video button, took a few more seconds of footage, pictures of the flames leaping high into the air, the whirling tongues of orange and yellow, the firefly sparks rising into the darkness.

If he let his imagination run, he could almost smell the greasy odor of burning human flesh, of singed hair and skin.

He was smiling as he drew a little farther back, putting a bit more distance between himself and the scene. He didn’t want to get caught. Not yet. He was having too much fun.

His smile widened. His mother always said his smile made him special, like everything else about him. Tonight he was getting revenge for Vera Mueller. From now on, what he did would be for himself.

He looked up just then and caught a glimpse of someone moving silently among the shadows near the bushes at the edge of the property. Someone searching, looking for footprints, looking for him.

It was past time for him to leave. Tucking the cell phone into his pocket, he eased farther back into the shadows, turned and started walking away. He lived just a few blocks from the warehouse, not that far from the apartment he had shared with his mother. He hadn’t burned Harwood down yet, still a lot of sentimental attachment there. But sooner or later the time would come.

Jacob slipped farther into the darkness, wishing he could stay till the fire was out and the bodies were discovered, but headed back home instead. He liked being downtown and close to everything, liked that he didn’t need to drive his mother’s ancient Oldsmobile very often. Tonight he enjoyed walking home in the smoky night air.

The pleasant thought lasted only a moment, only until he spotted the big man walking toward him. The muddy black cowboy boots, the dirty white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, the muscular forearms, the long legs eating up the distance between them.

Gabriel Raines.

Fury poured through him. He was still alive! Jacob’s hands fisted, shaking almost uncontrollably. He took a deep breath. So the game wasn’t over yet.

He took a steadying breath. Perhaps it was better this way. More time to savor his triumph.

Jacob started running.

Thirty-Four

Moving quietly through the shadows, Gabe kept his quarry in sight. He had spotted Jacob Mueller in back of the warehouse in his black clothes, minus the guard’s badge and heavy leather belt. Odds were Mueller had kept both and could use them as weapons.

The arsonist stood in the darkness behind a tall hedge at the perimeter of the lot. Gabe closed the distance between them but didn’t want to alert the man to his presence. He knew the moment he was spotted, still too far away to catch him, and watched Mueller turn and run.

Gabe didn’t stop. Somewhere behind him, he could hear the sound of sirens, knew the cops would soon reach the warehouse. He knew Mattie would have warned Daily and that backup would soon be on the way.

But Jacob Mueller had a good head start and he seemed to know the neighborhood. If Gabe waited for the police, there was every chance Mueller would escape.

It wasn’t going to happen. The bastard wasn’t getting away again. Gabe increased his speed, his long legs pounding the earth. He kept in shape. He could run like this for hours if he had to.

He didn’t believe Mueller was actually trying to get away. Mueller wanted him to follow. Tonight Gabe had escaped the man’s death trap in the burning warehouse. Now the arsonist had a chance for a final showdown. Which meant he had some secondary plan for this kind of scenario. A plan to get rid of whoever was fool enough to fall into another of his traps.

Not this time, Gabe thought as he followed Mueller around another corner, watched him disappear through the wooden side gate of a single family home, cross an empty backyard and come out in an alley. This time I’m the predator and you’re the prey.

Mueller ran down the alley and rounded a corner onto another street half a block away. Gabe followed. An old white stucco duplex lay ahead, the exterior cracked and dirty in the pale yellow glow of a porch light. Mueller headed for the entry into the building, pulled open a black, wrought-iron gate and ran down a lane that separated the two units.

Wishing like hell he had his phone, Gabe cautiously followed. He wasn’t sure this was Mueller’s final destination, but he didn’t dare stop long enough to knock on doors and ask to use someone’s phone or the bastard would get away.

Gabe couldn’t let that happen. Mueller wouldn’t stop setting fires and the next time, Gabe might not be as lucky as he had been tonight.

Mattie might not be as lucky.

A chill ran down his spine.

He could have lost her tonight. Both of them could have been killed. He would never forget how brave she had been, how she had risked herself to save him.

It could have ended for them in that warehouse. His close brush with death had shown him again how precious time was and reminded him not to waste it.

He had never told Mattie he loved her. It was past time he did. If she felt the same, he was going to ask her to marry him. And pray like hell she would accept.

Gabe reached the entry, flattened himself against the wall beside the wrought-iron gate. The sound of a child’s voice in the hallway talking to the arsonist made him stop short.

“Hi, Mr. Mueller.”

“Hello, Billy.” Mueller paused, seemed to be considering his options. “Where’s your mother?”

“She went next door.”

“Then why don’t you come in and have one of those big peanut butter cookies you like? I bought some fresh ones just this morning.”

At the sound of small, shuffling feet, Gabe silently cursed. Pushing away from the wall, he peered around the corner into the hallway lit by a single bare bulb. Mueller was backing away with the boy carefully positioned in front of him.

Gabe pulled open the gate and stepped into plain sight. “Let the boy go, Mueller. This is between you and me.”

Mueller ignored him. Drawing the little boy backward, he disappeared into a shadowy alcove that marked the entrance to unit number one. Gabe heard the sound of a key in the lock, the creak of the door being opened, then quietly closing again.

The guy made bombs. Gabe’s military training kicked in. He pulled the small, high-powered LED flashlight out of his back pocket and cautiously made his way toward the doorway, searching the floor and walls for a trip wire or some kind of pressure plate, something Mueller would have left for unwanted company.

Nothing.

Not until he reached the alcove.

Then there it was—IED, an Improvised Explosive Device. A fine strand of wire was strung across the doorway near his feet. It was held in place by a simple clothes-pin with the tip wrapped in foil. Pulling the wire would trigger the homemade device camouflaged by the potted plant just inside the alcove.

Mueller must have set it on his way into the apartment.

Gabe pulled the box cutter out of his pocket, grateful he had brought along his makeshift defense arsenal, crouched down and carefully cut the wire.

Something moved in the darkness a few feet away. “What the hell…” a familiar voice said.

Gabe came to his feet at the sound of his brother’s deep voice, relief washing over him. Dev opened his mouth but Gabe put a finger to his lips, cutting off the question.

Taking in Gabe’s soot-covered shirt, torn slacks and mud-covered boots, Dev realized in an instant they were dealing with the arsonist.

“He’s inside,” Gabe said softly. “Got a hostage. A little boy.”

“Shit. You armed?”