Blue Smoke

going to teach me who was in charge, and when he came up for the follow-through, I took him down, bruised his balls and kicked him out.”
    “I’m going to say congratulations, and add that from what you’ve just told me, he’s a top contender for what’s going on now.”
    He wasn’t going to make her feel guilty, Reena realized. Or stupid or weak. It was an interesting experience to share a nasty and humiliating experience with a man who wouldn’t let her feel soiled or humiliated.
    The race going on inside her heart kicked into another gear.
    “I don’t think so, but I think he’s connected. The next morning, early, my captain and O’Donnell are at the door. Turns out that somebody torched Luke’s Mercedes, a few hours after he crawled out my door. He was pointing the finger at me for it. It didn’t stick. For one thing Gina had come over, stayed the night, and was still there. For another, they believed me.”
    She could see by his face he was keeping pace with her, but she filled in the last details anyway. “The method used wasn’t exactly like last night, Bo, but there are strong similarities. And when the fire-starter called me this morning, he alluded to it.”
    “This Luke asshole could have torched his own car to take another jab at you. He could be doing this now for more payback.”

    “Possible, except . . . Last night, when he called, he said something else. Didn’t click in, not completely. Everything happened pretty quick after, and it didn’t gel for me until this morning. He said I should think back over the men I’ve been with, right back to the first.”
    “And?”
    “The first was Josh. Josh was killed in a fire, long before I met Luke.”
    “Smoking in bed.”
    “I never believed it.” Even now, her voice caught. “I had to accept it, but I never believed it. Three men now, three I’ve been involved with, that I know of, have been connected to serious fires. One of them’s dead. I’m not going to consider it a coincidence. Not now.”
    He rose, limped to the fridge, got out another Coke. “Because now you’re thinking Josh was murdered.”
    “Yes, I do. And I think the use of fire’s been deliberate all along, because anyone who knew me knew I was studying and working toward becoming an arson investigator. Ever since . . .”
    “Ever since the fire at your restaurant,” he finished.
    “Jesus. Pastorelli.” It made her stomach cramp. “It all started that day. Everything started that day.” She let out a breath. “All right, I’m going to check this out. Meanwhile, can you take some time off?”
    “What for?”
    “Bo, Josh is dead. Luke moved to New York, and I broke things off with him in any case. You’re right next door. He could try for your house next, or for you.”
    “Or you.”
    “Take a couple of weeks, take a vacation, give us time to shut this down.”
    “Sure. Where do you want to go?”
    Her hands balled into fists on the table. “I’m the fuse. I go, he stops, waits for me to come back.”
    “The way I see it, we’re both the fuse. Unless you plan on taking up with some other guy while I’m off somewhere water-skiing. I value my skin, Reena, what’s left of it. But I’m not running off and waiting for you to send me an all clear. I don’t work that way.”

    “This isn’t the time to be such a damn man.”
    “Until I grow breasts, I’m stuck being a man.”
    “You’ll distract me. Worrying about you will distract me. If something happened to you—” She broke off as her throat slammed shut.
    “If I said that to you, you’d tell me you can take care of yourself, that you’re not stupid or reckless.” He raised his eyebrows when she said nothing. “Why don’t we skip the part where I say it back to you, we both toss around the same arguments.”
    The good nature faded from his eyes, turned them that chilly green. “The son of a bitch came at me, Reena. He blew up my goddamn truck. You think I’m walking away?”
    “Please. Just a few days then. Three days. Give me three days to . . .” Her voice began to hitch.
    “No. Don’t cry. It’s hitting below the belt, and it won’t work.”
    “I don’t use tears to get my way, you stupid ass.” She dashed at them with the backs of her hands. “I can put you in protective custody.”
    “Maybe.”
    “Don’t you see, I can’t handle this.” She pushed away from the table, stalked to the window over the sink, stared out.
    “I can see you’re not