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Oh, she was asking now? “Happy to.”
Before he left, maybe he could make a few calls. See if anyone working down at the Hotline had seen a man matching Crispin’s description.
His phone was dead. Great. He’d crashed so hard last night he hadn’t charged it. There was a charger in his pickup, and he’d have to plug it in on his way to Ember.
Right after he did the first aid kits.
In the supply room, Booth found the kits, but they hadn’t been packed with supplies. He filled each one with all the supplies and marked them on the inventory sheet, noting they needed more gauze and antibacterial ointment—which he should probably put on the small burns he’d received yesterday.
He stacked all three tool-kit-sized boxes and rested his chin on the top one. He grabbed the doorknob.
Locked.
Weird. This door locked from the inside.
Booth peered around the kits and tried the handle. Jerked harder.
The door wasn’t locked, but it was stuck.
And now he was trapped.
Now was as good a time as any to march next door to Miles’s office and have the conversation. The one where she stepped up and offered to lead the team in Tucker’s stead.
But first, she had to do her job. The part where she provided hospitality to locals and visitors alike.
She led Jan through the halls and cut through the back, where they didn’t take the tour groups. This area had their lounge. Their personal space.
The supply room door creaked, and Nova stole a glance at Booth ambling in.
Man, there had to be more going on in his head than make-believe stories about spies and stolen nukes. Right?
No matter how hard Nova tried, she couldn’t figure out Booth Wilder. There was a secret hidden behind his kind eyes. A secret she couldn’t penetrate.
Maybe he’d ditched a wife and kids. Or was on the run from the law.
Nah. Booth might be hiding something, but it was no secret he was a good man. Had trouble listening to her orders without question, but then, she hadn’t been named crew chief yet either. But on and off the fire, nothing seemed to ruffle his feathers, and Nova found herself calmer just being near him.
Maddening.
“Sure is quiet around here. Where is everyone?” Jan’s words interrupted Nova’s whirlwind thoughts.
“We’ve got a pretty big fire burning, so we have teams out trying to control it. There’s six of us here. You met Booth, but the other four are out in the airplane hangar, repacking cargo for the next deployment.”
Jan paused and studied the photos mounted on plaques lining the hall. “Are these the rest of your crew?”
“This is the memorial wall.” Nova’s eyes drifted down the line of photos to the one she knew best. “Smokejumpers killed in the line of duty.”
“Wow. So many.” Jan stopped and looked at Nova with soft eyes. “I hope you don’t mind me asking, but what makes a pretty, young girl like you decide to do such a dangerous job?”
Nova took a few steps, stopping in front of a photo. She slid her fingers over the gold nameplate. “This is my uncle Jock.” She gestured to the line of photos extending past him. “These guys were all killed when they were overrun by a fire. Good people die in wildfires. I lost my own parents in one.” She paused. Swallowed. Shrugged. “The way I see it, I didn’t have a choice. It’s my legacy. I’ll never find peace in this world as long as fires are raging.”
“I bet your uncle and your parents would be proud of you.”
“Thanks. I’m determined to live up to my uncle Jock’s legacy and one day be crew chief.” And that day would come soon if she played her cards right.
Nova pointed out the main exit doors and left Jan in the ladies’ room.
Back in the memorial hallway, she paused at Jock’s picture. Touched her fingers to her lips and pressed them to the photo.
