The bitter taste of ash clung to her lips. Flexing her jaw, she tested the limits of her injury. According to the EMT, she was going to have a nasty bruise. From the sting in her cheek, she knew he was right.A plume of dark smoke rose above the trees in front of her. The fire department had the flames under control in a matter of minutes, mostly because there was nothing left to burn by the time they arrived. The ancient trailer by itself had been a death trap of flammable materials. Added to that, the volatile ingredients of speed and it became a bomb.All that remained now was a burned-out hulk in a scorched circle of earth amidst the dense saplings and underbrush.Fred was stretching yellow crime scene tape across the area. Ken was still making a sweep of the property, looking for suspects. No one had gotten out of the trailer unless they’d done so before Mandy arrived.When the fire chief walked up, she braced herself. “Was anyone inside?”He shook his head, and she relaxed. “Thank God for that.”“You should be thanking God you didn’t get to the door a minute later.”“Believe me, I am.”“It was a trap.”She scowled at him.
