Big Daddy Firemen (Big Cedar Daddies Book 2)

It was later on that night, when the four were eating dinner, that Walker told them about what he’d learned at Marsha’s café.

“Jason Bennett came in. Showed me a video he’d just found on his game cam. Here, check it out.” He slid his phone across the table to where Cane and Austin could see it. Daisy got up from her chair and went and stood behind the guys, peering down so she could watch, too.

Cane tapped the screen to start the image moving. It was grainy, clearly taken at night, and at first it only showed trees. A few leaves fell and some dust flew across the screen. Then, about five seconds into it, a man appeared. He was wearing a heavy jacket and a ski mask. The footage was shot in night vision, so there weren’t many details that could be made out. The guy looked around suspiciously, and then picked his way cautiously along the leaf-strewn ground. He weaved in and out of trees until he was out of sight and the video ended.

“That’s creepy!” Daisy exclaimed, rubbing her arms as if cold.

Cane reached back, patted her bottom, and told her, “Don’t worry, darlin’. You know your Daddies will always protect you.”

Austin reached back, too, and rubbed her other cheek. “You bet, sweetpea. We won’t let anything happen to you. Ever.”

Satisfied, Daisy giggled and sauntered back to her chair, sitting down to finish supper.

“What do y’all make of this?” Walker asked.

Cane and Austin looked to each other and then back across the table.

“Bennett’s place backs up to that lot where the forest fire started, huh?” Cane asked.

“Sure does,” Walker confirmed. “And did you notice the time stamp?”

Cane and Austin both nodded, but it was Austin who said, “Yep. Doesn’t match up exactly before that fire, but just a few hours earlier.”

“Uh-huh,” Walker said. “I don’t see anything in his hand, but it could be that he was planting that incendiary device we found. If it was on a timer, that would give him plenty of time to hightail it out of there before the blaze started.”

“Daddies, do you think there’s someone… bad… running around Big Cedar?” Daisy asked, her voice filled with terror.

“I don’t know, darlin’,” Austin said. “But like we told you, we’ll protect you.”

A few moments of silence passed before Cane spoke up. “Can’t make out many characteristics but this feller looks to be on the short side.”

“I noticed that, too,” Walker said. “Based on what little we can make out, it doesn’t look like anyone around here.”

“Thank God,” Cane said. “I’d hate to think one of Big Cedar’s own was behind this.”

“But my question is: what’s the motive? Knowing why they’re doing this might tell us who is doing this,” Austin chimed in.

“The million-dollar question,” Walker agreed. He took another bite of his hamburger, put it down, and washed it down with a drink of beer.

“Wait!” Daisy said, standing up.

The guys cast puzzled expressions at her.

“That old house,” she said, as she began pacing the dining area.

“The one the kids holed up in?” Walker asked.

“Yeah,” Daisy continued. “That place has been abandoned for a while and the family that owns it doesn’t even live in the area. They just inherited. But they’ve never done anything with the property.”

“Yeah,” Cane said. “Same as… the store!” His eyes lit up as he saw where Daisy was going with this. He stood too and walked up to her. “Folks have tried to buy that old store for years, but the people who inherited wouldn’t budge.”

“Sort of the same as that old cabin and the property it sits on,” Daisy said. “And that’s valuable real estate! Especially with prices sky-high around here like they are. So many rental companies are trying to buy every track of land they can get their hands on to throw cabins up and make a killing off the tourists.” She stopped talking as she realized the guys were watching her so intently, smiling from ear-to-ear, beaming with pride. “What?” she asked with a giggle, spreading her hands.

“You’re as smart as you are cute,” Walker said. “Little girl, you might have just solved this thing.”

She giggled again but quickly added, “Not yet. I came up with a possible motive. That doesn’t tell us who is behind it.”

“It makes it easier, though,” Cane pointed out. “And tomorrow, after a good night’s sleep, I say we run with the theory and see where it leads.”

The others agreed with the plan.

And Cane, Walker, and Austin agreed that their little girl was the smartest, most beautiful little girl in the whole damn world.