Read Round and Round for Free Online

which was a shock and out of character. Fight and argue until blue in the face, but never take a step back—that was how Antonio usually operated. “It just seemed so damned convenient.”
    “If you’d looked at the facts, you would have known it was nothing of the kind,” Angus told him, not giving any ground. “So when you go back, do you think you can be civil?” His accent crept in, and he saw Antonio pause.
    “Yes.” He put his hands on the desk, sighing. “God, when you sound like that.”
    “What?”
    “Sometimes your accent comes through, and it reminds me what drew me to you in the first place,” Antonio said, a smile ghosting over his face. But it didn’t last long. They never did.
    “You’re an unhappy man, Tony, and you need to find something to add some joy to yer life. That’s not me anymore, but find something or someone or yer going to explode.” Angus stood, holding up the thumb drive. “Thanks fer this. I appreciate it.” He let his accent really come forward. He’d been in the States long enough that it wasn’t too heavy, but sometimes it crept in, and like now, he let it show for Antonio’s benefit. “I’ll see you ’round.” He left the office and strode through the station and out to his car. He began driving back to the firehouse and for the millionth time thought about Kevin.
    There was something about him that stuck with Angus, and not many guys did that. His mother would say he was flighty, and she would probably be right. Angus noticed guys and knew guys saw him. But he’d really seen Kevin, and seeking a guy out was something he never did, let alone hunt up his phone number and put it in his phone just so he’d have it. He’d thought of calling him a number of times, but his shifts would keep him busy for a few more days yet.
    “Hello,” he answered when a call rang in through the car.
    “Did you get the video of the club?” his captain asked.
    “Told you I would.”
    “You’re the only one who can get anything out of that guy,” the captain said gruffly. These arsons were weighing on the department big-time. Natural fires were one thing, but intentionally set ones were a totally different matter. Sometimes there were traps built in so the firefighters got caught. Those increased the media attention on the fire and gave the arsonist a boost of some kind. “What do you have on him?”
    “Do you really want to know?” Angus asked. He heard the chief groan. “Didn’t think so.”
    “We’ll look at it when you get here. The guys have been watching crowds outside the fires. So maybe they saw something. It’s a long shot, but at this point it’s what we have.”
    “I’m less than ten minutes away with traffic. I’ll see you soon.” He disconnected and continued the drive to the fire station.
    The building was old, but they did their best to keep it maintained. The equipment inside, however, was new, and that was because they raised the money themselves to buy and take care of it. The city itself was in terrible financial shape, as their last set of raises had attested, which had left a lot of the men grumbling… loudly. Promotions had been put on hold, and everything had been done to squeeze the budgets. It really sucked.
    He walked inside, passing Clark, who had a paint roller in hand, like he usually did. It was his thing, and all the interior walls were clean and bright because of it. Of course that also meant the building smelled of paint nearly all the damn time. “How’s it going?”
    “Almost done here. Then I’m going to give it a rest. The place looks good.” Clark looked at his handiwork with pride in his eyes.
    “It looks great,” Angus said with a smile. “The captain is waiting for me.” He hurried on past and up to the office. He knocked and went in. “Antonio said there wasn’t anything useful. I think that’s the only reason he gave me a copy.”
    “He’s probably right,” Captain Justinian said, taking the thumb drive.