Wildfire Hurricane (A Ryder Boys Novel Book 1) Read Online Free

weather radar, satellite imagery, and several functions she hadn’t explored yet, but Flynn had assured her they were state-of-the-art. For this town.
    Belladonna’s Peak. It meant beautiful lady in Italian. “How’d the city get its name? For a woman?”
    “No,” Flynn shuddered. “For the nightshade that grows in the shady parts of the mountains.”
    “Nightshade…isn’t that stuff poisonous?” An appropriate name for this place. The mountains loomed over her apartment building, casting long shadows at sunset and creating a chill even on the warmest evenings. Even though she’d lived there only a week, she got the distinct impression that the lurking peaks could be hiding something dangerous.
    “Deadly.” Flynn typed a quick search on Google and pulled up a photo of a lovely bell-shaped purple blossom with glossy black berries. “If you go for a hike, don’t pick the flowers.”
    Simone studied the image over his shoulder. “Got it.” Botany lesson completed, she resumed her survey of the command center. The rest of the equipment failed to impress her, but the staff seemed competent enough.
    Cassandra Storm, meteorologist. Simone had read the woman’s file and found out that was her real name. She’d said it with pride when Flynn introduced Simone as the new boss, but the young assistant had to smother a laugh.
    Flynn McCarthy, administrative assistant fulfilling his other-duties-as-assigned clause, had been the first to greet her when she arrived this morning. Tall, lanky, not quite blond hair that swept his eyebrows. She could’ve spent the day staring at him, but the fire needed all of her attention.
    Thunder had woken her up three minutes before her alarm was supposed to go off. She’d stumbled across her bedroom in the dark, tripping over boxes while searching for a light switch that had a lamp plugged into it. Lightning guided her, a bright flash immediately followed by a boom that rolled through the surrounding mountains. “Any ideas about what started the fire?” She stood at the top of the circular stairs, overseeing her minimal staff.
    Cassandra spoke up. “A low-pressure system in the Pacific sent a line of thunderstorms through here early this morning.”
    “Probably a lightning strike.” Flynn finished her thought.
    “It’s developing circulation.” Cassandra’s brow wrinkled as she alternately studied the satellite image and the radar loop. “Almost like a tropical storm.”
    “Unusual for this part of the country?” Simone descended and leaned over the meteorologist’s shoulder, watching the satellite photo spin.
    “Yes, the water temperature is usually too cold, and the winds push most storms out to sea, but we’ve had a hot summer this year because of El Niño. It’s not impossible.”
    “Keep an eye on it.” Watch anything and everything. Even the smallest detail could cause trouble. “Where’s the rest of my staff?”
    “Everyone except me has another full-time job.” Flynn sat at his desk and rambled off the list of EMS team members. “The police chief, the fire marshal, Cassandra. The hotshot crew has their base here, but the superintendent is never around enough to break his chair in.”
    “Not the type to plant his butt in the office?” The superintendent might be an alpha dog, but she’d make sure he knew who held his leash.
    “He’s an active guy.” Cassandra’s face flushed red and that goofy smile curled her lips again. “When he’s not fighting fires he’s busy with prescribed fire operations, habitat improvement, trail construction projects, working out…” Her voice trailed off while she spun a golden curl around her fingers.
    Office romance. Yay. Simone swore to put an end to that real quick. She crossed her arms and stared at the monitor wall, barely hearing the heavy footsteps behind her.
    “Jesus Christ, it is you.”

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 2
     
     
    I know that voice. Ripples of pleasure cascaded down her spine,