Chapter 182: Total Miscommunication

When he fired up the engine, a profanity-laced hip-hop song blared from the car’s sound system, startling Anna nearly out of her seat.

“Sorry about that,” he laughed as he turned down the volume. “It was a hella boring ride out here from the airport. I had to do something to keep myself awake.”

As they drove down the highway toward town, Bruce described some of the fires his crew had recently been assigned to fight. Anna listened, laughing when it was appropriate, and trying to push away the image of Sawyer surrounded by flames.

When they drove down the main street of Crystal Springs, they passed Jack’s Bar & Grill. Anna watched it whiz by and turned to Bruce. “That was probably our best bet for dinner. The White Mountain Diner closes early, even on Saturday. And The Mine Shaft is a pit. You wouldn’t want to go there.”