White Heat Read Online Free PDF

well-traveled narrow cobblestone streets, concealing courtyards, some empty and deserted, some lush with bougainvillea that had been lovingly tended to for centuries. The city’s beautiful and unique architecture reflected a Moorish influence brought by seventeenth-century architects from Andalucia in southern Spain.
    There was a gas station and tire shop next to an eighteenth-century cathedral. A farmers’ market next to a cantina that had once been home to a Spanish run-away prince. And an undeniable peaceful, timeless feel to it all, if one didn’t count the ominous cloud of smoke overhanging it, threatening, growing…
    Lyndie’s heart leapt at being back here, she couldn’t deny that. Nor could she deny the lump in her throat at the overhang of smoke and the terrible stench of the fire so close that the sky seemed to glow.
    She glanced over at Tom. He seemed tense, too, but when he caught her looking at him he reached over and squeezed her hand. “It’ll be okay now.”
    She hadn’t been looking for reassurance, but she’d take it. The choking air, the way the smoke seemed like a live, breathing thing, scared her to death, and she didn’t scare easily. “This is bad,” she whispered.
    “Yeah.” Tom let out a heartfelt sigh. “It’s all bad. The record high temps, the rainfall at less than one tenth the norm…” He shrugged his shoulders. “Mexico’s lost an area the size of Rhode Island in this season alone.”
    Lyndie’s heart clenched. She didn’t want San Puebla to be just another statistic.
    And still their stoic firefighter didn’t say a word.
    They passed through town, and it seemed as if they headed directly into hell as they climbed the hills, totally engulfed by flames. The smoke swirled around them, thicker and then thicker still, billowing so high in the sky they could see nothing else.
    Tom’s radio squawked.
    He pulled over because, as Lyndie knew, attempting to manage the narrow, curvy road and a radio at the same time was bad news, and he’d gone through four Jeeps in his career to prove it.
    While he fumbled for his radio, she turned and eyed their passenger. Griffin Moore looked over the rough road, the cliff on one side, a drop-off on the other. In front of them lay mountainous terrain so rough and unfriendly that few humans had dared to venture.
    Now that they were out of the plane Griffin looked even leaner than before, the lines of his face more stark. He’d pulled out a pair of sunglasses from somewhere, which covered his blue eyes just enough that she couldn’t get a feel for what he was thinking. Not that it took a genius to make a guess.
    There was a hauntedness in those eyes, she’d seen it in the brief moment before he’d covered them. He didn’t want to be here.
    Not her problem; he’d volunteered. Maybe he’d gotten himself in hot water with his captain or someone, and had been forced to put in the time, but it didn’t matter, he was here.
    What was wrong with people anyway? What was the big deal about volunteering, giving some time, helping others? Hell, she was no saint, and she did it.
    But still she sensed it was much more than mere reluctance to help…
    “You’re staring at me,” he said, not moving his head. “You have something to say?”
    Slowly she shook her head. “Nope.”
    “Sure? Because you’re thinking loud enough to give me a headache.”
    “I’m thinking you look like you’d rather be having a root canal without drugs than be here.”
    “And you’d be right.”
    She opened her mouth to say something to that, but Tom said, “Ahorita voy,” into his radio, and that got her attention. “You’ll be right where?” she demanded.
    He set the radio down and gave her a long look.
    “More good news, I take it?” she said.
    “Well.” He scratched his head, which had Lyndie’s heart sinking because he was thinking, and thinking hard. Never a good sign. “You’re going to have to take over for a bit. I’ve got a bar fight to break