The air was pregnant with sirens, scorching heat, and bellowing smoke. Hungry flames ravished the board and batten treehouse and cargo bridge while its tentacles reached skyward to the branches of their supporting trees. Matt felt the searing heat of the inferno against his skin and stepped well back. He was pleased to see that Sergeant Gupta and two other constables had dropped the inadequate garden hose used to contain the fire and had moved along a perimeter a safe distance away, too.

“Wh...