Page 104 of Fire Fight

“Someone hacked into the closed-circuit hub and manually replaced the footage of the incident.”

Hudson’s mother turns her glare onto her son. “We were keeping that information quiet.”

“Right.” Arnold folds his arms, looking far taller than his five-foot nine build. “So, you already know there’s no evidence showing my son was involved, but you thought you’d drive over here and make wild accusations.” He clicks his tongue. “What were you hoping? That he’d drop to his knees and beg forgiveness? You’ve come to the wrong house. Waste police time with your wild theories, but don’t waste mine again or I’ll send you a bill.”

He moves to close the door and Hudson steps forward, hands out to stop him. A pleading expression back on his face. “Come on, Cadence. You know what happened. It’s the only logical explanation.”

“There were hundreds at the party,” I say, stepping to stand shoulder to shoulder with Drake even as my stomach pits at another confrontation. Especially so soon after the last. “Any of them could hold a grudge and you know it. Drake was standing in the back yard when the fire started, and I had eyes on him the entire time. We were talking toBen.”

Hudson launches himself at me, snarling. “You bitch. I guess if you’re happy fucking—”

“Bingo,” I say between gritted teeth, cutting off his diatribe. His gaze flicks to his ill-informed mother who appears to be understanding there’s more to it than he said.

Buoyed by the reaction, I step forward, letting the full anger of last night come back to the fore.

“Do you know what your sons engineered?” I ask, meeting his mother’s gaze with my fury. “Are you aware of the secret camera in your guest shower? Perhaps you should school your sons on the harmful digital communications act because they sure need a lesson.”

Hudson licks his lips, fury overriding his caution. “And now you’re spreading shit about me as well. You know damn well that’s not what happened last night.”

“Except,” I push into his personal space, forcing him back a step, “some of us have evidence to back up our accusations.” My lip curls. “And some of us don’t.”

“Hudson? Is this true?”

“If they’ve got anything, it’s fabricated.”

“You keep spreading that bullshit,” Drake snaps. “And the next time you try something, it won’t be an inanimate object that goes up in flames.”

“Are you listening to this?” his mother demands of Arnold. “Your son is standing there, threatening mine, and you’re still pretending he didn’t do anything.”

“Sounds like the pot calling the kettle black. Make sure your son stays away from my stepdaughter in the future, or I’ll have the police investigate her complaint.”

“It wasn’t my—”

Arnold slams the door shut, his glare turning to us. “I don’t want to hear another word from either of you this weekend. You’ve already disturbed my sleep. Now our neighbours are throwing around accusations.”

“Unwarranted,” Drake insists.

Arnold steps toe to toe with him, the act menacing despite him being inches shorter. “Don’t push me, son. Are you sure there’s no physical evidence that’s going to come back and bite me?”

“I’m sure.”

He turns that fiery gaze on me, raising his eyebrow. “There’s nothing. Blaine didn’t do it, and I’ll stand in court and swear as much.”

“Good.” Arnold falls back a step. “But you’re both grounded for a month. This party was a chance for you to socialise, not bring unwanted scrutiny.”

When he stalks into the kitchen, I notice Mum’s expression. After the first week, her worry lines had eased. Now they’re back with a vengeance. Every muscle is tensed. The cords either side of her neck are so defined, they look like marble pillars.

“This isn’t right,” she mumbles, hugging herself hard enough to crack a rib. “You’re going to ruin everything.”

“Mum?” I try to take her arm, but she jerks away so violently, her elbow cracks against the wall.

“You’re going to leave me, aren’t you? You’ll ruin this for me, then go, and I’ll be alone. I can’t be alone. You know what that does to me.” She lifts a hand, twirling hair around her finger, then tugging, dragging the strands out by their root. “I sacrificed my entire life for you. This isn’t fair.”

She pushes past me, trailing after Arnold, the kitchen door slamming shut behind her.

“What’s happening?” Drake asks, reading my concern.

“It’s… She’s spiralling. We just need to reassure her.”

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