Page 96 of Serial Burn

“Not really. Just more of the same. I don’t understand the point of the fires.” Then again, if she understood thewhy, she could probably pinpoint thewho.

She fell silent, thinking, until Kenzie pulled into the garage. After Jesslyn disarmed the alarm, they walked inside, and Kenzie started checking the windows.

“They’re locked,” Jesslyn said.

“I’m sure they are.” She continued her checking and Jesslyn smiled. Kenzie finally returned to the den. “All good.”

“Told ya.”

Kenzie merely smiled.

“I’m going to take a sponge bath,” Jesslyn said. And get some Motrin. Her head had started throbbing, her hands ached, and herleg itched. And while that was a sign of healing, it didn’t make it any less annoying.

“Go to bed, Jess,” Kenzie said.

“Yeah, think I might do that. After I clean up a little.” Her research would have to wait too.

Fatigue hit with the speed of lightning, and she stumbled to the bathroom. It took every last ounce of energy she had to bathe, throw on a T-shirt and sweatpants, and wrap her hair in a towel. She walked to her bed and face-planted.

Then rolled, pulling the comforter over her.

She wasn’t sure how long she slept, but the crash woke her. Then Kenzie was in her room, shoving her shoes at her. “Put them on. Someone threw a Molotov cocktail through your window.”

Sleep fled as adrenaline took over. She slid into her sneakers and grabbed her coat. “First my car, now he wants to burn my house down?” Fury snaked through her, and she grabbed the fire extinguisher from her closet and handed it to Kenzie. “Can we put it out?”

“We can try.”

“I’ve got another extinguisher in the kitchen!” She raced to grab it from the pantry, smelling the smoke coming from her den area.

Kenzie was already dousing the fire with her canister when Jesslyn got hers going. It didn’t take long to get the fire out, but damage had been done. She’d have to assess that later. She grabbed her weapon and raced for the door.

“Jess! Wait!”

“Call 911! He’s not getting away this time!” But she stopped at the door. No sense in bolting out without checking the area.

Kenzie was right behind her, hand on her shoulder, letting her know she was there. Her grip was tight, silently but clearly expressing her displeasure at Jesslyn’s determination to go after the arsonist. “If you insist on going out,” she said, her voice low, phone tucked at her ear, “at least use a different door. This might be what he wants. Set your den on fire and wait for you to come out the front door.”

“Good point.”

“Yes, someone threw a Molotov cocktail through a window.” Kenzie identified herself as law enforcement and gave the address while Jesslyn slipped from her friend’s grip and bolted for the garage. She pressed the button and the door rose, then she aimed herself for the sunroom. “Maybe that will throw him off a bit.”

“You’re not a cop anymore, Jess. The cops are on the way.”

“Maybe not on paper, but you know as well as I do, once a cop, always a cop.”

“Fine. I’ve got your back and I’m calling for backup.”

“And thanks to that streetlight, I just saw someone head for the trees at the back edge of my property.” She took off after them, adrenaline masking the pain in her leg, with Kenzie on the phone behind her.

NATHAN PRESSED THE GASand the engine purred smoothly to the faster speed. Maybe he’d keep the vehicle after all. If it got him into a position to save Kenzie’s and Jesslyn’s lives, it would be worth it. The call had come from Kenzie that Jesslyn’s home had been attacked and Jesslyn had gone after the attacker. Kenzie was racing after both of them. He was to get there with backup and put his comms in.

When he pulled into the drive, he saw two police cars, two fire engines, an ambulance, and neighbors on the front porches. He also noted the broken window as he shoved the comms into his left ear, praying he was in range. “Kenzie, talk to me.”

“We’re still chasing him.” Her voice came through loud and clear. “He’s running in and out between the houses. No clear path or obvious destination. Just running. I think we’re off Sycamore coming up on Dumas.”

He knew where that was. He passed the information to the nearest officer. “Spread out!” The officers started the foot chase while Nathan spun the wheel and took the next left, then braked to a stop in the middle of the intersection.

A figure came into sight, spotted him, and swerved between two houses. More sirens sounded in the distance and Nathan reported in his position. He shoved out of his vehicle and took off on foot after the disappearing person. The fleeing attacker was fast, and Nathan marveled that the guy’s feet barely touched the ground. Even knowing there was no way he was going to catch him thanks to his now throbbing hip, he kept on.

---