Page 97 of Serial Burn

Because at least if the guy was running, he didn’t have Jesslyn.

TWENTY-THREE

Jesslyn finally slowed to a stop to catch her breath. Nathan was about ten yards ahead of her. They’d lost the person who’d just tried to burn her house down.

With her and Kenzie in it.

She bent double, coughing. Stressing her lungs and leg so soon after all the trauma they’d endured probably wasn’t a good thing.

She coughed again and dragged in another breath. Okay,definitelynot a good thing. She wasn’t running another step. Couldn’t if someone held a gun to her head.

The sirens drew closer and she straightened, dragging in a few more deep breaths. Her fingers were clamped around the grip of her Glock. She loosened them slightly, then the sound of footsteps spun her around.

Kenzie. “Are you crazy?” her friend asked. A mixture of anger and concern glittered in her dark eyes, and she’d lowered her own weapon to aim it at the ground.

“No. Not crazy,” Jesslyn said. “Desperate. And determined. Mostly desperate.” The words came out hoarse and harsh, and she cleared her throat.Just breathe.

At her honest response, Kenzie’s anger faded to be replaced withcompassion. “I know, but you can’t take off like that. Jess, this person wants tokillyou.”

“I know that!” She caught another breath. “I know.” The second time came out softer, but still held the punch she needed. And she did know, but they both knew she’d do it again if it meant catching the person terrorizing her and burning down her city.

“On that note,” Kenzie said, tucking her weapon into her holster, “did you get a look at him?”

Jesslyn frowned. “A glimpse, thanks to the streetlights, but there was something different about him this time.”

“Different how?” Nathan asked, joining them but favoring his hip, weapon still drawn, eyes on the shadows.

“He seemed ... smaller. Lighter.” She shrugged. “I don’t know. And faster.”

“Definitely faster,” Nathan said.

She started walking back toward the house. No reason to stand out in the open and invite a bullet. Kenzie walked at her side. Nathan stayed behind her. Covering her back, no doubt.

“Different person?” Kenzie asked.

“If I had to testify, I couldn’t say with one hundred percent certainty, but that makes the most sense to me.” She raked a hand over her hair. “So, I have two people trying to kill me?”

Nathan and Kenzie exchanged a look. “Cole and Andrew are at your house. Let’s go assess the damage.”

When they walked up to her home, she had her second wave of relief for the day. The window to her den was broken, but the damage to the outside was minimal.

The inside? Relief fled and she dreaded looking.

But it had to be done. She walked up the porch steps and entered the foyer. The smell hit her first, of course, and then she surveyed the damage. “Okay, floor is burned in areas, but the trucks didn’t have to flood it with water. We got the worst of it with the extinguishers. Repairs are needed, but it’s not a gut job. Furniture will have to be aired out and so on. Looks like everything can be fixed.”

She was talking to herself, not sure who was listening and didn’t really care.

“Grant could probably take care of this for you,” Kenzie said. Lainie’s brother owned one of the best restoration services in the state. “In the meantime, I think you need to come stay with me. Pack a bag. I’d love to have you. Not glad of the reason, but you can help me plan a wedding.”

“You have to pick a date first,” Jesslyn said absently.

“I’ve picked it.”

Jesslyn raised a brow, her attention now fully on Kenzie. “Do tell. When?”

“Valentine’s Day.”

A snort slipped out before she could stop it. “You’re lying.” There’s no way Kenzie would pick that day. It was too “mushy” for her. “Stop messing with me. It’s not nice.”

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