Page 27 of One Little Spark

Donna patted her on the back. “We’re all so proud of you. Goin’ back to school and making a career for yourself, but we do miss you ’round here. Chet just pulled some fresh chocolate chip cookies out of the oven for tomorrow morning. How about I grab you guys one?”

“That would be wonderful,” Hazel said, and she meant it with every fiber of her being. Chet’s chocolate chip cookies were simply divine. Donna winked and walked behind the counter.

“I’d forgotten you used to work here.” Phoenix took a sip of coffee.

“Yeah. It wasn’t the best time in my life, but the people here are great. I miss them.”

He nodded. “So, what’s up?” he asked, his green eyes showing concern.

Why couldn’t she have fallen for Phoenix? Jory would have liked that. “Um, what? Oh, right. Well, I wanted to talk to you about the fires. I think I might know who is setting them.” She went on to tell Phoenix her theory while he listened intently.

Donna came by and dropped off the cookies and refilled Hazel’s cup. She was exhausted. Caffeine was the only thing keeping her eyes open.

When Donna asked if they wanted anything else, Phoenix shook his head. Once she was out of earshot, he said, “You may be right. I’ve been wondering about him myself.”

“Where’s his father?” she asked, then took a sip of coffee.

“Prison. He went down four months ago for aggravated assault. It happened in the next county over, so we didn’t hear about it.”

She bit her lip. “I feel so badly for Tommy. He just can’t catch a break.”

“No,” Phoenix agreed, “he can’t. But it’s not an excuse to light fires.”

“Why isn’t he in foster care or something? I would have thought child protective services would have stepped in.”

“He’s seventeen. They had no idea he existed, and when I called them, they said that by the time they get him in and processed, he’ll be eighteen. He just fell through the cracks.”

“It breaks my heart.”

Phoenix nodded. “I will go talk to him in the morning. Was there anything else?”

She hesitated and then nodded. She told him about Doc’s theory about the deaths and about Dr. Rawlins being the one that saw all the patients. This time he was less inclined to listen to her. “Hazel, stay out of it. This is not something for you or Doc Lawrence to get involved in. You need to steer clear on this one.” He glared at her until she nodded. “Promise me.”

What was it with men demanding she promise them shit? When she sighed, he narrowed his eyes at her.

“Okay, okay, I promise.”

He leaned back in the booth. “Is there anything else?”

She bit her lip. She’d promised Aiden. Even if she hurt him, at least she could keep her word. “I think I was being watched last night.”

Phoenix blinked and leaned forward in the booth, clasping his hands on the table. “Tell me about it.”

She explained about the feeling of being watched through the window and then having the headlights behind her all the way home.

“Did you tell anyone where you would be?”

She shook her head. “No. As a matter of fact, Doc sent me a text when I was in the parking lot. I was about to go home and crash. I worked a lot of extra hours this week. Doc asked if I could spare some time for him. It was a last-minute thing.”

Phoenix stared at her for a moment. “Please be very careful, Hazel. I’m not sure what’s going on, but I don’t like the sound of it. Go home. Is Aiden there tonight or at the firehouse?”

She tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “Um, Aiden is at the firehouse, but I moved back to my mom’s.” He had to be the only person in town who didn’t know that by now.

He frowned. “Okay, I already have a patrol car driving by your mom’s house a few times tonight. When you leave here, I want you to go directly to your mom’s. Lock the doors and keep your phone beside you. I’m not sure what’s going on, but I’ll do my best to find out. In the meantime, tell Jory and Aiden to keep an eye on you. Tell them I said it’s important.”

“You’re kind of freaking me out, Phoenix.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry, Hazel. There’s just a lot going on lately, and I want to make sure you’re safe.”

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