Page 49 of Where There's Smoke
Narrowing my eyes at Elliot, I spoke. “No. Why would I need that stuff? I was microwaving a burrito, not cooking it over a grill.”
“Can you prove that?” he asked.
“Why would I need to prove that I didn’t buy propane?” I said disbelievingly.
“We found the accelerant that was used to set the fire,” he said, leveling me with a cool gaze.
That stopped me in my tracks.
“Wait, so you’re telling me that the fire was arson? That someone set the place on fire on purpose? I thought it was theold microwave. I was making a burrito, and the fire happened,” I said, trying to rationalize what he was telling me.
“There was definitely something wrong with your microwave. Your appliances were a few decades too old to be used. But that wasn’t the only cause. We found accelerant on the scene.”
“Accelerant in the kitchen? Surely, I would have realized if there was a chemical or accelerant in my kitchen. Let alone, tanks of propane,” I said, shaking my head.
My entire body ached, and I felt like I’d run a marathon, and this wasnothelping.
“We found a few canisters of the stuff in a dumpster behind the building after the fire,” Elliot said as he pulled a file out from his drawer. “We sent it to the lab and we got a result.”
He held up the file, and I snatched it from his hands, looking at him as I flicked the file open. It was CCTV footage from the back of the rescue and clear as day. There were images of a man dumping the canisters. His face was somewhat blurred, and he had a hood on so I couldn't tell who it was, but it was obvious that it was a man and not me.
“So it really was arson?” I asked. Maybe I was being obtuse, but all the evidence was pointing toward arson. “Who on earth is this? Why would anyone decide to burn down my shelter? None of this makes sense!”
Elliot nodded, not meeting my eye for a moment. “You have an insurance policy on the rescue. You're probably set to make some good money from it burning down.”
That stopped me spiraling for a moment.
“I’m sorry. What did you say?”
“It’s not the first time someone has decided that a payout was better than paying to upkeep a property.” Elliot’s face was utterly deadpan, and my stomach had dropped clean through the floor.
“What exactly are you suggesting?” I asked, my voice almost a growl.
“You could have had someone help you,” he said simply. “There are more security cameras we're trying to get footage from that should give us a clear picture of this guy's face. It's just taking some time, unfortunately.”
Did Elliot really believe I was capable of that?
“You think I tried to set the rescue on fire and risk the lives of all those animals?” I asked incredulously.
“Maybe you did it for good reasons. Maybe you thought you'd get more money to help those rescues. After all, nobody got hurt in the fire.”
My jaw was hanging open as I gaped at him. “You really are suggesting that I set the fire, aren't you?”
“Like I said, we have to look into it. I thought I would at least ask you before we started investigating that road.”
I scoffed. “Well, investigate all you want. Hell, just take a look at the insurance claim on the rescue. The payout is miniscule. Trust me, I haven’t financially benefited in any way, shape, or form from that fire.” I ran a hand through my hair and started pacing. “Ugh, and to think, I was starting to believe you weren’t a complete ass!” I growled.
“I am not being an ass. I am simply doing my job,” he said through gritted teeth.
“Your job is to be an emotionless robot?” I asked, turning to face him, almost vibrating with fury.
“Clinical and logical,” he supplied.
“You know what? I don't need to listen to this,” I said, turning to leave.
But when I reached the door, Elliot snatched my bicep, pulling me back. He shook his head, frowning down at me. “Melody, I?—”
My hands landed against his chest as I shoved him with as much force as I could. He must have been surprised, because he actually staggered back a few steps, his eyes widening. For a moment, I could have sworn I was possessed because, without a single thought, my hand raised and landed on his cheek, making an impressive cracking sound.
