Page 27 of Ink and Ashes
We continue our walk back to the road, discussing when would be a good time to head over to the other scenes, and I give him a ride back to the station since the crew is gone now. By the time we make it back, we have a rough plan—because in his job, things could change at any minute—of when to meet. We exchange numbers, and then without thinking, I lean across the centre console and hug him.
“Thank you,” I tell him. “I was beginning to feel like I was going crazy, looking for something no one believes is there.”
“For what it’s worth, I do still think you’re a little crazy.” He pats me on the back. “But hopefully we can find something.”
I pull away, sending him a smile before he says goodbye and exits my car. As I watch him walk up to the station, a huge sense of relief and appreciation washes over me.
Maybe this isn’t a waste of time, after all.
CHAPTER 10
Colson
“Did you find anything?” I ask Dom the moment he returns to the station. It’s been a few hours since we got back after checking the area for hotspots, and I was beginning to wonder if he and Holland got lost. I’m not sure whether the fact they were out there for so long is a good or bad sign.
He lets out a sigh and shakes his head. “That one was definitely a zombie.”
Good sign it is. My shoulders drop in relief. “Fucking knew it.”
“I’m not finished.”
My brows pull together as Dom continues talking.
“Thatone was definitely a zombie, but after today, I’m even more convinced that she might be onto something about this arson theory. She’s already been to the other scenes, but she doesn’t really know what to look for. So I’m going to explore them with her over the next few days, see what we can find.”
I open my mouth and close it again while Dom stares at me, waiting for a response. But I’m not sure what to say. Of all the things he could’ve told me, that was the last thing I expected.
I settle on asking, “You really think she’s right?”
“I don’t know if she’s right, but I don’t know that she’s wrong either. I hate the idea of this town having an arsonist as much as you, but with the extent of the fires we’ve fought this year, I don’t think pretending it’s not a possibility is doing us any good.”
I grind my teeth together. This whole thing is turning into an absolute disaster.
“She say if she has any suspects?”
Dom shakes his head. “Nah, and I didn’t ask. Kind of hard to suspect anyone without evidence.”
Which is exactly the point I’ve been trying to make.
“You really should hear her out,” he adds quickly.
I shake my head, scoffing. “I don’t trust her as far as I can throw her.” Albeit I could probably throw her pretty far, but that’s beside the point. “Don’t tell me you do.”
Dom shrugs. “Hard to say.”
I wipe a hand over my jaw. “You said it yourself, she doesn’t know what she’s doing. I feel like she’s just running from something and using Ember Grove as her hiding spot.”
“I agree she’s hiding something, but I’m honestly not sure it matters. Her arson theory is the closest we’ve gotten to answers about why this has been the season from hell for us. I know what I said, but she’s trying, and she does have good intentions from what I can see. Regardless of the reason she came here initially, she’s helping us now. So I’m going to help her too. It’s probably better if someone works with her anyway. Can keep a closer eye on her that way.”
He’s not wrong. But that doesn’t mean I have to like it.
He levels me with a look. “I do think you should hear her out, but you don’t have to get involved. I’ll keep you posted on anything we find.”
I jerk my head, grateful that he’s not forcing me to listen to what she has to say—not yet anyway. I don’t love the idea of him working with her, but I can’t stop him. I’ll just have to hope the investigation turns up empty.
With that, Dom taps his knuckles on my door frame and turnsin the direction of the kitchen.
I drop the pen I’m holding onto my desk then lean back in my chair, running my hands through my hair. I have no fucking clue what to make of this mess.
