Page 50 of Ink and Ashes
It’s one thing for her to come in here and start asking questions, but to write an article speculating arson for the whole town to read?
Everything she said may be the truth, but it’s the fact that she did this without giving anyone warning and without any real proof that’s fuelling my current rage. She had no right to share her speculations so publicly, and I’m terrified about how people are going to respond.
She’s damn good at pushing boundaries. She said in the article that she didn’t want to spread paranoia, yet that’s exactly what this is going to do. The article is going to tear through the townand cause everyone to second guess each other, which is the last thing we need in a time like this.
If there’s one good thing about it though, it’s that I’d be shocked if she’s still here come week’s end. I still have yet to tell anyone else about her lie in favour of giving her the benefit of the doubt, and now I may not have to. She’s painted herself as the enemy without my help. This town doesn’t like outsiders as it is, and they definitely won’t stand for someone coming in and accusing one of their own of being an arsonist.
Another twenty minutes pass before Chief Whitlock shows up at eight o’clock on the dot.
“Caldwell. Can I help you with something?” he asks when he spots me, unlocking the door to his office and pushing his way inside.
I stand, following him in. He sets his things down and takes a seat behind the desk, and I place the article down in front of him.
“Have you read this?” I ask, pointing to the newspaper.
He glances up at me before picking up the paper, skimming the page. His brows pull together as he asks, “This by that journalist you warned me about last month?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Thought she left.”
I shake my head.
“Damn it.” His jaw flexes as he reads. When he finishes, he glances up and holds the paper out to me. “Well, Caldwell, looks like you were right. She is becoming a problem. Can you take care of this?”
My brows pull together. “How do you want me to do that?”
Whitlock shakes his head. “Just do what you have to do to get rid of her. With the fires happening as often as they have been, I don’t have time to do it myself, and this article is only going to cause more mayhem.”
“You got it, sir.” I clench my jaw and make my way out of his office, closing the door behind me. Then I head out the front door of the station toward my truck, passing Liv and Dom on my way.
“Col, you’re going the wrong way,” Dom teases as I marchtoward them.
I stop in front of Dom and hand him the article. “You see this?”
He takes it from me, his face falling as he reads. “What the fuck?”
“Oh, and she’s not who she says she is. I don’t know her story, but I do know that Holland Rhodes is not her real name.”
The words I’ve been keeping to myself for the past two weeks fall from my lips before I have a chance to stop them. This article is showing Holland’s true colours, and Dom deserves to know who he’s been working with.
Dom’s jaw falls open, his features full of anger as I continue walking backwards toward my truck.
“Gotta take care of business. Hold the fort down ’til I’m back.”
“Sure thing, Lieutenant,” Liv calls back, uncertainty written across her face.
I jog the rest of the way down the driveway and hop in my truck, taking off in the direction of The Scarlet Inn.
On my way there, my phone rings. When I glance at the screen, my sister’s name lights up. I hit the answer button on the steering wheel, and she starts talking before I can get a word in.
“Don’t tell me you’re on your way to the inn,” Cass says, panic laced in her tone.
I say nothing.
“Col, what the hell are you going to do?”
I shake my head even though she can’t see me. “This woman has caused enough problems for this town. She’s out of her damn mind, Cass, and it’s time someone does something about it.”
