Page 11 of Ink and Ashes
I pull up the picture of the map of all the current fires and annotate it with locations of fires over the past decade. Viewing the small version on my laptop is tricky to read, so when I get back to the inn, I’ll transfer the information over.
Once that’s done, I dive deeper into whatever information is available about each fire in the past decade. There are nearly two hundred, and most of them—wildfires and structural fires alike—were determined to be caused by lightning. I didn’t realize lightning caused so many fires, but I guess in an area that often faces long stretches of droughts and frequent dry lightning storms, it’s not surprising.
It takes me hours to go through everything, making detailed notes of each of the fires and marking the ones I think are worth taking a closer look at. By the time I finish, the sun is beginning to dip below the tree line, so I return the files to their proper place, then step out of the library into the brisk May evening.
A shiver runs up my spine on the walk to my car, though it’s not from the cool breeze in the air. I glance around, getting the feeling that I’m being watched, but nothing pops out at me. This side of town is quiet, and aside from the other car in front of the library—which I assume belongs to the librarian, who was still at the counter when I left—no one else is around.
I continue toward my vehicle, locking the doors immediately when I get inside. I’m sure it was nothing, likely just a gust of wind that I mistook for my sixth sense.
Except when my phone pings with an email a moment later, the subject readingI’m watching you, that feeling returns. The body of the email is empty, save for theSent from my iPhonemessage that’s automatically included. The email address lookslike spam, yet something tells me it’s not.
I shake it off, blowing out a breath as I delete the email. I start my car and pull out of the lot, resigning myself to the fact that it’s probably just someone trying to scare me into leaving. It’s not the first time I’ve received creepy, threatening messages in this career.
But this town will soon come to learn that they’re shit out of luck if they think they can chase me off that easily.
CHAPTER 5
Colson
It takes another six days of BCWS helicopters dousing the blaze and ground crews tracking hotspots for us to get the fire fully extinguished. We’ll continue to monitor it over the next few days to make sure no spot fires pop up, but thankfully, Ember Grove’s sixth fire stayed controlled and has officially been declared out.
This was our biggest one of the season so far, and it took the longest to put out. It’s been nine days since the first report, and we’re lucky it didn’t spread further. Now we just have to hope that we get a bit of a break before the next one—whatever the cause of it may be.
I say that because, ever since Holland showed up almost a week ago, I haven’t been able to get the idea that thereismore to these fires out of my head. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there isn’t, but she put the thought in my mind, and now I can’t stop looking over my shoulder, wondering when the next one’s going to happen, or what we’ll find when it does.
I wasn’t planning on telling anyone aside from Beau and Dom about her, hoping she’d just pack up and leave. I haven’tseen or heard from her since, but based on her tenacity in our one interaction, I still have a feeling she’ll be back.
She was so adamant something’s going on here, even though she doesn’t know anything about fires or this town. It didn’t make sense. The only explanation I’ve been able to come up with is that she’s pouring everything she has into this in an attempt to cover something else up.
Since that night, I’ve had a gut feeling that she’s trying to escape something and just using our town as a place to hide out. But being on the run is never a good thing, and I’ll be damned if I let her drag us into whatever the hell it is.
It’s been keeping me up at night, knowing she could show back up at any moment and disrupt everything. Between the fire and her, I’ve been on the lookout constantly, waiting for the next shoe to drop.
I’m tired of waiting.
Which is why, on our way back to the station, I turn to Dom.
“Let’s make a quick stop at The Scarlet,” I tell him as we drive the main road through town. The Scarlet Inn is the only place available to rent a room from in Ember Grove, which means that unless she’s staying out of town, Holland Rhodes will be there.
Dom glances at me with curiosity, but he doesn’t question it. A few minutes later, we’re pulling up outside of the old Victorian. I don’t see any unfamiliar vehicles in the lot, which gives me hope that she took my advice and left.
“What are we doing, boss?” Adler asks from the back seat of the engine.
“Just gotta talk to Mary for a sec,” is all I say before I hop out of the truck and make my way up the driveway.
Mary and Emmett Montgomery have owned The Scarlet Inn since long before I was born, and they were good friends of my grandparents before they passed.
I pull open the front door, the bell above it chiming as I do. Mary glances up from her spot at the front desk, a warm smile filling her face when she spots me.
“Colson, so lovely to see you.”
I smile back at her. “It’s good to see you too, Mary.”
Her face falls slightly as she asks, “How’s the fire coming along?”
“We officially declared it out this morning.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful!” she cheers, her smile returning. “What can I do for you?”
