Page 52 of Ink and Ashes
I’m not here to point fingers or spread paranoia. I’m here to spark a conversation. Because if I’m wrong, the only harm done is to my own career. But if I’m right, every day this town waits to find the culprit could cost lives.
So, Ember Grove, this is my question to you: Do you want to bury your heads in the ash? Or do you want to start asking the hard questions too?
CHAPTER 19
Holland
This whole town now knows my arson theory.
The paper went out first thing this morning, and I’ve been holed up in my room since I woke—the same way I’ve been since I sent the article off to George—afraid to face Mary and Emmett, or anyone else in Ember Grove.
It’s not that I regret what I wrote. It’s more so that in a town like this, I fear they’ll burn me at the stake for even suggesting someone they know could be responsible for the fires.
Truth be told, I’m still a little shocked that George agreed to publish it. I know he said I could write whatever I wanted, but I also know he read it when I sent it to him last week, and I’m not going to lie and say the fact that he didn’t change his mind didn’t surprise me.
At least one person in this town trusts me. And the fact that he went ahead with publishing confirms that he’s not the person responsible in my mind. If it were him, I don’t think he would’ve been on-board with letting the whole town know my theory.
I blow out a breath as my phone dings from itsspot beside me on the bed. I pick it up, finding a text from Cassidy sitting on the home screen.
CASS
Hol, this article is badass. No one will be able to ignore your theory now.
My lips twist into a smile. Make that two people.
ME
Thanks, Cass. Hopefully your brother feels the same way.
I know before I even hit send that that’s wishful thinking. If anything, I think this article might make Colson Caldwell trust me less—which is the exact opposite of what I’ve been trying to accomplish. But I couldn’t wait anymore. He wouldn’t listen to me, so I needed to find a way to make him.
My phone dings again.
Haha, yeah. About that…
My brows pull together, and a split second later, as if on cue, I understand what she means.
“What room is she in?” an angry voice bellows in the lobby. I don’t have to question who it is.
I rise from the bed and head for the door. Mary speaks calmly, but she refuses to tell him my room number. I’m sure she’s just as pissed at me, but it gives me some peace of mind knowing that she keeps my location private.
Or tries to, anyway. It won’t stop him from finding me. It’s not like anyone else is staying here, and there are only six rooms.
“I’ll figure it out myself then,” he says, and his footsteps get louder as he approaches.
I smirk. It takes less than ten seconds for the pounding on my door to begin, given that I’m in room one. Still, that was almosttoo easy.
I hesitate for a moment before opening it.
“I know you’re in there, Rhodes. I can hear you breathing,” the rough voice says from behind the door.
I scoff, swinging it open. “You couldnothear me breathing.”
“It got you to let me in though, didn’t it?” He shoves his way inside.
I turn around, letting the door close behind me. “Oh, sure, come on in, Lieutenant. What can I do for you?” I joke, sarcasm laced in my tone.
He holds up the newspaper in his hand. “What the fuck is this?”
