Page 72 of Ink and Ashes
I blow out a breath and focus my attention back on the clipboard in my hands. My team and I are doing inventory today, making sure we have enough supplies and that it’s all working properly, while Beau and his guys are out surveying the Monashee Mountains.
“Everything’s looking good, Lieutenant,” Finn says, placing the Jaws of Life back on the quint.
“Great,” I say, checking the list on the clipboard in front of me. “Clean up here and then we’ll move over to the engine.”
The guys do as they’re told, and I take a moment to examine the vehicle to make sure there are no visible problems. Dom will do a full workup of it later since he’s our apparatus engineer, but I always do a quick once-over for anything that might be alarming so I can point it out to him. Four eyes are better than two.
The guys head over to the engine to get started there when the clicking of heels on the app floor pulls my attention. I glance up to find Holland walking toward me, and for some reason unbeknownst to me, a smile fills my face at the sight of her.
I pass the inventory list to Hart, then make my way over to her.
“Hey. What are you doing here?” I ask.
She shrugs, a light smile filling her face too. “Needed a change of scenery.”
“How’d you get over here?” I ask, knowing her car is still stuck at Jimmy’s. Thankfully, it is fixable, but it’s going to take some time for that to happen.
“Mary gave me a ride over.” She shifts her weight from one foot to the other. “Any chance I can work up in the conference room for a bit?”
I chuckle. “Sure. Follow me.”
I lead the way up the stairs with Holland’s heels clicking behind me. When we get there, I swing the door open and flick on the light.
“This work okay?”
She glances up at me. “It’s perfect. Thanks.”
She makes her way inside, setting her bag down and pulling out her laptop and all the evidence we’ve found so far. I take a moment to admire her from the doorway, appreciating her organization.
“Have you found anything new this morning?” I ask, unable to help myself.
She exhales. “Yes and no. I heard back from the gas station late last night, and they sent the footage over. It confirmed that Tony was in Enderby last weekend and on the night of the barn fire, so he’s definitely cleared. And the footage from the street camera outside the inn during the time my car caught fire was somehow erased, which tells me we’re dealing with someone who’s technologically advanced too.”
I drop my shoulders, but the footage being erased gives me pause. It makes me wonder if maybe someone down at the police station could have something to do with this.
“Where does that leave us?” I ask.
She looks up at me. “I have a few more leads I’m following. Hopefully something will stand out.”
“Alright, well I’ll let you get to it. Let me know if you need anything, yeah?”
“I will. Thanks, Colson.”
My heart rate picks up at the sound of my name on her lips. After another moment of watching her, I knock on the doorframe, then turn and head back downstairs.
When I turn the corner, Chief Whitlock calls out to me from the bottom of the stairs.
“Caldwell.”
I make my way down to him. “Yeah, Chief?”
He jerks his head in the direction of the conference room. “Was that the journalist?”
“Yeah. She asked if she could do some work here for a bit. Hope that’s okay.”
“No problem. Anything new on the investigation?”
I let out a sigh and fill him in on everything with Tony andLiam.
