Page 61 of Saving Her Heart
"Ladies, I appreciate your help today, but this is now an active investigation involving explosives and a dangerous suspect. I need you to go home for your own safety."
"But we—" Gladys starts.
"That's an order," Captain Ramirez says firmly but kindly. "You've been invaluable, but we have SWAT, bomb squad, and both departments here. This is beyond civilian involvement now."
Betty deflates slightly. "Well, if you insist."
"But call if you need us!" Florence adds as they reluctantly head for their car.
"We'll keep you updated," the Captain promises.
As they drive away, I feel both relief and, oddly, a little loss. Their chaos was at least a distraction from the horror of watching Building 3 burn to the ground.
"We need to find William," Jax says. "And Valerie. If he's willing to let her take the fall?—"
"She might be in danger too," I realize. "He could eliminate her and make it look like guilt or suicide."
My phone buzzes. Unknown number.
Unknown: Building 3 was just the beginning. You have 24 hours to resign and leave town or the other buildings burn too. Then that lovely facility where you sent Mrs. Parsons. How many residents can you evacuate in time? —W.T.
I show Jax the message. His jaw tightens.
"That's a direct threat. We have more than enough to arrest him now."
"If we can find him," Declan points out, approaching with an evidence bag. "His house is empty. He's gone dark."
Captain Morgan from the arson unit approaches, his face grim. "My team swept Buildings 1 and 2. We found devices in both. Same sophisticated timers as Building 3."
"Can you disarm them?" Captain Ramirez asks.
"Already done. The state bomb squad handled it. But here's the concerning part—these aren't amateur devices. This is military-grade hardware."
"How does a developer get military explosives?" I ask.
"Money," Captain Ramirez says. "With enough money, you can buy anything. And according to the forensic accountants, Thornfield's been moving large sums through offshore accounts."
"He's planning to run," Jax realizes. "This is his exit strategy. Destroy the properties, collect insurance, and disappear."
My phone rings. Unknown number. Jax nods for me to answer while Declan starts a trace.
"Hello, Ms. Greene." William Thornfield's voice is smooth, cultured, completely calm. "I trust you received my message?"
"I got it. The answer's no."
"That's unfortunate. I was hoping to avoid further casualties."
"You mean further felonies? You're done, William. We know everything."
"Do you? I doubt that." He chuckles. "You know what Morrison and my wife told you. Two unreliable witnesses with their own agendas. Nothing ties directly to me."
"Except for the explosives we just found. The ones you paid for."
"Prove it. If you arrest me, my lawyers will have me out in an hour." He pauses. "But you won't get that chance."
"We'll stop you," I tell him, frustration clear in my voice.
"No, you'll be too busy with the fires. I wonder which building will go first. Will it be Building 1 or Building 2? Or maybe the memory facility with that ridiculous goat. Unless..."
