Page 57 of Saving Her Heart
I'm moving before he finishes the sentence, but somehow the Walking Ladies beat me to it.
"FBIs! FREEZE!" Gladys shouts, bursting through another entrance with her toy badge held high.
Morrison spins around completely bewildered. "What the hell?—"
"Citizen's arrest!" Florence adds, waving her badge enthusiastically. "We're making a citizen's arrest!"
"Is this a joke?" Morrison looks between them and Kendall, who seems equally confused.
"The only joke here is your hairpiece," Betty says. "And your criminal conspiracy."
That gets his attention. His face goes pale. "You don't know what you're talking about, old lady."
"We know about you and Valerie," Joan says. "The affair, the development plans, paying Brad to terrorize Kendall."
"You can't prove?—"
"Actually, we can," I say, stepping into view with my weapon drawn. "Hands where I can see them, Morrison."
He looks around wildly, like a trapped animal. For a second, I think he might make a run for it or fight me. Then his shoulders slump in defeat.
"James Morrison, you're under arrest for conspiracy to commit arson, conspiracy to commit fraud, and attempted murder."
"Attempted murder?" Kendall gasps.
"This building is soaked in accelerant," Declan says, waving the fumes from his eyes as he enters behind me. "With you in it. That's attempted murder."
"I haven't done anything!" Morrison screams as I cuff him. "This is harassment! I'll have your badge!"
"Can't you smell the gasoline?" I ask him. "That's probable cause. I'm sure we'll find a lot more once we start digging."
Sirens approach—lots of them. Captain Ramirez arrives with half the department, followed by Chance Carter and Captain Morgan from the fire department's arson unit.
"We need to evacuate immediately," Captain Morgan says after one sniff. "This place is a bomb waiting to go off. One spark and the entire building goes."
We evacuate quickly, Morrison still screaming about lawyers and lawsuits. The Walking Ladies are taking selfies withtheir fake badges while giving statements to confused officers. And Kendall... Kendall's standing apart from everyone, arms wrapped around herself, looking lost.
"Are you okay?" I ask, approaching carefully.
"Why are you arresting him?" Her voice is shaky, confused. "He's my boss. He's been nothing but professional?—"
"There's evidence that he and Valerie orchestrated everything. The vandalism, the threats, all of it."
"What? Are you kidding me?" She shakes her head in disbelief. "Mr. Morrison? I don't believe it."
"I'd bet my entire career that he's the one who put that gasoline in there." I point to Building 3. "Didn't you smell it when you went in? What were you thinking?"
Her confusion shifts to anger. "Don't you dare talk to me like that, Officer By-The-Book." She jabs her finger into my chest. "I had no reason to suspect my boss of anything. He noticed the smell too. We were about to leave and call it in when the girl gang showed up."
"I told you to stay in your apartment. To stay safe. What the hell are you doing running around without Eli?"
Now I'm the one getting angry, fear making me irrational. The thought of what could have happened if we'd been five minutes later...
"You. Don't. Own. Me." She yells back, and now everyone's watching our show.
"No, but I do love you. That should count for something!"
She stares at me for a long moment, something shifting in her eyes. Then she turns and storms away, heading straight for my patrol car. At least she's staying where I can see her, even if she's furious with me.
