Page 60 of Scorched Secrets

“Hey, we’re not supposed to do that,” the short guy protested. “You trying to get us fired?”

“That’s a sweet offer,” Faye said with a smile. “But I don’t want either of you to risk your jobs. We’ll wait here.”

Lingering at the scene when he wasn’t involved in fighting the fire wasn’t easy. Colin hated feeling helpless. The minutes crept by with agonizing slowness as the fire crew continued dousing the fire.

When they’d finished, the fire captain came over to talk to them. “Which one of you was inside when this happened?”

“All three of us were inside.” Colin stepped forward. “I’m a firefighter from Milwaukee, and I want to thank you for your quick response.”

“You get burned?” The captain gestured to his arm.

“Yeah. I was standing near the window when it shattered.” Colin went on to explain what had transpired and how they’d escaped.

“And you don’t have any idea who is behind this?” The captain eyed him suspiciously.

“I promise that if I did, I would tell you and every other cop within the state.” He tried not to sound as bitterly frustrated as he felt. “We’ve been dodging this arsonist for the past two days. I have yet to get a clear view of his face.”

“You mentioned seeing the sedan,” Aiden reminded him. “Anything about the vehicle stand out in your mind?”

He took a moment to think back to those moments before he realized the arsonist had found them. “It was a dark vehicle with four doors. There may have been a bumper sticker on the right side of the rear bumper, but I can’t say that for sure. My view was mostly of the passenger-side rear quarter panel.”

The captain frowned. “Where was it?”

Colin walked over to the area where he’d seen the sedan. Surprisingly, the fire trucks weren’t in the way, having come up to the front of the house. He frowned when he noticed a dark spot on the road. Dabbing it with his finger, he noticed a dampness there. “Here. Looks like the sedan might be leaking oil. This is fresh.”

Aiden hunkered down at the side of the road to see it more closely. He tapped the spot with his index finger and lifted it to his nose. “Yeah, it’s oil.”

“Not much of a clue,” the captain said grimly.

Colin silently agreed. He wished he’d gotten a clearer view of the arsonist’s face. At the time, he’d thought the guy looked a bit like the kid in the rowboat.

Now he wasn’t sure about anything. Especially his ability to keep his promise to Chief Kimble.

“Colin? I see a car approaching.” Faye’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Good.” He turned from the site, taking Faye’s hand. “It’s well past time for us to get out of here.”

Aiden quickened his pace to join them. Colin abruptly stopped when he only saw one vehicle. When it stopped, and Rhy stepped out, he realized Tarin would be coming from farther south where his home was located.

“You neglected to tell me that you were injured.” Rhy scowled at the large bandage covering his arm. “What happened?”

“A minor burn. It’s nothing.” He managed a weak smile. “Thanks for coming.”

Rhy turned toward Faye. “Is he really okay?”

“He will be. Thankfully, it’s not as bad as I feared.” She gestured to the items on the ground at her feet. “I have a fresh box of gauze and burn cream to use on the way back to Milwaukee.”

Rhy shook his head, then glanced to where the firefighters were putting their gear away. “This guy is serious, Colin.”

“I know.” A second pair of headlights cut through the darkness. Tarin and Joy had arrived. “We’re not going back to the homestead with you. I’m hoping you’ll let us borrow your vehicle.”

Rhy hesitated, glancing at Tarin who came over to join them. “I don’t mind handing over my vehicle, but we need to do something more. Find a way to get this guy before he strikes again.”

“Yeah, I couldn’t agree more.” Tarin glanced at his injury but didn’t comment. “What’s the plan?”

Colin had no idea. “I’m open to suggestions. So far, every single one of my ideas has been an abject failure.”

“Don’t say that,” Faye protested. “This isn’t your fault. We’re alive because of you and Aiden.”

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