Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
The night had been restless, filled with the kind of silence that wasn’t comforting but heavy. Asha had cried again, her emotions raw and unfiltered, but Zane had held her through every shuddering sob. There had been no judgment in his touch, only unwavering support, and for the first time in years, she felt a flicker of relief. The secret she had carried for so long was no longer hers alone. Yet, even with the weight somewhat lifted, the fear lingered. What came next? Who would believe her? What would it cost to face her past head on?
As dawn broke, they rose early, skipping breakfast and packing up the cabin in efficient silence. The hike back to the car was a blur. Asha could hardly recall the path they took, her focus entirely on the resolve tightening in her chest. They needed to return to Peaceful, to confront this mess.
Zane drove back to Peaceful with his usual steady control, his hands firm on the wheel and his gaze unwavering as the car ate up the miles. Asha watched him, her chest warming with admiration and love. He didn’t simply drive; he commanded the road, every turn and acceleration smooth and deliberate. She marveled at his calm competence, and the way he carried the weight of her confession without flinching. The knot of fear and uncertainty in her stomach eased somewhat. She had told him everything, and he was still here.
She didn’t know what she had done to deserve him.
They reached the station as the town began to stir. The building stood solid and familiar, and though her nerves prickled, Asha drew strength from Zane’s presence.
He parked the car in his designated spot and turned to her. “Are you ready?”
“Not even a little.” She offered a weak smile. “But I’m still doing this.”
He leaned over to brush her fingers with his. “We’ll get through this.” He gripped her hand and squeezed it.
Inside the station, the smell of coffee and faint smoke lingered. Zane nodded at one of his crew members, a wiry man with sun-weathered skin, who approached with curiosity etched into his face.
“Chief,” the man greeted. “Did you hear about the fire out by the fisherman’s cabin? I can’t believe someone lit the teacher’s car and now his lodge?”
“We’re working on it.” Zane’s tone left no room for further questions. “In fact, Asha and I need to speak with Lou.”
The crew member raised a brow but nodded and stepped aside. Zane placed a hand on Asha’s back, guiding her toward Lou’s office. Her heart thudded with every step.
Lou Santana sat at his desk, scanning a set of reports with sharp eyes. His usually clean-shaven face was shadowed with stubble, and though his jaw was hard set, his crisp shirt and straight tie betrayed none of the weariness visible in his expression.
“Morning.” Lou looked up and glanced between Zane and Asha, his curiosity evident.
“Morning.” Zane’s hand remained steady on Asha’s back.
Lou gesture to the visitors’ chairs. “How can I help you two?”
“Can we please have Maddy join us?” Asha hated how small her voice sounded.
Lou’s brows furrowed at the mention of his wife, but after a moment’s hesitation, he reached for his phone. “Give me a second.”
The room grew tense as Lou made the call, his deep voice low but direct. Asha shifted her feet, her nerves threatening to overtake her resolve. Zane gripped her shoulder, and the gentle press of his hand kept her in the moment.
When Lou hung up, he said, “She’ll be here in five.”
They settled into an awkward silence, and Zane crossed to the coffeemaker to make them three cups, setting one in front of Asha, along with a wrapped Danish from the snack station. “You haven’t eaten since yesterday’s dinner.”
She stared at the food, her appetite nonexistent, but Zane’s gentle insistence was impossible to ignore, so she picked at the pastry, the buttery flakes crumbling in her fingers.
Lou leaned back in his chair, and his sharp gaze fixed on her. “Whatever this is about, we’ll handle it. Just tell me what you need.”
The station door opening drew their attention, and Maddy stepped in, her presence immediately shifting the atmosphere. Lou straightened, his jaw unclenching as he crossed the room to greet her. Without hesitation, he leaned in to kiss her—not a casual peck but one that lingered a beat too long for workplace propriety. Zane glanced away, suppressing a smirk, while Asha’s lips twitched in reluctant amusement.
Lou pulled back and gestured toward his chair. “Take a seat, troublemaker. I’ll stand.”
Maddy settled gracefully, taking in the room with quiet authority. When Zane offered her coffee, she shook her head. “I’m good, thanks.”
Lou leaned back against the desk and crossed his arms as the room fell into a heavy silence. He glanced at Asha, who seemed to shrink under the weight of their gazes. The quiet stretched until Asha lifted her eyes to meet Maddy’s. A silent exchange passed between them, Maddy giving her an encouraging nod.
Asha drew a deep breath, gripping the edge of the table as she turned toward Lou. “What I told Maddy last week and Zane last night… I need to tell you, too.”
Lou’s easy demeanor hardened, his posture shifting as he pushed off the desk. “I’m listening.”
Her voice was shaky at first but grew steadier as she recounted the story—the tutoring sessions that started innocently enough, the way MacCready gradually crossed boundaries, how he took advantage of her trust during the final months of high school. She didn’t look at anyone as she spoke, her gaze fixed somewhere on the table in front of her.
Zane clenched his fists at her side, forcing himself to stay silent, though the heat in his chest threatened to spill over.
When Asha finished her story, she swallowed hard and looked up at Lou, her words trembling with conviction. “I think he’s doing it again, and that’s why someone is targeting him with arson.”
Zane sat stiffly in the chair beside Asha, still clenching his hands. The station’s quiet hum and the murmur of activity in the background barely registered as he tried to wrap his head around what she’d just said. Asha had told Maddy first.
A sharp sting settled in his chest, more potent than he expected. She trusted Maddy with this part of herself, but not him. He wanted to dismiss the feeling as irrational, but it refused to go away. The memory of holding her last night, of her tears soaking his shirt as she poured out her story, felt suddenly hollow.
Asha shifted beside him, her hands fidgeting in her lap. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, Zane,” she whispered, pulling him out of his thoughts. She searched his face, her eyes brimming with guilt. “It’s just—” She exhaled shakily. “I couldn’t bring myself to tell you. Not right away. Not with how much you admire him.”
He closed his eyes for a moment, grounding himself. When he spoke, his voice was low but even. “You didn’t think I’d believe you.”
“It’s not that.” She shook her head. “I knew you’d believe me, but I was terrified of what it would do to you. Mr. MacCready wasn’t just a teacher to you. He shaped who you are today, Zane. He pushed you into firefighting. You’ve always spoken of him like he was a second father.”
Zane opened his eyes and stared at her, the weight of her words pressing heavily on him. He didn’t know what to say, his emotions tangled in a mess of hurt and understanding.
“I told her,” Maddy interjected gently, pulling their attention to the doctor. “That if he did this to Asha, he could be doing it to others. That’s what made her tell me.”
“Yeah, that thought crossed my mind.” Zane’s jaw tightened. “He’s still mentoring kids.”
Lou, who had been quietly observing the exchange with a grim expression, added, “Then we need to find out who he’s mentoring and talk to them. ASAP.”
Zane straightened, his determination settling over him like armor. “I’ll help.”
Maddy glanced at Asha, then back at Lou. “If you’re interviewing the boys, maybe Asha and I can speak to the girls. Sometimes, they might feel safer talking to women.”
Lou nodded thoughtfully. “That’s a good idea. We need to tread carefully. We can’t accuse him outright without proof.”
Zane tensed, the idea of patience grating against his instinct to protect. “We’ll find the proof,” he said, cold with resolve. “One way or another.”
Lou reached for the phone. “I’ll call the principal and set up a meeting. We’ll need access to the list of students he’s working with.”
As Lou dialed, Zane turned his attention back to Asha. She rested her hand lightly on the armrest, and he hesitated for a moment before covering it with his own. She looked up, startled, and the uncertainty in her gaze tugged at something deep inside him.