Chapter 6 #2
“It’s a messaging service to help refugees communicate across a city safely without having to use their real name. Dad said he could speak to one of his former Marine buddies who works in the government to see if there’s a way to vet every profile for safety and stuff.”
“That sounds amazing. What inspired you to build it?”
Luke gives me a weary, heartfelt look. “I know how lonely it can be for some people when they first arrive in a new country. Some of them come alone, with no family or anyone waiting for them. It can be scary. Dad and my uncles always talk to me about the good that a community can do to help people like them.”
“That is true. There is strength in numbers. Nobody should have to go through tough times alone,” I tell him, remembering the way I landed in Ember Ridge.
“The app would also connect users to different therapists in their area, so if they have bad dreams or panic attacks and stuff, they can get professional help for free. Uncle Beck says he knows a couple of doctors who might be able to help.”
“So you want to launch this app.”
He nods once. “Around Ember Ridge, for starters. Uncle Dax says there are a lot of refugees settled near here and that the district is doing really well because they’re rejuve, reju— what’s the word again?”
“Rejuvenating old towns and communities?”
“That’s it, yeah!”
“Which makes sense. Most of the young folks go to the big cities, leaving the elderly behind. The same happened in a lot of places across Europe, too. And everywhere the refugees went, regardless of which part of the world they came from, they helped rebuild the local economy.”
Luke gives me a broad smile. “You’re super smart.”
“I read a lot,” I reply with a wink.
“You’re staying here, right?”
“What do you mean?”
“In Ember Ridge. You moved here, right?”
It sounds like he’s asking me not to leave, and it causes a deep pang in my heart. Truth be told, I never mentioned my plans to Dax and the guys, mostly because I’m not sure myself. But now that the dust has settled and it’s been surprisingly quiet, I’m thinking that I might just settle down here.
“I’m not rushing anywhere else anytime soon,” I reassure Luke with a warm smile.
We both hear the truck engines rumbling up next door and our heads turn just in time to see them as they pull into the garage.
“It was a bad one,” Luke mutters, a frown deepening between his brows.
“How can you tell?”
“Uncle Beck looks really bummed out.”
I follow his gaze and see Beck exiting the ambulance, a sour look on his face. There are dark spots on his uniform.
“They probably lost someone,” Luke adds. “Uncle Beck hates that. ”
“I’m guessing Beck would save the entire world if he could,” I mutter softly.
It’s one of the things I like most about him—his determination to get everyone home safely.
“He’s a hero. So’s my dad and Uncle Dax,” Luke declares.
We sit together at the counter and watch the men as they get out of their heavy gear, leaving the candidate to stock everything back up for their next call.
As soon as they enter the diner, I smell the fire on them.
“That bad, huh?” Luke asks.
“It was arson,” Dax replies. “The whole factory reeked of accelerant.”
“From the actual factory, maybe?” I inquire.
Dax shakes his head. “No, it’s a glass factory. They don’t use anything that would justify its presence, not in those quantities, anyway. How are you two getting along?”
“Great. Luke and I have a lot in common, it seems.”
“Olivia’s cool. She’s a coder, like me,” Luke declares.
I blush as Leo gives me a long warm look.
“Well, you’re really cool, too, Luke. Like I said, Python isn’t exactly kids’ stuff,” I say, then shift my focus to Beck. He’s seated next to us, quiet and sullen. “Are you okay?”
“Three people dead. Two were already gone by the time we got to them. I couldn’t save the third,” he says quietly.
I can see the pain in his eyes, the quiet anger of a man who wishes he could set it right.
It’s honorable and worthy of admiration and respect, but I also understand the emotional toll.
Beck has seen plenty of death and suffering over the years.
Under his tattooed bad-boy facade is a kind spirit, a good and decent man. And right now, that man is hurting.
“I’m sorry,” I tell him. “I’m sure you did everything you could.”
“He did,” Dax confirms with a slight nod.
“It still sucks,” Beck mutters.
Leo shakes his head slowly. “Whoever started the fire knew there were people in there. It was deliberate. I’ll bet you dollars to donuts that the deflagration was timed.”
“Timed?” I ask.
“With some kind of fuse or delay mechanism,” he replies. “The captain will probably assign Dax and me to go back there and assist the arson investigation team with the crime scene. I’ll be able to confirm it then.”
“The temperature needs to go down first,” Dax adds. “It’ll take a few hours.”
“Anyway, back to you kiddo.” Leo tousles Luke’s hair. “What were you up to while we were gone?”
I laugh lightly. “He’s been helping me. Luke is a special young man. I’ll give him that. I’m telling you, he’s going to make some woman a wonderful partner when he gets older.”
Leo is about to say something when the bell hanging above the door suddenly opens, causing the chimes to rattle exessively.
A woman comes in. She’s tall, slim, and wearing a pencil skirt and cropped designer jacket, both in pistachio green.
Her strawberry-blonde hair is pulled into a tight, sleek bun.
Her eyes are catlike, sharp and curious, and just a little mean .
She’s gorgeous, skinny, and I can’t help but feel a little self-conscious all of a sudden.
“I just spoke to the sheriff,” she says. “They didn’t make any arrests!”
“Just hold on, Jocelyn,” Dax replies. “There weren’t any suspects on-site, only the factory workers.”
“It’s common knowledge that arsonists like to watch their fires burn,” Jocelyn says. “He should’ve rounded everybody up, including the onlookers. I saw plenty of those.”
“It doesn’t work like that. People have rights, you know.
It’s in the Constitution,” Leo shoots back.
“This is the second suspected arson, but you’re well aware of how difficult arson is to prove.
Unless we find remnants of a flammable device or accelerant, there’s nothing that a good defense lawyer won’t be able to shoot down in court. ”
“You need to let me worry about court,” Jocelyn snaps, then pauses upon noticing me. “And who are you?”
Suddenly, I feel like an ant under a magnifying glass and Jocelyn’s eyes are the sun that’s about to burn a hole right through me.
What’s worse is that I sense a hint of familiarity between Jocelyn and the guys, the kind of familiarity that goes beyond whatever professional relationship they might have.
Maybe I’m imagining it, but my intuition rarely fail me.
“This is Olivia,” Dax says, standing tall and firm right next to me.
“I work here,” I add.
But Jocelyn can see right through me, and I’m convinced that I wasn’t wrong about the familiarity between them. She scoffs and crosses her arms over her chest. “New flavor of the month, guys?”
“What are you implying?” Leo asks, his brow furrowed.
“I’m Jocelyn Lopes, assistant district attorney, among other things,” she tells me. She pauses and gives Dax a wry smirk. “Trying bigger girls now, I see.”
“Excuse me?” I feel my blood boiling.
“You’re not their type,” she says matter-of-factly as she points down at her own figure, “obviously.”
“Jocelyn, that is beyond inappropriate,” Dax warns her.
“Oh, really?” she laughs. “Pardon me for being honest.”
“No, you’re being mean and childish,” Beck retorts.
It’s enough to silence her and turn her cheeks red. Jocelyn wasn’t expecting this reaction from the guys, apparently.
“I thought we agreed to leave the past in the past,” she says.
“Would if we could, darling,” Beck says. “But you’re the one who walked in here with the wrong attitude.”
“Jocelyn is mean,” Luke tells his father in a low voice.
“I’m just being honest, honey,” she says to Luke, then shrugs, looking back at me. “Don’t get me wrong, Olivia. Big girls are beautiful, too.”
“Gee, thanks,” I shoot back. “You don’t even know me.”
Before she can say anything else, Dax levels her with a look. “Just stick to your job and leave our private lives out of it.”
Jocelyn stops and thinks about it for a moment. She’s a smart woman with sharp eyes, that much is obvious. There’s a history between the four of them, and it makes my stomach tighten. But I have a history, too, one that I’m adamant about keeping to myself, for everyone’s sake.
It’s not my place to judge, but I really don’t like Jocelyn.
“Fair enough. I’ll liaise with the PD and start bringing people in,” she says. “I’m sure the arsonist was there, watching his masterpiece unfold.”
“You do that, Jocelyn,” Leo replies curtly. “We’ll testify in court when the time comes.”
“You’re going back there tonight, aren’t you?” she asks.
“Yes, arson investigation follow-up. We need samples and crime scene photography, the works. I’d advise you stay away from that place. It isn’t safe.”
Jocelyn scoffs. “I’m not a child?—”
“Stay away,” Dax interjects, his tone firm. His gaze is dark and threatening. Something tells me he didn’t take kindly to Jocelyn’s passive-aggressive jabs at my figure, as he reaches an arm around my waist and pulls me closer to him.
I find myself slowly melting against his strong frame, the smell of the fire they fought still lingering on his clothes and body, combined with sweat and possessiveness. It’s insanely hot and doing quite the number on my senses.
It also has the desired effect on Jocelyn, because she gives me a hard look and takes a couple of steps back. “Fine, Dax. I look forward to reading your investigative report. We need to nip this in the bud before another building burns down and more people get killed,” she says.
“You don’t need to remind us,” Beck replies .
He takes it personally, and I can see the hurt in his eyes even as he tries to mask it with a half smile. Jocelyn, realizing her presence is no longer wanted, gives us all a slight nod before walking out.
“Are you okay?” Dax asks me.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” I ask.
“Jocelyn can be… abrasive. We had no idea that she was coming over.”
“It’s fine,” I calmly reply and gently pull myself away from Dax.
He tries to reach for me again, but I slip behind the counter.
“There’s freshly squeezed lemonade, if you want some,” I offer with a flat smile.
Leo gives me a long look, and I can tell that he’s able to read me better than I hoped. “We’re okay, thank you. In fact, we’re going to take Luke and get out of your hair. We’re right across the street, if you need us.”
“Thank you.”
Dax doesn’t seem happy with the conclusion. Beck isn’t too pleased either. But they follow Leo’s lead and escort Luke out of the diner. The kid gives waves, and I reply with a smile as I watch the four of them cross the street and go inside the fire station.
As the silence settles over the diner, I take a deep breath and shudder.
What did I expect to find here other than a safe place to hide? Real love? An effortless relationship? No bitter or jealous ex to rain on my little parade?
Come on, Olivia, get real.