2. Chapter Two
Chapter Two
VIOLET
It had been two months. Two months of quiet. But now the arsonist was back at it? Why?
I shook my head and looked around at the guys starting their overhaul process.
The Half Moon Lake Police Department had been working jointly with the state fire investigators to help catch the arsonist. So far, with no luck.
Being the PD's only crime scene tech, I was pulled in to assist after Logan found a matchbook at one of the scenes. And since the state wasn’t sending anyone to help until we had more evidence to provide them, I was the only one responsible for collecting and examining evidence found at the scenes, as well as viewing any video footage collected.
Yay for job security, but it was a lot for one person to manage. That was small-town life.
“That's bullshit.” Logan glared at Dylan, who was not only a detective with Half Moon Lake PD but also Logan's neighbor and friend.
I understood why Logan was pissed. I wasn’t happy either when the guy we were looking at alibied out of one of the fires. And he hadn't tried setting my house on fire. Okay, technically it was Logan's garage, but still. It was close enough to his house that he deserved to be pissed.
“I agree.” Dylan crossed his arms over his chest. “But there's not much we can do about it right now. We're working on trying to piece everything together. Maybe it's him, maybe it's someone else. Maybe he's working with someone.”
We were all sure it was the kid they pulled from a fire seven years ago.
Motive was easy to pinpoint—he blamed the Half Moon Lake FD for the death of his father.
But without hard evidence, and considering he technically had an alibi for one of the fires, possibly a second we were still looking into, there was literally nothing we could do to him.
Granted, the time on ring cameras could be easily altered if you knew what you were doing, so I wasn’t sure how airtight that alibi would be.
But until we could prove otherwise, that alibi stuck.
I'd already looked around the two rooms that faced the front of the house. I noted burn patterns similar to those in the other fires that would indicate an accelerant was poured. I'd also collected remnants from one spot that was likely from a book of matches, just like in the other fires.
I made my way to the entryway that led to the kitchen, letting the guys continue to talk about our suspect, or technically, our lack of one.
“Oh.” I stumbled back as a large body stepped into the doorway, blocking my path.
I smiled. Mountain Man. I'd bestowed that nickname on Seth Davis the first time I’d met him.
Rugged, burly, bearded, with long reddish-brown hair to match.
He even lived up on the mountain, rarely seen by anyone.
Almost mythical, like Bigfoot or Paul Bunyan.
Truthfully, I wasn't even sure if he talked.
“Sorry,” I said when he made no attempt to move. “Need to look around the kitchen.”
He dipped his head and grunted, stepping to the side and letting me pass through the archway. Without another word, he exited the same way I came in.
He was strange, but people thought I was strange too, and I was perfectly normal. I had an affinity for the color black and preferred to decorate with skulls. What was wrong with that? I was also a firm believer that a really good pair of fishnets went with any outfit.
That, paired with my white and black hair and piercings, had definitely given me a label around town. Back in Asheville, where I lived post-graduation before taking the job here, no one batted an eye. People complimented me on my unique style. Here in Half Moon Lake? Not so much.
I popped in my other earbud and tapped it, cueing up my dark pop playlist.
Finished in the kitchen, I carefully made my way upstairs. I doubted I would find anything on the second floor, but I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't inspect as much as I could.
I finished in the second bedroom and spun, ready to move on, but froze suddenly as the smell of smoke hit my nose. Not ash or the smell of char. Smoke. Like from an active fire.
As I stepped back into the hallway, I immediately began coughing. Thick smoke wafted up the staircase and filled the space around me. Crap. That wasn't good.
I coughed again before turning and going back into the bedroom, closing the door behind me. There was nothing in this room for me to put under the door to prevent the smoke from seeping in, and of course the windows had to be boarded up. No escape there.
It was fine. The guys would put out the fire that must have relit and come searching for me.
They had to know I was up here, right?
SETH
“Where's Violet?” Dylan looked around at the group of us assembled at the standard checkpoint in front of the farmhouse. The fire had reignited in the front room while we were overhauling the kitchen. Definitely not what we were hoping for.
“What do you mean?” Did she not come out with the rest of us? A quick glance around confirmed she wasn't out here. No one could miss the fishnets and shiny black shorts she wore.
“She was in there.” Dylan tipped his head toward the house.
No shit. We all saw her. But the problem was she wasn’t out here with the rest of us.
“You’re sure?” Owen asked. “Mitchell, you said no one else was inside.”
“There wasn't.” Jay nodded to the second floor. “Unless she went upstairs.”
Christ . Standing here arguing about where she might have gone wasn't solving anything. The fire blocked the front room already, and the windows were boarded up, so if she was on the second floor, she wasn't getting out that way.
I turned back to the truck and grabbed the Halligan, avoiding the guys grabbing the hoses to have a second go at the stubborn flames.
“Davis,” Owen's voice boomed as I ran toward the front door.
I would likely get my ass handed to me for this, but I couldn't just stand around. With everything being so hot and unstable from the original burning, it wouldn't take long for the fire to make it to the second level.
I held my breath as I entered the house.
The flames were just beginning to lap at the stairs as I ascended them.
Visibility on the second floor wasn't great, but getting down low made it a little better.
I went left to check the master bedroom first. After calling out and performing a quick but thorough search, including the attached bathroom, I headed back into the hallway.
The smoke was thicker and it was getting harder to see.
But the first thing I noticed as I made my way down the hallway toward the other rooms was that all the doors were ajar except for one.
Good girl.
I pushed it open and stepped inside, closing it behind me. She was huddled in the furthest corner from the door.
“Mountain Man,” she whispered and stood with a smile.
What the fuck did she just say? I narrowed my eyes at her and then assessed the room.
“Let's go,” I called and made my way to one of the windows that faced the front. I was sure the flames would be at the stairs by now. Best option was to get the boards off and go out that way.
The faint sound of wood splintering followed by a loud crash reverberated through the room. Fuck . That wasn’t good. We needed to get out. Now.
I used the Halligan to pry the wood away from the window casing and leaned out to get my bearings.
“There,” Jay yelled. “Get the ladder.”
I turned back toward Violet just as all the blood drained from her face.
“What's wrong?”
“Nothing.” She squared her shoulders and flinched when the ladder clamored loudly against the siding.
I waved toward the window. “You go first.”
She started to shake her head then stopped, but she still didn't make any attempt to move.
“We gotta go. You'll be fine. I’ll be right behind you.”
“I'm, umm... afraid of heights.”
Fucking great. Did that mean she wasn't planning to go out the window? Because being burned by fire seemed like a much less appealing alternative.
“Like I get all dizzy and lightheaded and might have a panic attack afraid of heights.”
I stomped to the window. Couldn't just leave her there. And even if they got the fire out, I didn't think the stairs would be any good at this point.
I climbed out on the ladder and reached my hand back inside toward her. “Come.”
She raised an eyebrow, but tentatively moved toward the window.
“Close your eyes,” I added.
“How am I supposed to climb down with my eyes closed?”
“I'll direct you. Just don't open your eyes.”
“You guys coming down or what?” Jay hollered from the ground where he held the ladder. Logan and Zack were already applying water to the far side of the house, and I knew we were running out of time before they needed to hit close to where we were at.
But I ignored him as Violet's tiny hand landed in my large palm. I helped guide her through the window until she was seated on the windowsill, level with the ladder.
“Spread your legs.” The words came out husky and I cursed internally. I’d carried women down ladders a shit ton of times. But not exactly like this. This was definitely not a standard carry. Those were intended for use with victims who were unconscious or hurt, and Violet was neither.
She smirked, but kept her eyes closed and did as I asked.
Maybe I'd be better off just throwing her over my shoulder, but having her in front of me would give me more balance going down.
And this was the only way I could think that would stop her from opening her eyes and freaking out on the ladder, which could bring us both down—and not in a good way.
“I'm going to pull you toward me. When I do, wrap your legs and arms around me. Got it?”
“Like a monkey?”
I huffed. “Yeah. Like a monkey.”
She chuckled hesitantly. “Okay.”
I gripped her waist, trying to ignore the brush of her fingers against my skin and how the hair on the back of my neck prickled with electricity as she wrapped her arms around me. The moment I pulled her against me, securing her tightly around my front, I regretted my choice.
The guys were convinced getting laid would help my grumpy disposition.
I had no problem with who I was, but they might be on to something, regardless of why.
It had been far too long since I’d had a woman in my bed.
And given my reaction to the one wrapped around my body, it was safe to say I needed to make that a priority in the near future.
I held her tightly against me with one hand and climbed slowly down the ladder, holding it with my other hand.
Once my feet hit the ground, I spun. “You can let go now.”
“Oh,” she squeaked. “Right.”
Her legs released their death grip on me and she slid them down to the ground.
The sound of people clapping had us both turning toward a small crowd gathered at the safety perimeter.
What the fuck? Where did all these people come from?
And why? I flinched when someone held up their phone.
Jesus. She better not be taking pictures.
That was the last thing I needed. I left Charlotte and moved here to avoid that shit.
I caught Owen's glare aimed at me. What did he want me to do? Sit around and wait?
That wasn't me. I'd rather ask for forgiveness than permission. Especially when someone’s life was potentially at risk.
Violet swayed on her feet and instinct had me reaching out, wrapping an arm around her back. “Come on.” I turned her toward the ambulance. “You need to be checked out.”
“I'm fine.”
I shook my head. Fine my ass. But she could argue with Adam and Lyla. She was their problem now.