Chapter 39
Mia hadn’t said a word driving back to the farm. She hugged herself and stared out into the inky night, shoulders tight.
Caleb kept both hands on the wheel, eyes scanning the road while his mind was already running contingencies.
He wasn’t sure what they’d find when they got there.
He only hoped the fire had been small. Contained.
Something that could be fixed. He prayed that it wasn’t anything his guys had missed, though that was highly unlikely.
He didn’t cut corners. If this was intentional, it wasn’t on them.
Red and blue lights cut through the darkness as they turned onto the drive. Fire trucks. A cruiser. He was glad he had made Ranger stay at the cabin. One less variable. One less thing that could go wrong. This would have been too much excitement for the dog.
He parked by the farmhouse and circled around to help Mia down. Her hand was cold in his. He held on for an extra second before letting go.
They walked toward the event barn, the gravel crunching beneath their feet. The air smelled wrong. Smoke, faint but unmistakable, clung to the night.
Her dad stood just outside the spill of light from the trucks. The second Mia saw him, she broke free and went straight into his arms. He wrapped her tight, one hand cradling the back of head, murmuring something Caleb couldn’t hear.
Good. Her dad was okay. That mattered. That was one box checked. He needed more.
Caleb searched for Austin Peters. He was standing by the pond.
He forced his focus outward, the way he had been trained.
Assess. Secure. Muscle memory kicked in.
It always did when things went sideways.
He scanned the barn. No active flames. The structure was still standing, though one corner looked darker than it should have.
Wet and soot-streaked. Damage, not destruction. For now.
Austin stood with his helmet off, turnout coat unzipped. Calm. That was a good sign. Liam McBride and a deputy sheriff were talking with him.
Caleb headed over. “How bad?”
Austin blew out a breath. “Started near the prep area. At first glance, it looks electrical. Outlet or extension. We’ll know more in the daylight. Smoke damage mostly. The alarms did their job and alerted Mr. Whitmore. He called it in early. We got here fast.”
Caleb nodded. He glanced back at Mia. She was still clinging to her father, staring at the barn.
This wasn’t over. The warning hum he’d learned never to ignore kicked in, familiar and impossible to ignore.
But she was safe. For now.
Austin promised to follow up once they knew more, but for now, the barn was off-limits.
Caleb, Mia and her dad went back to the farmhouse once most of the trucks pulled out. The house was dark and still.
Mia turned on the lights, kicked off her shoes by the door and stood there, arms folded tight across her chest. For a second, she looked smaller. Worn down. Like if she let go, she might come apart.
Caleb waited. He knew that look. Shock settling in.
“It doesn’t make sense,” she said quietly. “It’s a new barn.”
“Yeah,” he said. “That’s what’s sticking with me too.”
Mia put on a pot of coffee and convinced her father he should go back to bed. She went into caretaker mode automatically. Something she could control. There was nothing he or any of them could do until morning. After yawning a couple of times, he agreed.
When the coffee was finished, Mia poured them cups and sat across from Caleb at the table.
She stared at the wall, then let out a shaky breath. “I keep telling myself it’s just bad luck. One thing after another. But now … I think someone is trying to put me out of business.” She told him about the cancellations. The rumors. The blog post.
Caleb kept his face neutral, but his stomach clenched. He hated that she hadn’t leaned on him. Hated himself a little for not noticing sooner. Damn. She was going through this alone. Didn’t think he would care.
That part stung.
Dawn was just beginning to lighten the windows when she stood.
“I need to see it,” she said.
He didn’t argue. He already knew she would. He followed her outside. The walk across the property felt longer than usual. The early morning air was cold and damp, carrying the faint, bitter smell of smoke. It stuck to the back of his throat. Daylight didn’t make it better. It made it clearer.
Inside the event barn, one section was cordoned off with tape. The damage contained. Smoke had stained the boards a dull gray. Water pooled in shallow puddles across the floor. The air still smelled scorched.
Mia stood just inside the doorway, arms folded tight. Caleb stayed half a step behind her, letting her lead.
The fire marshal crouched near the taped-off section. “In daylight, it’s clearer,” he said. “This wasn’t an electrical issue.”
Mia’s jaw tightened.
“The point of origin’s wrong for an accident,” he continued. “No wiring. No outlet. Nothing that would’ve failed on its own.”
Caleb’s chest tightened as his gaze tracked the burn marks climbing the wall. Too deliberate. Too patient. Someone had stood there and waited. The thought made his jaw lock. He shifted closer to Mia without realizing he’d moved.
“And this,” the marshal said, gesturing toward the floor.
Caleb stepped closer.
A footprint sat in the soot near the wall. Partial but unmistakable. Narrow, shorter than his.
Mia swallowed. “Is that …?”
“A smaller boot with a narrow tread,” the marshal said. “Based on size and pattern, it’s likely a woman’s. We documented it.”
Mia stiffened beside Caleb.
This wasn’t random or an accident. This took planning. And patience.
Footsteps sounded behind them.
Roy.
“Jesus,” he said, stopping short when he saw the damage. “What the hell happened?”
Mia turned slowly. “There was a fire.”
Roy stared at the blackened wall, shaking his head. “I don’t get it. This place is brand-new.”
“Exactly,” the marshal said.
Roy blinked. “You think someone did this.”
Caleb watched him closely. Roy’s eyes flicked to the floor. Just once. Then away. Caleb filed it away.
“Looks that way,” said the marshal.
Roy let out a breath. “That’s messed up, really messed up.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “You okay, Mia?”
She nodded. “I am.”
The marshal finished up and stepped outside to make calls.
Silence settled in.
Roy shifted his weight. “If there’s anything I can do …”
“We’ve got it covered,” Caleb said.
Roy’s shoulders eased, but his mouth tightened. Relief, maybe. Or irritation that he hadn’t been asked first.
As Roy walked away, Caleb leaned closer to Mia.
“Did you see it?” he asked quietly.
She nodded. “The print.”
“And Roy.”
“Yes.”
They stood there for a moment longer.
Mia exhaled slowly. Steadying herself.
She turned to him, her eyes steady now. Focused. “The van. The cancellations. The rumors.”
“And now this,” Caleb said.
She let out a breath. “Someone wants to stop me.”
Caleb didn’t argue. “Or scare you,” he said.
“I can’t imagine anyone hating me that much to do this.”
He pulled out his phone. Decision made. No more waiting.
“I’m calling the guys. Cameras go up today.”
Her shoulders tensed. “Isn’t that overkill?”
“No,” he said. “It’s prevention.”
She frowned slightly. “Caleb … I can’t afford those.”
“You can’t afford not to get them,” he replied gently. “Let me worry about that. OK?”
She nodded.
“Where?”
“Both barn perimeters. Farmhouse. Drive. We’ll cover it all. No blind spots. It’ll be discreet.”
She took a deep breath, exhaled. “Okay.”
“The guys will be here later,” he said.
She nodded. “Thank you.”
Caleb slid his phone back into his pocket and looked around the barn one last time. Cameras were coming. Daylight exposed the truth. Still, the tight feeling in his chest didn’t ease. Whoever had done this hadn’t panicked. They’d planned it.
And people who planned didn’t stop just because they’d been noticed.