Chapter 16
Viper
I could easily call myself an idiot and I’d feel just fine about doing so.
Why?
Because on the drive to Grace’s house, I’d thought of all the ways I could tell her the truth.
None of them had seemed appropriate. When that had failed, I’d tried to think about what little I could share so she wouldn’t ask.
But I’d known better. Landen had offered me an opportunity to be up front with her.
I had a feeling that the offer had an expiration date.
Maybe that’s why when I’d seen the road that I’d figured was part of her property, I’d wanted a little time alone to try to come up with something. The up-close sight of the burned barn had shocked the fuck out of me.
What had been left was damaged beyond repair and I hadn’t lied to her that the dilapidated ruins were dangerous. Why keep it? Maybe because the investigation was still active. After how many weeks? I couldn’t remember and I could tell by her reaction she didn’t want to talk about what had occurred.
What I couldn’t get was how both her parents had died in the building. Unless they’d been lured there and locked inside. What kind of monster did that shit? Maybe the same one who’d been walking through the woods with an assault rifle.
Also maybe the same one who’d torched the sporting goods store.
I’d driven by the location on the way to her ranch.
The building had been huge, and leveled almost entirely.
But the two weren’t connected. When I’d been a firefighter, I’d worked more fires caused by arson than anything I’d done in wildland firefighting, at least enough to know there were two types of arsonists.
Those who did so for the thrill, not caring what they set on fire. And those who did so with specific steps in mind. Whether that be based on revenge, increase in power or methods. The random fires were usually done by curious teenagers or idiots.
The bigger fires were almost always set by those with knowledge about accelerants. About explosives. They took time finding the most vulnerable place within a structure and learned routines. They even looked up plans on county websites.
In my mind, they were some of the most dangerous criminals of all. When someone died in a set fire, it was usually when the person had a snowball’s chance in hell of getting out alive.
From what I knew about her mom and dad, they were two upstanding people. Why had they been targeted?
With Grace nuzzled in my arms, her head resting on my chest, I realized it had been a long time since I was this comfortable. However, I sensed there was still some tension between us. And I knew why.
The fact I’d pushed Grace out of her comfort zone hadn’t been intentional, yet I’d wanted to try to figure out what might be going on. I’d heard significant concern in the fire marshal’s voice, even if she hadn’t used the words in providing her apprehension.
Now all I could think about was protecting Grace.
In our passion, there’d been a chemistry unlike anything I’d felt with anyone my entire life.
She was special, so much so that even after a few days, I felt protective of her.
I’d proven that with the client I’d disapproved of, which meant I needed to be very careful how I handled myself around her friends. She’d already been warned about me.
She’d only give me so much time to come clean before she pinned me with questions. Which was only fair. But what could I say?
The question lingered in the back of my mind as Grace slipped from the couch, padding toward the kitchen. When she returned, she was wearing my tee shirt, bringing a beer and a bottle of wine along with a glass.
“Do you mind?” she asked, as if she was going to remove the shirt.
“You look damn good in it. But I’ll need it back at some point.”
She handed me the beer before placing the wine on the coffee table. “We’ll see. I kind like smelling like you. A little rough around the edges. I’ll be right back.”
Chuckling, I twisted the cap, taking a long pull before doing the gentlemanly thing and pouring a glass of wine.
The dogs were huddled together in one chair, already best buddies.
In my mind, seeing their closeness was dangerous.
And why? Because getting close to anyone was the one thing I’d promised myself that I wouldn’t do.
Ever.
Not only was it not good for my psyche, but I couldn’t be trusted around myself, let alone with anyone else.
Leaning my head back, I tried to relax, but of course, my eyes happened to notice there’d been a roof leak at some point. Well, at least I could make myself useful.
I took another gulp of beer as I mentally planned how to check on the leak.
Then I took another big swallow, savoring the chill as I continued studying the room.
There were about fifteen pictures in frames on the mantel and maybe I should consider it snooping, but I wanted a little taste of what her family was like.
They seemed to be in chronological order. Even before I glanced down the line twice, I first noticed the picture of man in his late twenties in a fireman’s uniform. With the Twin Towers in the background. I couldn’t imagine what he’d gone through in being exposed to the horror.
Did that make what I’d gone through with my sister any easier or any less painful? No. Maybe I shouldn’t have gone down Grace’s memory lane because I had very little in the way of snapshots of my former life.
Yet I couldn’t lie that I enjoyed seeing Grace in various stages of her life from grade school through high school. And her college graduation. At every stage of her life, she was absolutely beaming with joy and happiness, which I feared had been taken from her with her parents’ death.
And I sure as shit wasn’t the kind of guy to be able to fill her with positivity.
By the time I’d finished half the bottle, I wondered if there was an issue. I’d upset her enough, noticing the tears she’d tried to hide. I had a sense she wasn’t interested in allowing me to experience her pain. There didn’t need to be a reason why. I was just as private a person as she was.
With the bottle still in my hand, I went to check on her, even going upstairs, then coming back down. When I moved down the hallway downstairs I’d yet to pay any attention to, I noticed a light at the end of the hall.
Keeping as quiet as possible, I moved closer to the room, peering inside. She was standing in front of a painting, blocking the picture. There were two others halfway to completion, both colorful and full of her love of animals.
There was an entirely different vibe in the room, the one location that held aspects of her former life.
The room was an office and I noticed diplomas on one wall in frames.
The feeling was definitely masculine, which meant it had been her father’s office for the clinic.
With the number of boxes in several rooms, most with almost nothing inside, she still wasn’t ready to let her memories fade into the distance.
I understood that all too well.
A crackle of electricity sparked between us and I sensed she felt my presence.
“I added Sailor to the painting. What do you think?” She stepped aside without turning around. “I think there needs to be more flowers.”
“I think you’re too critical of your work. It’s beautiful.”
“They’re so good together. I fear they’re becoming bonded.”
“Which means we shouldn’t break them apart.” I stepped just inside, careful not to invade her space since I hadn’t been invited.
“No, we shouldn’t, but with all things bright and beautiful, there comes an end.
Doesn’t there?” She finally shifted toward me, studying my eyes.
There was something so beautiful about seeing her in my shirt, which on her was a dress.
Unassuming, her hair disheveled and with a light shimmer on her skin, she was truly the most gorgeous woman I’d ever set eyes on.
“Death and separation are painful but sometimes necessary.”
I don’t know how logical my words were or if she understood what I was trying to say because she didn’t blink, didn’t utter a word at first. Seconds later, she turned away once again, but not before I’d noticed the tears in her eyes.
“Nobody really knows what happened. Other than that a week before the fire, my father called the police to report an intruder. That’s what everyone thought.
When the police arrived, they’d mentioned a few bear sightings, even showing my father where some tomato plants had been ripped from the ground, the tomatoes eaten. ”
“Let me guess. He didn’t believe in the bear story.”
She shook her head. “I laughed and told them bears were a part of Montana. Just to try and ease his fears. Maybe I should have known.”
“Grace, how could you?”
“I’d had a feeling something was wrong, but I didn’t share my suspicions with him and I should have.
Then on the day they died, my mother called and I couldn’t take the call.
I had surgery on a pup. After… After they were murdered, I was told there’d been no sign of forced entry into the house, no indication anything had been wrong.
Except a light had been left on in the clinic. The police found the door unlocked.”
“Maybe your father caught someone stealing.”
“Maybe. But how did they get locked in the barn? How?”
“Maybe they were drugged.”
When she tipped her head toward me, the sight of tears falling down both cheeks wasn’t anything I was prepared for. “I keep thinking if only I’d called my mother back earlier.”
“Grace. You can’t blame yourself.” As I walked closer, I realized the cathartic nature that had brought us together. She was feeling guilty about a tragic incident she’d had no control over.
She looked so vulnerable, so helpless. As I closed the distance, I was surprised when she reached out for me. I didn’t take that lightly, pulling her into my arms as gently as possible. Only I wasn’t the kind of man who could provide her with what she needed.