Chapter 30 - Rhea
~
Rhea
My parents had insisted on going to the first day of the festival, which suited me just fine. I hadn’t invited Jackie, and I knew the guys would be leading the big parade, so I wouldn’t have to balance them and my parents while we were there.
We struggled for a while to find parking, but eventually we managed to do so and headed for the entrance.
There were a lot of people around and the crowd was thick, already gathering to watch the start of the parade.
My heart was pounding at the idea of watching the guys come by on the truck, and at the thought that someone—Jackie, maybe—would target the festival next.
“Oh, this is exciting,” Mom said as we found a spot to stand and watch the coming parade. “Isn’t it, Robert?”
Dad grumbled something under his breath.
He wasn’t a big fan of crowds, but he did like craft beer, and I’d promised him there would be some at the festival.
First, though, he would have to suffer through the parade with us.
He’d begrudgingly agreed, and was now impatiently glancing at his watch every minute or so.
“Oh, look, I think they’re starting!” Mom said, clutching at Dad’s arm with one hand and pointing with the other.
At the entrance to the festival, over the heads of the crowd, I spotted the bright red paint of the truck at the very front of the parade.
The school band started playing behind them and the music rang out over everyone, creating an exciting buzz among all of the people present.
Mom leaned forward over the tape that held everyone back with her phone now in her hand, trying to get some pictures, while Dad seemed to be trying to breathe his way through the whole thing.
I kept my eyes on the firetruck, waiting to see the guys.
I knew they were the ones chosen to ride on the back, and that excited me.
I couldn’t wait to see those uniforms knowing the bodies that hid beneath them.
“Oh, look!” Mom said as the truck approached the spot where we were standing. “It’s so shiny!”
I had to fight the urge to lean forward myself, since I wanted to appear nonchalant and not arouse any suspicions from my parents.
“Heavens, are those your friends?” Mom asked when the guys came into view. They hung from the back of the truck, leaning out and waving at the crowd. Calder looked open and welcoming, Ash serious and mysterious, and Beck had a huge grin on his face, even offering kisses to the crowd.
“Yeah,” I confirmed, looking away for a moment so that she didn’t notice me blush or make eye contact with them. “They’re pretty cool.”
“I have to say,” Mom said, “I’m not sure how you’re just friends with boys like that. You sure you don’t have a little crush on at least one of them?”
I laughed a little too loud and shook my head. “No, come on now, I’m an adult, I can be friends with people without falling in love with them.”
I almost over-explained and went on a whole rant, but I managed to shut up just in time; or, at least, I hoped that I had, and that Mom didn’t think anything more of it.
She was a pretty observant woman, though, and it was possible that she’d noticed there was something more.
But until it actually came up directly, I wasn’t going to say anything.
We watched as the high school band, a group of dancers, and several more sets of people passed by, and finally, the parade itself was over, and the crowd began to disperse.
I knew that the guys would be around, since they were on call just in case, but they’d also promised not to intrude on my time with my parents—at least for now.
“Can I have a beer now?” Dad asked, and Mom and I both laughed.
“Sure, beer tent is this way,” I said, leading them toward the big tent in the distance.
I heard snippets of conversation around me; people who were worried that the arsonist would show up, who were worried that their houses were next, and some who saw the whole situation as juicy drama sharing the gossip they’d heard.
I tried not to think about it, to just be in the moment with my parents, but it was still hovering in the corner of my mind. I found myself looking around the crowd, watching for one person in particular.
My heart hammered so loudly I was surprised that my parents couldn’t hear when I saw Jackie at the entrance to the beer tent, and she bounded over to us excitedly. I tried to keep my face even, not wanting her to think that I suspect her of anything heinous.
“You’re here!” she exclaimed, looking from me to my parents and back. “I thought you’d have the guys with you, too. I’m sure they’d want to meet—”
I interrupted her quickly. “I just wanted to spend some time with Mom and Dad alone, you know?”
“Of course, of course,” Jackie laughed, reaching out to shake their hands. “Blazing hot today, isn’t it? It’s like the whole world is on fire.”
I almost expected her to wink with that comment, but she only smiled as my parents agreed. My anxiety was getting to me, and I felt like I needed to get out of there.
“Uh, I need to go to the bathroom. I’ll see you in a bit,” I said, turning on my heel and trying not to run as I walked away.
I started searching for the guys, hoping that they would listen to my suspicions.
If they didn’t believe me, and Jackie did have something to do with it all, then it was possible that she was planning her next target and could actually get it.
Maybe she’d go back to my house to finish what she started. At least if she was at the festival, I had some time before she struck again.
I needed to use that time to talk to the guys. I didn’t know if Jackie was the suspect that the police had in their sights, but if she wasn’t… Well, I could be wrong. If I was right, though, and I didn’t do anything, I didn’t think I’d ever get over the guilt.
Ahead of me, I noticed a familiar uniform with a familiar hairstyle, and I found myself running toward him.
“Ash!” I said loudly, but my voice was lost in the noise. I almost ran over a teenager in my way, but I made it to him and grabbed him by the shoulder. He swung around with a look of surprise on his face, but when he realized it was me, a small smile formed on his face.
“Thought you were coming with your parents today,” he mentioned, crossing his arms; but his teasing expression changed quickly. “What’s going on?”
“We need to talk, in private, it’s important,” I rambled the words off and watched him pull his lips into a tight line.
He reached for my hand and started leading me toward the middle of the festival where the giant carousel stood.
I wanted to point out that I wasn’t in the mood for a ride, but I assumed that he had some kind of plan.
We passed the carousel and he pulled me into a hidden room beneath it that I hadn’t realized existed. It looked like this was where all the mechanical stuff was housed. Inside, Calder and Beck were looking over things, probably checking that it was all in order and up to code.
They both looked up curiously when they noticed us, but Calder immediately frowned when his eyes landed on my face.
“What’s going on?” he said, dropping what he was doing to walk over and put a protective hand on my shoulder. “Is everything okay?”
“I think I know who the arsonist is,” I announced, and three sets of eyebrows were raised around me. “I don’t know if the police are focusing on her, but the coincidences are just too much for me. I really think I might be on to something, and I thought you should all know.”
“Okay,” Beck nodded slowly, the first to speak in return. “Focusing on who? What coincidences?”
“Jackie,” I breathed, and the three of them shared a glance. I knew that they wouldn’t believe me just like that, but I was ready to substantiate my thoughts and I hoped that I could convince them.
“Really?” Ash asked, disbelief evident in his voice. “What makes you think that?”
“I’m not sure that she’s the type,” Beck added.
Calder stayed quiet, simply watching my face as if he was deep in thought. He seemed most willing to at least listen to me, and that was a good thing. I started my explanation quickly and urgently.
“Listen, she’s had access to my place before, when I was at work and when she visited me.
She could’ve found my spare key. She passed by the ice cream parlor when Ash and I were there.
Calder, you and I ran into her right before the kiosk fire broke out.
I’m pretty sure the other house and the apartment complex are both on her route, it’s possible that she has a connection to those people, too.
I’m telling you, it’s all too much of a coincidence. ”
They all listened and bit at their lips, each thinking about what I said.
“I’ll admit,” Calder finally spoke after what felt like an eternity. “That does seem very suspicious. But it’s not exactly conclusive evidence. I need more than that to take your hunch to the police.”
“She could’ve an excuse for every one of those things,” Ash added. “She’s a mail woman, and she probably walks her dogs often. But I agree with you that it’s worth looking into.”
“Yeah,” Beck agreed. “If it’s her, then we need to get ahead of things before she goes after her next target.”
“She might decide to return to your house,” Calder pointed out with concern in his voice.
“Especially if she figures out that you’re suspecting her.
I mean, it still isn’t enough evidence to fully pursue her, and we can’t be sure that you’re right.
But your safety is more important to me right now than anything else. ”
“Me, too.” The others both nodded.
“If you really believe she could be involved, then we’ll investigate it with you,” Calder said, stepping forward and taking both of my hands in his. “Because, well… We care about you. And… Frankly, I don’t know if I’m speaking for Ash and Beck as well with this, but… I’m in love with you.”
Beck and Ash looked at one another, then Beck nodded. “I think I am, too.”
Ash quietly turned toward the door that led outside, before locking the deadbolt on it. When he looked back at me, he was smiling. “As for me, I like it when you’re all worked up like this.”