Linc stared at Simon and Ruth Penske’s obituary, his thoughts whirling. Logically, he knew the chance of the Preacher or his wife surviving the fire Jayme had described was slim to none. Especially if she’d thrown the lantern at the Preacher. His clothes must have caught on fire, and the burns he’d sustained must have been severe. No doubt, he’d have been the one who’d died, before Ruth.
Yet he couldn’t dismiss the possibility.
“Let’s say you’re right and the Preacher somehow managed to survive.” Jayme folded her arms across her chest. “Why would he wait thirteen years to come find me? And really, why not just torch my house while I was sleeping and be done with it? The Preacher was never subtle. Quite the opposite.”
He hated knowing the man who professed to be a Preacher of the Bible and of God’s word had instead abused the children in his care and attempted to rape Jayme. Burning to death in his own home was probably too good for him. Listening to her story without pulling her into his arms and holding her had been the most difficult thing he’d ever done.
And her inner strength, the way she’d gone through the next thirteen years to be sitting here now working as a physical therapy tech and supporting her sister’s education only made him admire her more. He tried to focus on what she’d said rather than his desire to kiss her.
“This is all theory and conjecture. It’s likely the Preacher and his wife are truly dead. But if he wasn’t, he’d need a lot of time to recover from his numerous injuries, then he’d have to find you. Which wouldn’t be easy since you’d left North Carolina, escaping through the Smoky Mountains into Tennessee.” He shrugged. “As to why he’s dragging this out over time? The man is certifiably crazy. I don’t think logic will ever explain what he’s thinking, what he’s feeling.”
The only thing Linc knew for certain was that if the Preacher had survived, he definitely had a reason to seek revenge against Jayme.
She rose to her feet and moved back toward the window, staring out at the beautiful trees turning red, yellow, and orange. After a long moment, she turned to face him. “If the Preacher is alive and here in Sevierville, then I’ll know him when I see him. He won’t be able to sneak up on me.”
“Understood. But this is why I’d rather have you stay here with me.” He held her gaze. “Don’t go back to your place. Not yet.”
She frowned. “Why do I think you’ll still be saying that tomorrow, Monday, and even a week from now?”
He couldn’t deny it. “Tomorrow, I’ll head back to the physical therapy clinic to begin my investigation. It’s very likely the person who threw the Molotov cocktail is the same one responsible for the smoke bomb and car fire. The police are canvassing the area; they may come up with a witness since the firebomb was tossed into the clinic in broad daylight.”
She sighed and shook her head. “I don’t know. It still seems more likely that I’ll catch him in the act if I’m staying at my place.”
“Give law enforcement some time to do their job.” He hoped she didn’t notice the undertone of panic in his tone. If she insisted on returning home, he planned on going with her. If she didn’t let him in the house, he’d sleep in his car.
Jayme grimaced and nodded slowly. “Okay, I’ll stay one more night.”
His shoulders slumped with relief. “Good. Now that we’re in agreement on that, I’d like to keep searching for arsonists who are known to work for hire before we figure out what to do for dinner.”
“Sure.” Her attempt at a smile was weak.
“Do you want to watch a movie? Or read a book? I have several mystery novels if you’re interested.”
“Mysteries?” She brightened at that idea. “I’d love to see what you have.”
He grinned, ridiculously pleased to have stumbled upon a shared interest. “Come with me. I have a bunch of them in my room.”
She knelt in front of his bookcase, touching the book spines as she reviewed them. “I’ve read these, they’re great, aren’t they? Oh wait, here’s an author I’ve never read.” She pulled the book out from the others. He was pleased she’d chosen a Christian suspense.
“You’ll love it,” he assured her. “But if you don’t, there are others to choose from.”
“I normally get books from the library.” She rose to her feet. “Thanks for letting me borrow this one.”
“You’re more than welcome. In fact, you can borrow my books anytime.” He made the offer as if they’d be seeing each other once the danger from this particular firebug was over.
She eyed him curiously but returned to the living room. As he sat at his computer, she curled up in the corner of his sofa. He liked having her there and knew spending time with her like this was something he could get used to.
Focus, he told himself sternly. They were friends. Being thrown together had brought a camaraderie he hoped might continue.
But he wouldn’t, couldn’t allow it to go any further than that.
As he worked, Linc found two distinct possible suspects. Terrance Foley, a known arsonist who’d gotten out of prison earlier this year. Foley’s address was listed as Memphis, which was on the other side of the state, a good six hours from Sevierville. The second possibility was Kevin Leib, another firebug who had a record for setting fires because he loved to watch them burn. But he’d been hired out by a guy who’d burned his own house down for the insurance money. Kevin was out on parole, his last-known address being Nashville, which was three to four hours away.
He called and left messages for both parole officers, requesting a call back. As it was Saturday, he doubted he’d hear from either of them until Monday.
But it was a start.
Linc worked for ninety minutes, before pushing the laptop aside. The chemical components he’d found at Jayme’s house and her car were not typical of Foley or Leib. Yet he wasn’t willing to rule either of them out.
When he glanced over at Jayme, he found her scribbling in a notebook. She must have gotten it from her duffel because it looked like something a college student might use. He didn’t have any of those types of notebooks sitting around.
“What are you working on?”
“Huh?” She looked up. “Oh, nothing really. I just had a new idea that I wanted to put in writing so I wouldn’t forget.”
“An idea for what?” Intrigued, he went over to the sofa. “Are you back in school?”
“No, it’s just silly stories that I come up with.” She closed the notebook as if to protect what she’d written from his prying eyes. “Nothing important.”
“A diary?” He wondered if keeping a diary had helped her cope with everything she’d been through.
“No, a diary is something that really happened. I just make up stories.” She set the notebook aside. “Did you find anything interesting?”
He wanted to ask what she thought of the Christian suspense but decided to let it go. After what she’d been through, pushing his faith on her probably wasn’t smart. In fact, she was incredibly well adjusted considering what she’d endured.
What she’d overcome.
“Linc?” Jayme’s voice broke into his thoughts.
“Yeah, as a matter of fact, I did. Come over here for a minute. I’d like to know if either of these guys looks familiar.” He returned to the computer and brought both suspects’ mug shots up on the screen.
Jayme took her time peering at one photo, then the other. After a long silence, she reluctantly shook her head. “This guy”—she tapped Leib’s photo—“looks a little familiar. But I can’t say when or where I’ve seen him. The other guy is a complete stranger.”
“Kevin Leib is an arsonist out on parole, currently living in Nashville.”
“Maybe we should drive over to pay him a visit.”
In a typical investigation, where he was working alone, he’d have done exactly that. But he wasn’t keen on taking Jayme with him or leaving her home alone.
“I’ve got a call into his parole officer. Since you can’t really ID him as someone who’s been hanging around recently, it’s better to go through official channels first.” He minimized both mug shots. “I know you didn’t recognize Terrance, but I’m still planning to place both of these guys as possible suspects in my report.”
“I guess that’s progress.” The doubt in her tone belied her words.
“I know this seems to be moving at a snail’s pace but trust the process. We’ll find the person responsible.”
“I trust you.” Her gaze met his. “More than I trust anyone else. Well, other than Caitlyn.”
“I’m honored,” he said with somber sincerity. Easy to see that Jayme didn’t trust easily. And he didn’t blame her.
That she trusted anyone at all was a minor miracle.
Her phone beeped with an incoming text. She drew it from her pocket and smiled at the message. “Sounds like Caitlyn and Annette are having a great time.”
It was tempting to ask when the last time Jayme had done something for fun, but he was afraid the answer might be never. “I’m glad to hear it.”
She typed in a quick response, then glanced up at him. “I should be mad at her for calling off work. But I’m relieved she’s far away from here. Away from the danger.”
“Hey.” He reached out to cradle her scarred hand in his. “Try not to think about it, okay? If Kevin Leib is our guy, then he probably doesn’t have his sights set on your sister.”
“But if the Preacher is still alive . . .” She didn’t continue the thought.
She didn’t have to.
“Come on, let’s find someplace to eat dinner.” He stood and drew her up too. “How about I take you out to a restaurant you’ve never been to?”
She arched a brow. “That wouldn’t be too difficult, I don’t eat out at restaurants. And you’ve already succeeded in that mission. Our lunch today at the Red Mill was someplace I’ve never been.”
“Okay, then we’re going to try something a little nicer.”
“Oh, no. I don’t have anything nice to wear. This”—she waved at her jeans—“is as nice as it gets.”
“You look fine.” Better than fine, but he reminded himself not to go there. “Everything here is casual, even if the atmosphere is nicer. Do you like steak or seafood?”
“I like just about everything, especially food that hasn’t been found in a garbage can.” Her smile was wry. “I can’t tell you how surprised I was to find the food pantry. I hadn’t even known they’d existed.”
When she made those types of statements, so casual like, they cut him off at the knees. To be that hungry, that desperate. He honestly couldn’t imagine. He cleared his throat and tried not to let her know how much she affected him. “Okay, then let’s try Sampson’s Steak and Seafood. It’s really great.”
“Do you know that owner too?”
He winced. “Not on a first-name basis.”
“Hmm. I take that to mean you do.” She placed the Christian suspense book on top of her notebook, then reached for her purse. “You really don’t have to keep feeding me like this. We could just as easily throw in a frozen pizza. I’m not that picky.”
“I’d rather treat you to something nice.” Not as a date but as a way to cheer up a friend.
She followed him outside, glancing around as he opened the car door for her. “Aren’t you worried that the arsonist might find me here? I don’t want anything to happen to you just because you’re being extra nice to me.”
The thought had occurred to him, but he’d dismissed it. “From what I can see, this guy is hitting places that are specific to you.”
“I guess that’s true.”
The drive to Sampson’s didn’t take long. It was a Saturday night, and busy, but thankfully the wait wasn’t too long. Once they were seated, she lifted her water glass and took a sip. “I don’t even have to see the menu to know the food here is expensive.”
“It’s not that bad. And remember, I’m the one who chose the restaurant.” He’d have given her the moon and all the stars in the sky if he could.
On the heels of that thought came the realization that he was slowly but surely letting this woman get too close. In a way that scared him.
He tried to conjure Gina’s face and the beautiful image of Melody, his two-year-old daughter.
Melody was easy to recall, but Gina? He almost reached for his wallet to pull out the picture he carried.
Because the only woman he could see clearly was the pretty redhead sitting across from him.
Jayme had been to three different restaurants with Linc. As much as she appreciated his willingness to spend his money on feeding her, she would have been more comfortable sitting at home and eating a frozen pizza.
The life Linc Quade lived was very different from hers. Eating out, buying books and keeping them to read whenever the mood struck. She couldn’t imagine spending her money so frivolously.
She hadn’t wanted to admit how much she was enjoying the suspense she’d taken from his bookshelf. There was a thread of faith woven through the story, but it was subtle rather than in your face.
It was also a little shocking to realize a book that even mentioned God and prayer was actually written by a New York Times Bestselling author. That meant there were a lot of people out there who’d read it. And loved it.
And maybe even believed in it.
Mind-boggling, to say the least.
Their server arrived and provided menus and rattled off a couple of the specials. Jayme tried not to show her ignorance about some of the menu items. She’d had steak, cooked badly, but had never tried swordfish or mahi-mahi. As predicted, everything was incredibly expensive.
Surely it would be cheaper to buy something from the grocery store and cook it?
“I’m going to have the swordfish,” Linc declared. “What about you?”
“I—uh, don’t know. I’ve never tried most of this stuff.”
“Why not order the mahi-mahi, and we can share. If you like mine better, we’ll swap.” Linc smiled. “I’m sure you’ll love it, though.”
“Sounds good.” She closed the menu. Really, how bad could it be?
“You know, if you don’t like the book you picked out from my bookcase, you’re welcome to try a different one.”
“What makes you think I didn’t like it?”
“Oh, well, because you stopped reading it to write in your notebook.” He grimaced. “I just figured you got bored with the story.”
“No, it’s a good book, thanks. When I get certain ideas, I’m compelled to write them down so I don’t forget.” She didn’t want him to ask about her stories. Her dream of being a published author someday was just that, a dream.
Something personal that no one could take away. Back when she lived with the Preacher, she’d often made up stories in her head as a way to escape the horror of her daily life. In her mind, she was often rescued by a handsome stranger.
Until the day she’d been forced to rescue herself.
Now her stories helped keep her busy, especially now that Caitlyn was moving on with her life.
“I’m glad to hear you like the book.”
She tipped her head to the side. “Did you think I wouldn’t?”
He flushed, and she wanted to laugh at his discomfort. “I wasn’t sure.”
“I admit it was surprising to read about characters who actually believe in God,” she admitted. “But it would be silly to toss a book aside because they mention having faith.”
“There’s always something to learn from reading a book, even fiction.”
Having casual conversation over dinner was a novelty for her. Especially since this was their second meal together in the same day. “You know all about me, so how about you tell me what you miss the most about being a firefighter?”
“The guys,” he responded without hesitation. “Working as a team. My job now is rather lonely.”
“Do you wish you could go back to being a firefighter?”
“No, I like being an investigator. And I don’t miss the schedule.”
She remembered he’d mentioned being on twenty-four, then off for forty-eight. “But you get called to arson fires in the middle of the night too.”
“Yeah, but not as often as you’d think.” He took a sip of his water. “The other downside to this job is that, thankfully, there aren’t that many arson fires to investigate. Sometimes I get bored.”
“I can understand that. My job can sometimes be a little mundane. I like taking care of patients, but there are always those who cause problems.”
“Like Gary?”
“Exactly. Not everyone who comes to therapy is there to help themselves. Some come in with unrealistic expectations.”
“Did you ever want to go on to become a physical therapist?”
“Not really. It’s a long haul, and they expect you to have a doctorate these days.” She shook her head. “The pay is not worth it.”
“But what if paying for school wasn’t an issue? I mean, what if you could do anything you wanted?”
I’d be a writer.
Thankfully, their meals arrived, saving her from answering. Linc reached across the table and took her hand. She wasn’t sure why until he began to pray in a very low voice.
“Dear Lord, thank You for keeping Jayme safe all these years. And thank You for this food we are about to eat. We pray You continue guiding us on Your chosen path. Amen.”
She didn’t respond, mostly because her throat was too tight. She’d never in her life heard anyone pray out loud, and certainly no one other than Linc had ever included her.
“Dig in,” he urged, not seeming to think anything was wrong. “I’m curious to know if you like the mahi-mahi.”
She picked up her fork and took a bite. The tangy taste had her eyes widening in surprise. “Wow, it’s really good.”
“What, you were expecting dog food?”
“Of course not. But I never thought of fish having this kind of flavor.” For someone who liked to write, she couldn’t seem to come up with the words to describe it. Food was generally fuel, something she ate to keep up her strength. This was delicious. “I’m sure this is much better than your swordfish.”
“Take a bite, see for yourself.” He cut a small piece and put it on her plate.
“It’s good,” she admitted. “But I like mine better.”
Linc laughed, the husky sound rippling over her in a way that made her long for something she couldn’t have.
Him.
His phone rang. He frowned at the screen, then glanced at her. “I need to take this. Might be about the case.”
“Go ahead.”
Linc rose as he spoke into the phone. “This is Quade.”
She wished she could hear the other side of the conversation, but Linc walked through the restaurant to go outside. For some reason, the secrecy jabbed deep.
What, he didn’t trust her? She’d told him everything about her past, thinking he might open up more about his wife and daughter.
But he hadn’t.
Whatever. This little interlude was just a temporary blip in both of their regular routines. A disruption that wouldn’t last for long.
Or so she hoped.
Linc was a great host, falling over himself to make her feel welcome, but it wasn’t easy for her to relax her guard in his space.
She continued eating her food, thinking his was growing colder by the minute. When he returned, she lifted a brow. “Good news?”
“That was Kevin Leib’s parole officer. He was just filling me in on Kevin’s progress.” He took a bite of his swordfish. “I was hoping the guy was back to setting fires, but according to the parole officer, there haven’t been any suspicious fires in Nashville over the past few weeks.”
“How often does Kevin have to report in?”
“Weekly, although the parole officer has the right to ask him to come in at any time.” Linc eyed her across the table. “If Leib doesn’t report within the hour of being contacted, he’d be considered in violation of his parole and would be tossed back in jail.”
“Wow.” Jayme was glad she’d never been arrested. She’d been close, but thankfully, she had always been given the benefit of the doubt and released. “Harsh.”
“They’re out on parole rather than being in jail, so not so harsh,” Linc said. “Anyway, this guy is going to request Kevin report in on Monday. I’ll head over to meet with him, see what he knows about any of the fires here in Sevierville.”
“I’d like to go with you to Nashville. It’s not like I’ll have to report in for work at the clinic, thanks to the fire.” She sincerely hoped she wouldn’t lose her job over the stupid firebomb. How long would it take them to repair the damage and replace any broken equipment?
Probably too long.
Linc reluctantly nodded. “Okay, you can tag along. But you can’t say anything or be a part of the conversation with Kevin. You’re a victim in these fires, you’re not part of the investigation.”
“Fine with me. I just want to see what Kevin looks like. Seeing his mug shot, there was something a little familiar about him.”
“Could be you saw someone who strongly resembles him,” Linc said.
“I know.” She couldn’t place him in any particular situation, so Linc’s assumption was probably on target. But she wouldn’t know that for sure unless she saw him up close and not wearing prison orange.
They ate the rest of their meal in silence. Jayme ate every last bite of her mahi-mahi to the point her stomach was uncomfortably full.
She should have saved half for a future meal. Yet she still had her leftover spaghetti and meatballs in Linc’s fridge.
As Linc took care of the check, she excused herself to go to the restroom. When she emerged a few minutes later, Linc was standing nearby. “All set?”
“Yes.” She led the way outside. The fall air was crisp and cool, and she lifted her face to soak in the breeze. Winter was lurking around the corner, bringing Caitlyn’s graduation from her two years of college and then the holidays.
She wondered about the other foster kids. If they were still alive and doing well. At the time, splitting up had been the right decision.
But now, maybe because her future seemed rather empty, she’d been thinking more about the others. Wishing she could see them, check in with them. In fact, maybe she shouldn’t ask a stranger to move in but rather extend the offer to one of the fosters. Once she found them.
She reached for her purse, then frowned. “Wait!” She spun back toward the restaurant. “I’m sorry, I need to go back inside. I left my purse hanging on the hook on the restroom door.”
“That’s fine, we’re not in a rush.” Linc turned to follow her back into the building.
She’d barely reached the door when a loud explosion rocked the earth, sending her flying off her feet and hitting the solid structure.
Linc hit her from behind, knocking the breath from her body. Sandwiched between Linc and the door, she tried to understand what just happened. Then the door opened, and Linc managed to pull her out of the way as customers streamed from the restaurant.
He wrapped his arms around her, sheltering her with his body. “Stay down,” he whispered. Or maybe he wasn’t speaking softly and she simply couldn’t hear. Because all the sounds were muffled.
She managed to turn her head enough to see the source of the explosion. Flames blazed from the vehicle about thirty yards from where they’d been standing. A familiar black car.
Linc’s SUV.
She blinked, hoping she was wrong. But she wasn’t.
The arsonist had followed her long enough to know she was with Linc.
Targeting his car proved it.