At nine the next morning, Claire was sitting in the passenger seat of Reid’s pickup truck while he drove her to the scene of the fire she’d originally come to investigate. Thirty-six hours ago, she never would have imagined Reid O’Callaghan playing the role of her personal bodyguard. But he was. On top of that, while yesterday’s dinner with his entire family had left her feeling vulnerable, even that didn’t compare to the fact that someone seemed determined to hurt her and Reid. Which was why she’d agreed to stay at the ranch until they were able to dig up the truth.
“I was afraid my bodyguard might have overslept,” Claire said, grasping the travel mug of coffee his mother had handed her as they headed out the door.
“Hardly,” he said. “How late did you stay up?”
“Not late, though I was awake before the sun.” She studied the scenery on either side of the narrow dirt road they were headed down, with its patches of snow on the ground and mountain views in the background. “I don’t remember ever coming out to this farm.”
“Hazel and Bill Reynolds have lived here...I don’t know...as long as I can remember. They have two sons who have both moved to Texas. One of them was able to return after the fire and help out some, but last I heard they were thinking about moving to be closer to their boys.”
“That has to be a tough decision.”
“I’m sure it is. While living near their boys would be a blessing for them, leaving everything they know can’t be easy.” Reid made another turn down a long driveway, then parked his truck near the charred structure on the east side of the property. “I called and told them we were going to come and look at the damage to their barn and equipment. They’re at the doctor right now, but said that would be fine.”
“Is one of them sick?” Claire asked.
“I know she’s been struggling with anxiety since the fire, but I don’t have any details.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, though I would like to talk to them. They have to be grateful their house wasn’t damaged.”
“Definitely, and they said they would be back as soon as they could. Captain Ryder should be here any minute too. I think he just wants to touch base with you.”
Claire stepped out of the truck with the case file in hand and started around the perimeter of the charred building. While she’d already looked at photos of the evidence from the fire, seeing the scene for herself was essential.
Reid kept a few steps behind her as she slowly made her way around the outside. Grass had started growing back in a few places, but for the most part, nothing had changed from the photos in the file she’d been given.
“If you don’t mind me asking,” Reid said, “why an arson investigator?”
She mulled over the question while continuing to take in the scene and debated how to answer it without bringing up their son. “I loved working as a firefighter, but the whole investigation behind the fire has always fascinated me. And I guess when you consider that arson accounts for billions of dollars of lost or damaged property every year and only a small percentage of the arsonists are actually arrested, I like the fact that I’m helping people who are impacted.”
“It almost sounds...personal.”
“I have a friend back in Denver whose house burned down and it was suspected as being an arson fire. Thankfully, she and her family were okay, but they never caught who started the fire. More than likely it was a couple kids in the neighborhood, but we’ll probably never know. And while the majority of fires are set in order to try and scam insurance policies, I was struck by how, in a short instant, the devastation it leaves behind can change everything.”
“That is true.”
“And the complexity of most investigations makes it a challenge. Unfortunately, with the majority of arson cases the perpetrator is never caught.”
“You always did love a challenge,” he said.
“Funny.” She stopped and caught his gaze, wishing those blue eyes of his didn’t seem just as mesmerizing as they had all those years ago. She cleared her throat. “Think about it. You’re looking at a crime where most of the evidence can be destroyed, either from the fire or from the foam used to put out the fire. So in the end, we have to rely on people like you, the firefighters, along with anyone else who might have witnessed something.”
“True.”
Claire pulled out the photos from the investigation she’d printed out. “Can you walk me through the fire?”
“Of course. It started in the northwest corner of the barn.”
She followed him to the spot that had been marked on one of her photos. “An accelerant was found here.”
“Yes,” he said. “Traces of acetone and gasoline were found.”
“And the antique lighter? Where was it discovered?”
Reid walked another six feet to the left. “Here.”
She held up the photo. The fire had spread quickly, destroying the integrity of the structure, as well as the majority of the equipment, before it was put out. Thankfully, according to her notes, there had been little wind that night, so the flames didn’t spread to the main house or any other outlying buildings.
“What do you know about the couple?” Claire asked, continuing to walk around the damaged structure.
“Are you asking if they might have started the fire themselves for an insurance payoff?”
Her jaw tensed at the question. “You know I have to look at that. There was no evidence of a forced entry, for starters.”
“I just can’t imagine they were involved. They go to our church, and I’ve known them for years.”
“Going to church doesn’t make someone innocent.”
“That’s true.”
She caught his gaze and studied his expression, trying to figure out what was niggling at her. “You surprise me.”
“Because I go to church?”
“It’s not just that. There’s just something... I don’t know...something different about you.”
She couldn’t put a finger on what it was. He was still just as good-looking and charming as the first day they’d met, but it wasn’t his appearance she was referring to.
“I’ve changed a lot since you saw me last,” he said.
“I guess you’re not the only person who’s changed.”
While she’d gone to church with Reid’s family occasionally while they’d dated, she’d never had a faith of her own until after Owen was born. Back then she’d been focused on her career and her relationship with Reid, not trying to understand what it meant to serve God.
Reid stepped in front of her. “What are you thinking?”
She turned away from him, not ready to share her real thoughts. “I was thinking that the actual fire definitely fits the pattern. There’s both the combination of accelerants that was found at other fires as well as the antique lighter.”
“But...”
She shook her head. “So far the arsonist has never struck more than one time in any town.”
“So twice in one town doesn’t fit the profile.”
“Not so far, but it might be insignificant. The MOs and patterns can change. That’s typical. And the antique lighters. That’s the key as far as I’m concerned. We’ve managed to keep that detail out of the news so far.”
“We’ve looked at photos from the scene. What about comments left on news sites or social media? Have you looked at those?”
“Yes, and so far there hasn’t been any obvious person who stands out.”
The sound of vehicles pulled her attention to the driveway and away from the charred remains. Captain Ryder arrived right behind the Reynoldses. Reid quickly made introductions as soon as they’d stepped out of the vehicles.
“Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds, it’s nice to meet you, though I’m so sorry for the loss of your property. I know the fire did a lot of damage and the cleanup and dealing with insurance can’t be easy.”
“Please...it’s Bill and Hazel,” Bill said, “and thank you. You’re right, it has been hard. We lost most of our winter food supply, so in a way we feel like we’re starting over again.”
Claire clutched the folder under her arm. “I know you’ve already talked to the authorities. I’m just following up on a few questions so we can officially close the case.”
Bill glanced at his wife. “We were told this could have been started by an arsonist.”
“Unfortunately, we don’t have an answer for that right now,” Captain Ryder said. “Which is why we asked for help from Denver.”
Claire chose her words carefully. “What I can tell you is that there were several things in the final report that were flagged. I’m here to sign off on them. It’s all a part of the process.”
“Like we told Reid, you’re welcome to look around,” Bill said. “We’re ready for the investigation to be over so we can start cleaning up.”
“Reid said he’d heard you might be selling the property?” Claire asked.
“We’re not sure we have a choice. Insurance will give us a payout...eventually...but in the meantime we’re struggling to keep things up. And it’s looking like even with a payout it’s not going to cover replacement costs for everything that was lost.” Bill laid his hand on his wife’s arm and frowned. “We’ve lived here our entire lives, but I have to say, in the back of our minds we’ve been looking at moving closer to our kids anyway. And while they love coming up here and visiting, maybe it’s time.”
“I know that decision can’t be easy,” Captain Ryder said.
“Starting over at our age seems like climbing a mountain.”
“I understand,” Claire said. “Is there anything else that you think I should know? Anything odd that might have happened since the fire that you haven’t told anyone about?”
“No.” Bill shook his head, then looked to his wife. “I don’t think so. Other than the stress. The whole situation has been unsettling.”
“Wait. There is one thing,” Hazel said. “It’s probably not important, but on the day of the fire, we did realize we couldn’t find the key to the barn.”
“She’s right.” Bill’s phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket. “I’m sorry, but I need to take this.”
“No problem.” Claire glanced at her notebook as the man stepped away. “You couldn’t find the key?”
“That’s right.”
“We were told there was no sign of forced entry,” Claire said. “That could explain how someone got in. Where did you normally keep the keys?”
“On a hook in the house, near the back door. Which probably wasn’t the smartest thing because we only keep things locked up at night, but we never worried about things like that.”
“So someone could have slipped in and taken the key,” Claire said.
“If they knew where to look, I suppose. Yes.”
Claire reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a business card. “I need to spend a few more minutes looking around, but if you or your husband think of anything else, feel free to give me a call.”
“And I have a few more questions I need to ask you both,” Captain Ryder said.
“Of course,” Hazel said. “We need this investigation finished so we can tear down the structure.”
Bill walked back to them, a frown on his face.
“Is everything okay?” Reid asked.
“We forgot one of Hazel’s prescriptions at the pharmacy.”
“Listen,” Reid said, “I’ll head back into town and pick it up while Claire and Captain Ryder finish here.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“It’s not a problem at all,” Reid said.
“If you’re sure,” Bill said. “Thank you. And we’re happy to answer any questions you have.”
“I need to grab another camera battery out of your vehicle,” Claire said to Reid.
Reid turned to her as they walked back to the truck. “You won’t need me for the next thirty minutes, will you?”
“I pretty sure the captain can handle my security.”
Claire smiled ignoring the flirtatious tone of his voice. Reid always had been able to bypass any walls around her heart, and apparently nothing had changed.
“By the way,” Reid said, heading for his truck, ignoring her grin that seemed to pierce right through his defenses, “when’s the last time you had something to eat? My mom said you didn’t eat breakfast.”
“I had some coffee.”
He pulled out his keys and stopped. “That’s not breakfast. I’m going to bring you back something,” he said. “It hasn’t been so long that I’ve forgotten your favorites. Unless you don’t like Jimmy’s slow-cooked pulled pork, served on a freshly baked brioche roll with homemade BBQ sauce and a side of Jimmy’s slaw anymore.”
“Reid... Yes, I still love Jimmy’s pulled pork, but you don’t have to do that.”
“I know, but I would hate for you to suddenly pass out while working a case, because I don’t know if you’ve heard, but there can be serious side effects from going without Jimmy’s pulled pork for too long.”
“Seriously?”
“Oh, yeah...and for you we’re not talking days or weeks, we’re talking years. There is no telling what could happen.”
“You’re impossible.”
“Maybe, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. I’ve been craving some myself and it’s barely been a week.” He hesitated, realizing how easy it was to flirt with her, to almost forget that they weren’t together anymore.
“I suppose if you need an excuse to get it for yourself, you could bring me some and I won’t turn it down.”
“I think I will.”
“And Reid...”
He headed toward his truck, but her voice stopped him.
“Thanks for offering to go into town. They seem like such a sweet couple. I feel sorry for them.”
“It’s not a problem.”
She took a step toward him. “Does Jimmy’s still have those banana chocolate shakes?”
“With added M&Ms?”
She nodded.
“I suppose I could manage that, though I don’t want you to get spoiled having a bodyguard/chauffeur catering to your every whim. You know that this is only until we catch whoever’s behind these fires.”
“Don’t worry. I don’t plan to take advantage of you.”
Reid jumped into the truck, his eyes still on her as she headed back to the barn. He shouldn’t be flirting with her. He knew better than that. It was only going to get him into trouble, or at the least lead him to another broken heart. Why was it so easy to slip into those old habits? She’d always made him laugh. That was something that had drawn him to her at the beginning. She was the ultimate optimist and saw good in everything and everyone.
The last few years, though, seemed to have mellowed her. Maybe it was her job that had sobered her. Maybe it was simply a part of growing up. They’d both grown up, changed, and what he used to know about her didn’t necessarily hold true for where either of them were today. That was something he couldn’t forget.
He pulled out an old strip of photos of them he kept on the back of the visor. They’d gone ice skating that night, then taken a walk through town to see the Christmas lights. Eventually he’d pulled her into the photo booth where they’d taken a string of silly photos. In the last one, he’d pulled her against him and kissed her, capturing both the surprise in her eyes and the smile on her lips.
He shoved the photos back. He should have thrown them away years ago, because they represented everything he wanted to forget.
He tapped the brake as he took another turn on the curvy road. He’d eventually decided that the only way to move on with his life was to find someone else who could make him happy, someone who could make him forget. So he’d started dating again, but no matter how many women he went out with, it never covered up the pain of his mistakes with Claire. It was why he’d told her he couldn’t imagine having a family of his own. It wasn’t that he didn’t want one, but no one he’d known had ever managed to compare to Claire.
The white truck appeared out of nowhere behind him. Reid sped up, then pulled over to let it pass. Instead, it got closer to his bumper. A second later, it rammed into him from behind. Reid felt the sharp jolt from the impact as he fought to keep his truck from flipping as he went around another curve.
The list of facts from the investigation surfaced. Claire being locked in her room during the fire. The drone in the woods... Nothing made sense. Why would someone come after him?
The white truck slammed into him again. He fumbled for his phone while trying to keep his vehicle on the road. He needed to call 911. But it was too late. His truck flipped twice, landed upside down, then skidded across the narrow road before slamming into a tree.