“Once the phosphorus has dissolved, which as you can see only takes a couple of minutes, then what we have is even more volatile.”
“What does someone need to create a fire with that?” Harper asked.
John’s eyes lit. “Follow me and I’ll show you!” With that, he turned and walked to an area in the back of the laboratory.
Harper looked at Sean and rolled her eyes at John’s dramatics. The three of them followed John to another table, this one entirely encased in metal with a metal hood surrounding it. A built-in sprinkler system was just above.
John placed some newspapers, paper towels, and a few rags in a row on the metal table. Pouring some of the phosphorus and carbon disulfide onto each of the items, he wiggled his eyebrows. “Watch and be amazed.”
Within a few seconds, the paper towel began to smoke and then burst into flames. It only took a little bit longer for the newspaper to do the same, followed by the cloth rag.
“Whoa!” Harper stepped back in haste.
Sean moved quickly, putting his body between her and the flame. She moved to his side, and he turned his attention back to the experiment. He was amazed that someone could place the items near anything flammable and get away before the fire actually started. He surmised aloud, “If someone wanted to make a larger, quicker fire, they could simply do what you just did and throw a match onto the material.”
John grinned widely, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “Exactly! This, ladies and gentlemen, is a Fenian’s Fire.”
Harper, Sean, and Jonas looked at John as he continued to explain. “It’s believed that white phosphorus mixed with carbon disulfide was first used by the Finian arsonists in Ireland in the 1800s.” John continued to look back down at the burned remains and shake his head slowly, murmuring, “It’s fascinating, isn’t it? Just fascinating.”
Thanking John for his information, Sean watched as John reached out and took Harper’s hand, saying, “Anytime you want another demonstration, just let me know.” Fighting the urge to jerk John’s hand away from Harper, he smiled when she stepped away and said goodbye to the technician.
Once they were back outside, she said goodbye to Jonas and then turned to Sean. “Are we still on for tonight?”
“Absolutely. Looking forward to it.”
“I didn’t ask you where we’re going. What should I wear?”
“I thought we’d go to the Inner Harbor. So, dress comfortably and make sure you wear a coat. I thought after dinner we might go for a boat ride.” Her eyes lit, and he was thrilled to see that he had chosen well.
She reached down, placed her hand on his arm and gave a little squeeze. “I’ll see you tonight. I can’t wait.”
Driving back to headquarters, he tried to focus on the date that night, but the demonstration they had just been given filled his mind. Glancing sideways, he asked Jonas, “Did John seem over-excited with his fire exhibition?”
Jonas glanced toward him and sighed. “Yeah, I was going to say something to you about that. I know the pyromaniac is supposedly the least common type of arsonist, and yet, seeing that guy in action made me realize how someone can get excited just by figuring out how to start fires.”
Pulling into the headquarters’ parking lot, Sean scrubbed his hand over his face, feeling the need for another cup of coffee.
“I still think this calls for a little black dress.”
Harper looked over at Sandy, who was pulling clothes out of Harper’s closet. Her gaze moved back to the bed. “I’ve told you, Sandy, this isn’t that kind of date. We’re going to the Inner Harbor, and it’s cold tonight. The last thing I want is my hooha freezing in an LBD!”
Sandy whirled around, her blonde ponytail whipping with the motion and her blue eyes sparkling. “Harper, that’s the point of having a gorgeous guy as your date. When your hooha gets cold, he’s there to warm it up!”
“First of all, I don’t know Sean well enough to have him warming my hooha. Second of all, he sure as hell isn’t going to be warming it right in the middle of the Inner Harbor!”
The two women stared at each other before bursting into laughter. Sandy walked out of her closet and plopped down on the bed. “Remember when we first met? How much fun we had getting ready to go out?”
Harper sat down next to her, and both women flopped backward on the bed, staring at the ceiling. “Yeah. The crazy thing is, back when we were in college we had no idea how the real world worked. Life seemed so much more carefree back then.”
“Back then, all it had to be about was boys,” Sandy sighed. “At least, it started out that way.”
She heard the wistfulness in Sandy’s voice but knew she would not talk about what had changed her. “Now, it’s bills, bosses, responsibility, and those boys are men.”
“Well, damn the bills, bosses, and responsibility.” Sandy visibly shoved aside her pensiveness and grinned widely. “But hallelujah to those boys now being men!”
Harper pushed off the bed. “If I’m going to be ready when a certain man comes to pick me up, I’ve got to get dressed!”
Sandy sat up and looked at the clothes strewn around. “Okay, girlfriend. Since you want to be warm, how about a skirt with boots? Pair it with a sexy top, but you’ll have a jacket over that.”
“I like the way you’re now thinking.”
With a new mission, they begin looking at her clothes anew, finally deciding on a black light wool skirt that stopped just above her knees, black boots with a modest heel, and a jewel-tone blue sweater with a scoop neck that showed just a hint of cleavage. With her auburn hair hanging in a sleek sheet down her back, she fastened silver hoop earrings in her ears. She had a light hand with makeup but made sure to accentuate her eyes. Finishing with several silver bangle bracelets, she turned around and faced Sandy, saying, “What do you think?”
“Oh, my God, you’re gorgeous as always, Harper.” Sandy threw her arms around her, pulling her in for a hug. Stepping back, her gaze dropped to the splint on Harper’s wrist. “You can even make a cast look sexy.”
Rolling her eyes, Harper quickly hung the other clothes back into the closet before getting her small black purse. Placing her wallet, keys, and phone inside, she startled as Sandy took the purse from her hands and shoved something inside.
“Did you stick condoms in my purse?”
Sandy huffed. “Always be prepared.”
“I’m not having sex tonight!”
Sandy rolled her eyes. “That’s the point about being prepared. No one says you have to... but if you choose to, then nothing’s stopping you.”
Harper’s lips began to curve into a gentle smile. “Sean seems perfectly capable of being prepared for anything.”
Her smile wide, Sandy winked. “I knew I’d like him!” She walked closer, wrapped her arms around Harper, and offered a tight squeeze. “I’m happy for you, honey.”
“Oh, Sandy. I’ve just met him. This is nothing more than a first date. And you know how first dates go… they often end up being the one and only date.”
“I know... believe me, I’m the queen of first dates. But I get a different feeling about this.”
Shaking her head, she said, “I hate to put too much stock into what this date may or may not be. Right now, I like what I know about him, and I just want to get to know more.” Holding the gaze of her best friend, she added, “And that’s what I’d like for you, too.”
Sandy laughed. “Oh, my goodness. You know me… I’m just ready for a good time.”
“Sandy, this is me. You don’t have to pretend with me.”
Sighing, her shoulders slumped, and Sandy nodded. “I know. I just don’t know that I’m cut out for more than a few laughs.”
“One day you’ll find a prince.”
Sandy snorted. “A prince? Hell, I’d settle for just a good man.”
“There are good men out there. Maybe you’re just not looking in the right places.”
Sandy’s shoulders lifted in a slight shrug. “Maybe I’d li
ke somebody to look for me.” A sad specter moved through her eyes, then, giving her head a shake, Sandy brightened when the security buzzer rang.
Harper buzzed Sean up, and a moment later she threw open the door, allowing him to come in. His eyes were locked on her, and he smiled. “You’re beautiful.”
Blushing, her gaze was devouring him. Dressed in dark slacks and a deep blue shirt, he had paired these with a lighter blue tie. Instead of his suit jacket, he wore a black leather jacket, giving off a casual sense of style as well as looking hot as sin.
“I think the way you two are looking at each other is my cue to leave,” Sandy quipped.
Jerking out of her musings, Harper blushed. “Sean, I’d like you to meet my very best friend, Sandy. Sandy, this is Sean McBride.”
Sean dragged his gaze away from Harper, smiled at Sandy, and shook her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Lifting an eyebrow, Sandy grinned. “Likewise.” Moving to Harper and giving her a hug, she said, “Have fun, kids. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” With a final wink, she laughed, walking out the door.
“You really do look absolutely beautiful,” Sean said, taking her light wool jacket from her hands and holding it out.
He assisted as she slid her arms into the coat sleeves and then held open her door, ushering her through. He checked to make sure her door was locked, and as they turned to walk down the hall, Daniel came out of his apartment.
He looked surprised as his gaze moved between Harper and Sean. She introduced the two men, then noticed the hammer in Daniel’s hand. “Don’t tell me you’re having to work this evening?”
He wiggled his eyebrows. “It’s time to earn some more pie.” As Harper burst into laughter, Daniel nodded and said, “Have a nice time.”
As Sean and Harper walked out of the building heading to his SUV, she explained Daniel’s comment. “He’s the paid handyman for the apartment building, but a few of the older, single women make sure to tip him in food. I’m not sure if they’re hoping to get lucky or just want to make sure he keeps coming around!”
“Well, while he heads to someone’s apartment for his dessert, we’re going to the Inner Harbor for our food.” Sean offered his hand, assisting her into his vehicle.
He hesitated as she buckled in, their faces close, and she breathed him in, relishing the light woodsy cologne. Watching as he moved back to the driver's side, she wondered if she would get lucky that night as well.
13
Sean tried to keep his mind on the conversation as they drove downtown to the Inner Harbor, but the delicate vanilla scent wafting off Harper was distracting. When she had opened the door to her apartment, his breath caught in his throat. The blue sweater that dipped at the neckline showed just enough of her tantalizing curves to completely capture his attention while yet being modest. He hoped he was not rude meeting her friend but could not keep his eyes off Harper.
After Sandy had left and he held up her coat for her to slip on, his eyes dropped to her ass, perfectly cupped in the tight skirt. Even the man across the hall barely registered as Sean’s gaze stayed pinned on Harper, and Sean was used to memorizing faces.
After parking in one of the garages servicing the Inner Harbor, he assisted her from the SUV. Once leaving the garage, they crossed the main street, then slowed their walk to a casual stroll as they made their way around the cobblestone sidewalks.
Hope City had a thriving shipping harbor slightly south of where they stood, but this area was for pedestrians. Shops and restaurants, high-end eateries mixed with casual dining, it was a place for locals and tourists alike to enjoy. The water lapped against the concrete edge and the lights glistened off the undulating surface
A cool breeze hit them as soon as they stepped from between two buildings and he noted Harper shiver. Without thinking, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her tighter into his side.
She looked up at him and smiled, her arm sliding around his waist as they continued to walk, her side plastered next to his.
“I didn’t ask what kind of food you like to eat,” he said. “We can go anywhere you’d like.”
“I don’t think I’ve found any food that I don’t like! What are you in the mood for?”
He wanted to say ‘you’, but instead asked, “Do you like seafood?”
“Absolutely!”
“Have you ever eaten at Charlie’s Fish House?”
Her face lit as her smile widened. “I haven’t eaten there in a long time. But I know it’s fabulous.”
He glanced down at her boots and said, “It’s on the other side of the Inner Harbor. Are your feet gonna be okay walking?”
“Oh, yeah, I’ll be fine.”
They walked for almost twenty minutes to get to the other side of the Inner Harbor, weaving through the people that were enjoying the evening and listening to the musicians that had set their chairs around, playing for donations. Once at the restaurant, he was glad to see that the line was not long. Giving his name to the hostess, they decided to sit outside near the water while they waited.
Sitting on a bench, he kept his arm around her shoulders, and she leaned into him. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” She breathed deeply. “I’ve always loved this area and don’t come down here enough. When Sandy and I were in college, we’d hit some of the shops and bars around.”
“When you start working it’s a lot harder to find time to do things that you just enjoy.”
She twisted slightly in his arms and peered up into his face. “You’re so right. I love this area of the country, and I love Hope City. But when I got out of college and started working full time, well,” she shrugged, “it seemed like life just became all about work.”
The handheld buzzer vibrated, and he stood, reaching out to assist Harper to her feet. With his hand resting on her back, he escorted her to the front of the restaurant where he handed the device to the hostess. Following her, he was glad to see that they were placed at a corner booth.
Seeing Harper have difficulty sliding her coat off because of her splinted wrist, he stepped forward. “Here, let me help.” Once accomplished, he laid her coat on the booth bench along with his leather jacket.
The interior of Charlie’s Fish House was paneled in dark wood, and at night, with dim lights and candles on the tables, it gave the restaurant an intimate feel. Staring at the woman sitting across from him, the candlelight caught the auburn highlights in her hair and made her dark brown eyes glow. “You really are beautiful, Harper.” He reached across the table and linked his fingers with hers.
She blushed, smiling her pleasure, and gave his hand a squeeze. Once they ordered, she looked up and said, “Tell me how you got into arson investigation.”
He opened his mouth, beginning a protest of the subject when she jumped in. “I’m not trying to talk about work, Sean. I just really want to know more about you.”
He shrugged, a little uneasy talking about himself but pleased that she wanted to know about him. “I thought about college after high school, but my father had served in the military before working for the FBI and it was something that I wanted to do.” Chuckling, he added, “But then at eighteen years old, does anyone really know what they want to do?”
She squeezed his hand and nodded her understanding. “My brother was the same way.”
“After boot camp, I was accepted into Military Police training, and getting a security clearance was no problem since my dad was in the FBI. It was basic to begin with… learning military and civil laws, jurisdiction, investigating collecting evidence, traffic and crowd control, security, arrest and restraint of suspects. Pretty much anything a civilian police officer would learn, with the added aspects of military life. I spent a tour overseas, and to be perfectly honest, it was rough. We were not only looking for enemy personnel and hostile activity but also having to police our own. I knew with specialized training I could become a dog handler, drug control, explosives patrol, and several other specialties, but I was really in
terested in becoming a criminal investigator.”
“With your father being in the FBI, I’m not surprised that was something that you leaned toward,” she said, still holding his hand.
They were interrupted when the server brought their food, and both laughed at the large servings placed in front of them. Each had opted for the seafood platter, his fried and hers broiled. Shrimp, scallops, fish, and crab threatened to spill off their plates. At Charlie’s, the sides came in big bowls placed in the middle of the table and included garlic mashed potatoes, coleslaw, and hush puppies.
“Oh, my, you were so right when you said I was a big eater!” Harper’s eyes were wide as she stared at her plate.
“God, don’t remind me… I was such an ass when I said that,” he groaned. “It sounded more complimentary in my head.”
“Well, tonight, I’m definitely going to need a doggy bag.”
“I’m not sure I can eat all of this, but I’m going to give it my best try.”
Their conversation slowed as they dug into their meals, murmurs of delight being met with moans of satisfaction. Finally, leaning back and patting her stomach, she said, “I don’t think I can eat another bite.”
Sean looked down, pleased to see that she had eaten most of her meal and not surprised to see almost all of his consumed as well. Sipping on their wine, she prodded, “Tell me more about being an investigator.”
“I finished my Associates Degree while an MP and then applied to CID school. It was another fifteen weeks of courses and then I was back for an overseas tour. I found the work to be stimulating and had already decided that after my enlistment was over I would get out and join the Hope City Police Department.”
Holding his gaze, she asked, “And arson?”
Grinning, he said, “Do you plan on ferreting out all my secrets?”
“I can’t help it. I’m naturally curious and really want to know.”
A Hope City Duet Page 33