The One Who Watches

by Emerald O'Brien

  “On our way.” Grace ended the call. “Raven’s house is on fire.”

  Mac grabbed his keys. “We’ll take my car.”

  Grace nodded, and they rushed out the door.

  Two firetrucks blocked vehicle access to Raven’s road, and Melanie parked the car behind them. They had barely stopped, and Madigan jumped out and ran past the trucks. Two firemen operated separate hoses, both aimed at Raven’s house, one through the broken front window and the other at the second storey. All the neighbours from the subdivision stood around, watching as they worked to put out the fire.

  “Whoa, ma’am, you can’t go past there,” a fireman shouted at her from their truck.

  Madigan ran to one of the firemen on the ground. “Raven Lockwood, was she in there?”

  The fireman ignored her and continued to jog to one of the hoses.

  “Raven,” Melanie hollered into the crowd of people from not far behind.

  An ambulance siren wailed, pulling up behind the firetrucks, and one of the paramedics spoke to a fireman. Madigan got closer to hear them.

  “…don’t know, but two of our men are in there right now.”

  “Okay, we’ll send two more,” the paramedic said, grabbing his radio and nodding to the other.

  Smoke billowed out the front window, and flames lined the window to Raven’s bedroom. A loud crumbling noise crackled inside, and one of the firemen shouted something inaudible. They aimed one of the hoses through the front door, no door remaining on the hinge.

  Melanie grabbed her arm. “Do you see anything? Do you see her?”

  “No.”

  Another ambulance wailed in the background, breaking her focus from the house, and she turned back to the firemen.

  Jack. Is he here?

  She jogged around the trucks as Melanie stood in front of one of them, facing the house in awe.

  “Let ‘er go now!” a fireman shouted, and the hose aimed at the front door moved to the open front window, spraying through it, but barely doing anything to the roaring fire within.

  “Front door!” another shouted.

  Madigan ran back to Melanie’s side as a fireman emerged from the house and ripped off his face mask.

  Not Jack.

  He coughed as two firemen jogged to him and propped him up. “Cooper!”

  “…in there… couldn’t…more right there!” Cooper pointed to the front door and tried to turn around.

  Couldn’t? What couldn’t he do?

  “Whoa, no.” One of the men propped Cooper up and pulled him away as the other waved the firemen with the hose closer and pointed to the front door.

  Madigan turned to Melanie, her face glowing with the reflection of the flames, as the firemen approached.

  “Was she in there?” Melanie shouted. “Is she still in there?”

  One of the firemen held his arm up and helped Cooper pass. Soot and ash covered his uniform, and he hung his head, coughing.

  The third fireman ran toward the front door as a figure emerged in the doorway. A fireman holding something big in his arms.

  “Raven!” Melanie screamed and ran toward her.

  A police officer came from out of nowhere and pulled Melanie back as the fireman handed the motionless body to the other, then dropped to his knees while Madigan’s heart pounded in her ears.

  Please no. Not Jack.

  Her heartbeat drowned out any other sounds as the bright fire ahead backlit the fireman on his knees. Another one grabbed at his arms and tugged the mask off his face.

  Jack.

  Melanie’s screams echoed through the street, calling Raven’s name as paramedics lifted her body onto the stretcher. Melanie caught up with them and grabbed Raven’s hand, jogging away with her.

  Blue and red lights flashed across Jack’s soot-covered face as his fellow firemen fought to lift him onto another stretcher with the medics. Madigan took a step forward, her legs shaking, and another, one foot, then the other, until she reached the stretcher. They tucked Jack’s arms and legs in, and his eyes fluttered open and closed as he gasped for air and they ripped open his jacket.

  “Jack,” she said, her normal voice startling her as his eyes opened and made eye contact.

  Fear flashed before his eyes, and she reached out to him. “Jack.”

  The firemen cleared the stretcher as the paramedics took hold, wheeling him toward the ambulance. Madigan followed behind them as his eyes opened and closed.

  He’s fighting to stay awake. Fighting for breath.

  They jogged with him, and she couldn’t keep up.

  “Jack,” she shouted as someone grabbed her arm and shoulder, and she reached out to him, but his eyes remained closed.

  The paramedics loaded him into the ambulance, and a fireman followed him in. As the doors shut, she fought against the person holding her back, struggling to catch her breath between her choked cries.

  “Madigan!” Grace’s voice shouted, and she turned, wide-eyed, staring at her sister.

  “Jack,” she muttered. “Jack, he’s—”

  “I know,” Grace said in her ever-calm voice. “We’ll follow behind to the hospital.”

  Madigan followed Grace and Mac, passing two firemen behind one of the trucks talking “…all those candles… he said…had to be more than ten in one room.”

  The candles. Did she go to sleep with all the candles lit?

  “Right here,” Grace said, pointing to a car.

  Madigan turned back, a familiar face catching her eye. The teen from across the street stood behind the emergency vehicles, his eyes glossed over with tears. She caught his eye, and he stumbled toward her shaking his head.

  Mac got in the driver’s side, and Grace opened the back door for her, but waited as the teen stopped in front of them.

  “I’m sorry,” he cried. “I should have called you.”

  “What?” Madigan stammered. “I don’t understand.”

  “You told me to call you if I saw anything…”

  She grabbed his shoulders. “What did you see?”

  “The car. It came back.”

  “When? Did you get the license plate?”

  “Today, after I got home from school.” He wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt. “I didn’t get the plate. It was leaving as I came in. I should have called you.”

  “Black car? Did you see the driver?”

  “Dark gray. I’m sorry. This is my fault. I didn’t see them. I didn’t realize until it passed me.”

  “It’s not your fault. You call me if you remember anything else about it, okay?”

  He nodded, and she squeezed his shoulders before turning back to Grace.

  “Melanie,” she muttered, “where’s Melanie?”

  “Probably going to the hospital too.”

  Madigan ducked into the back seat, and Grace closed the door after her. Mac peeled away from the curb, and they raced out of the subdivision, catching up with one of the ambulances.

  He’s in there, scared. He’s fighting for his life.

  “I can’t lose him,” Madigan muttered, her body trembling in the back seat.

  “I know,” Grace said.

  I can’t lose him.

  Thirty-Four

  Grace strode back to the beige waiting room lined with plastic chairs and stopped in front of Madigan as she appeared in the doorway, waiting for her. Madigan’s pale face turned a lighter shade of white, and Mac promised to stay with her while Grace got some answers.

  “They’re being treated for smoke inhalation, and one has minor burns,” Grace said, and Mac stood. “X-rays and blood tests are being taken. They are considering hyperbaric oxygenation for Raven. That’s all I know right now, and they’re busy taking care of them. They’re in good hands.”

  Madigan nodded once, but Grace could see the worry in her sister’s face that wouldn’t go away until she knew both Raven and Jack would be okay.

  “I should have been watching her,” Madigan mumbled.

  “You can’t
blame yourself,” Mac said.

  “She told me to take today off. I watched Paul Rothman all yesterday until this morning and nothing. I had eyes on him the whole time, and she thought she was safe. Then, after you told me you caught the guy who was actually doing this—”

  “We caught a man who had plans, specifically regarding Raven. I told you there was still work to do but we had the suspect in custody. I’m sorry if I gave you the impression that Raven was safe.” Grace turned to Mac. “We need to find the cause of this fire and whether it was an accident. I don’t want to jump to conclusions.”

  “I’ll speak to the firemen.” Mac stood and left the room.

  Madigan paced the width of the room with her arms crossed. “I shouldn’t have left her alone. That kid told me a car he didn’t recognize had been going by there for the past week, and he saw it again this afternoon. Again, when I wasn’t watching Paul Rothman.”

  “Mad, you’re a P.I., not a bodyguard, and Raven knew that. This could have been an accident.”

  “Pretty big coincidence, don’t you think?” Madigan shook her head. “I’m sorry. It’s just…”

  Jack.

  “I know.” Grace licked her lips and ran her tongue along her bottom teeth.

  “What?” Madigan asked.

  “I’m really sorry for any miscommunication with you.”

  Madigan shook her head. “No, you’re right. You didn’t say Raven was safe. Just that the person who was sending her things was in custody. You didn’t rule anyone out. I ran with the rest.”

  “Have you spoken to the Holdens?”

  “The firemen contacted them.” Madigan twisted the pendant on her necklace. “I heard them in the hall. What if the person you thought was after Raven wasn’t the only one? What if the man you caught was working with someone? Or what if she was being followed by Paul Rothman too?”

  “It’s something the Amherst P.D. is investigating now, and I was supposed to go tomorrow and question the man we locked up. I still have some things to look into…”

  It doesn’t make sense. Who else would want everyone involved in the investigation dead?

  Mac marched back into the room. “The firemen had a hard time getting into her place. Door jams on the front and rear entrances.”

  “That’s my fault. I got those for her.”

  “Well, they said the back window was broken when they arrived, and they don’t know yet if it was caused by the fire. The front window broke naturally from the heat of the fire. This isn’t an official statement or conclusion, and they’re pretty preoccupied with two of their men getting medical treatment.”

  “It doesn’t feel right,” Madigan said.

  Mac sighed. “We can only focus on what we can control. Facts. Our support.”

  “You’re right.” Madigan paced back and forth in front of the doorway. “I’m going to stay with Raven and make sure nothing else happens to her. As soon as she has a room, I’m not leaving it. I have to prepare. I’m getting coffee. You guys want anything?”

  “Thanks.” Mac raised his hand.

  Grace shook her head, and Madigan left.

  “She’s not wrong.” Grace rested her hands on her hips. “The odds of this being an accident are slim. Even the firemen think so.”

  “What are you thinking?”

  “I think I need to go back over the files and see if anyone else related to Donelle’s case would have a reason to want Raven dead.”

  “We went over the files several times.”

  “If it’s not about Donelle’s case, maybe Madigan’s right, and Raven’s stalker was someone else. I’m going to look into the case again first, and I’m starting with all the names involved. I want to contact everyone. Especially Detective Newcomb.”

  “But he’s on vacation, right?”

  “Yes, and I left a message for him. I’m going to try again in the morning.” Grace stepped into the doorway.

  Several firemen lined the end of the hall, standing in silence.

  “If someone was trying to make Raven’s death look like an accident,” Grace said, “this wouldn’t be a bad option—except for the potential break-in. That would fall in line with Gaines and all the others on his list. The ones crossed off. All looked like suicide or an accident. I want to go back to Raven’s house in the morning.”

  “I can come, too, but I have to leave to pick up Kenzie for my weekend around noon.”

  “Right. You could go now and get some rest.”

  “And leave you?” He stepped in front of her. “Not happening.”

  Madigan returned with a coffee in each hand. “Any updates?”

  “Not yet,” Grace said.

  “Thanks.” Mac took the cup without taking his eyes off Grace.

  This is a terrible night, but it would be worse without Mac.

  Madigan plunked herself in a chair. “As soon as Raven gets a room, I’ll be right outside it until this gets solved.”

  I need to question Raven. If something happened, she might be able to tell us. She might have seen something, or she might be able to confirm it was an accident.

  Madigan, though. She’s being too hard on herself, and she’ll burn out. She needs a break, because much of how she feels right now is about Jack.

  “What about Buster?” Grace asked.

  Madigan slouched in her chair.

  “We could put an officer outside her door so you can get some breaks,” Mac said.

  Madigan crossed her arms over her chest. “That could work.”

  Mac turned back to Grace, and she took a step closer, leaning in toward him to whisper, “Thank you.”

  He squeezed her arm and nodded before taking a seat.

  “I have to make a quick call,” she said and left the room.

  I may not be able to talk to Gaines right now, and Raven’s the one I need to talk to first, but in the meantime, Karlie might be able to help me.

  She walked down the hallway and tapped Karlie Pope’s number on her screen.

  For Raven and Edgar Cull to have each received a bracelet, Karlie wouldn’t have hers.

  “Hello?” Karlie said in a sleepy voice.

  “Karlie, this is Detective Sheppard. We met at the mall regarding my investigation.”

  She cleared her throat. “Oh, yes.”

  “I was at Mr. Gaines’ home, and I saw a picture of you and Donelle. You wore matching bracelets. Do you remember them, and do you still have yours?”

  “No.” She cleared her throat again. “Donnie and I got into a fight just after she started college. I was jealous. I admit it. I was used to being her number one, but she had other priorities. I was immature. Stupid. I gave her the bracelet back.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Yeah. Why?”

  “I appreciate your help, Karlie. I’m sorry to have disturbed you.”

  Grace ended the call and turned back to the waiting room.

  Gaines had both bracelets. He left them both for Raven and Edgar to find.

  Raven didn’t receive anything from Paul Rothman.

  This fire, it really could have been an accident.

  Thirty-Five

  Madigan poked her head into Jack’s room. Mr. and Mrs. Holden stood beside their son’s bed in front of the window as the amber light peeked through the cracks of the blinds.

  “Hi,” Madigan whispered. “May I come in?”

  They both turned to her, and while Mr. Holden waved her in, Mrs. Holden pressed her lips together, her eyes glossing over. “Madigan.”

  Madigan stepped into the room and hugged them both before turning around to face Jack, lying with his eyes closed, sheets tucked up to his shoulders and oxygen tubes in his nose.

  Aleesia sat in the corner by his head, holding his hand, and frowned up at her.

  “Hi,” Madigan whispered.

  “Hi.” Alessia nodded to her and turned back to Jack.

  “Sweetie,” Mrs. Holden said, wiping tears from her cheeks. “How did you hear?”

 
; “I was there, actually.”

  Alessia’s head craned up at her with a shocked expression.

  “Oh dear,” Mr. Holden said.

  “The woman whose house it was, we’re friends,” Madigan whispered. “She was supposed to meet me and someone else at Roy’s, but she didn’t show, so we went to check on her.”

  “Do you know how she is?” Mrs. Holden asked.

  “Stable now,” Madigan said, “but I haven’t been able to see her yet. They still need to get a room for her.”

  “Good,” Mr. Holden whispered. “The other fireman who was inside, Cooper, will be able to go home today, but Jack’s breathing has to be monitored for a while longer.”

  Alessia sniffled, and tears slid down Mrs. Holden’s tanned cheeks once more.

  “I’m glad he’s going to be okay,” Madigan whispered.

  “They don’t know that yet,” Aleesia said. “They have to do more breathing tests. When he’s awake, he coughs and wheezes.”

  Mr. Holden wrapped his arm around his wife, and she leaned into him.

  “Well, if there’s anything I can do,” Madigan said as a nurse walked in and checked his monitor.

  “Okay, he needs rest now,” the nurse said. “You can come back this afternoon, okay? He just needs to regain his strength.”

  Mr. Holden nodded, but no one moved.

  “We’ll be back,” Aleesia whispered to Jack and stood, kissing his lips gently.

  She’s here for him, caring for him. He has someone who loves him. That’s good. But I want to be that person.

  “Can’t I just stay?” Mrs. Holden asked. “Just me. I’ll be quiet. I just want to watch him. Be with him.”

  The nurse set her hands on her hips and turned back to the vitals on the monitor.

  “I think we should go for just a bit,” Aleesia said. “Like the nurse says. Give him time to rest.”

  Mrs. Holden turned to her husband. “I want to stay.”

  “Patients can sometimes exert mental and emotional energy when their loved ones are nearby without anything even happening,” the nurse said. “It’s not your fault, but he probably won’t rest as well if you’re here. He’ll be worried that you’re worried.”