Fire Setters: A Shane Investigations: A gripping crime thriller filled with heart-melting romance and mystery

by Debra Erfert

  “I would’ve told you about it . . . tomorrow,” Candice whispered.

  “Candice, I’m your intern. You’re even paying for my college tuition. I hope that means we’re friends, too, and that I’m not just some stupid little airhead trainee you’re putting up with.”

  “Oh, Liz, of course you’re not an airhead. And I do consider us friends. I . . . I’m just not used to—to sharing, that’s all. I’ve been on my own since I was seventeen. I mean, I usually only have the radio on for company.”

  “I want you to know you can tell me anything,” Liz said softly, “and I promise to take it to my grave. The ‘cone of silence’ will always be activated unless you say otherwise.”

  “Cone of silence,” Candice repeated. “You watch too much old TV, but as long as we don’t start yelling at each other, I think I’d like that.”

  “And whenever we talk about men,” Liz whispered conspiratorially, “the cone doubles in thickness.”

  She laughed at her first girlfriend chat she’d ever had. She’d never really opened up to anybody, until Alex. But she didn’t know if she could confide in this young woman who was offering her that kind of friendship.

  “Like, I’d never mention the fact that the cute detective keeps hitting on you, even in front of your boyfriend—”

  “Ex-boyfriend,” Candice corrected her, shaking her head. “You picked up on Patrick’s flirting?”

  “Candice, anyone with eyes can see he has a thing for you,” she whispered. “I know Alex can see it. Are you sure he’s an ex?”

  Candice’s gaze drifted over to the kitchen. “I broke up with him right after our university graduation. He had just applied to the Phoenix PD, plus some of the surrounding cities. That’s when I knew he was serious about being a police officer, and I . . . I just couldn’t live with a man knowing that, at the end of each day, I might never see him again.”

  Liz’s dark brows scrunched together. “So instead of waiting for something terrible that might never happen, you split up.” She leaned closer. “Didn’t leaving him break your heart?”

  Candice subtly nodded, and kept her voice low enough it didn’t carry across to the kitchen. “It tore my heart out. But I think I’d die if he was killed.”

  Liz reached up and took her hand. “You’re letting your fears decide your destiny. Isn’t one day of joy with someone you love worth more than never being happy at all?”

  “I am happy. I don’t sit at home pouting. I go out on dates, you know that.”

  “You go out on business dates with men who do you favors, but that’s not the same as being with someone you love. You do love Alex, don’t you?” she whispered, intensely searching Candice’s eyes.

  Alex handed Patrick the cabinet door, but the tears in Candice’s eyes made him blurry. “I don’t think I ever stopped,” Candice replied just as quietly.

  “It must’ve hurt him, too, and yet he’s here with you. I think he still loves you.”

  “He told me that after I was shot.”

  “Okay,” Alex said, coming toward her, “we’re done, Candice. Now I want you to get some things together so I can take you to my folks’ house tonight.”

  Candice sat up, not believing what she’d heard. “What?”

  Alex stopped in front of her and crossed his arms over his broad chest, looking as determined as she’d ever seen.

  “Alex, I’m not leaving,” Candice told him, but before he could respond, she said, “This is my home, and I’m not going to let anyone run me out. Not a mad gunman, nor a man with a gun who saved my life.”

  “Candice, it’s not safe for you to be here,” Patrick said, taking Alex’s side.

  She shook her head. “I’m not debating this. I’m staying. And you can’t force me to, either. I can take on both of you and still sleep in my own bed tonight.”

  “Oh, believe her,” Liz said. “I’ve seen her belts hanging in her room.”

  “Belts?” Patrick asked.

  “She holds a red belt in Taekwondo,” Liz announced proudly. “She’s working on her black belt.”

  “I never knew . . .” Alex scrubbed a hand over his mouth, continuing to stare at her. He could’ve been deciding if he wanted to try to take her on, or if he wanted to cheat and wave that bloody piece of gauze in front of her face.

  “I’ll stay with her,” Liz volunteered. “I’ll make sure she’s okay, and I’ll listen for glass breaking. I’ll even sleep with my phone in my hand, just in case.”

  “You can’t protect me wherever I go, Alex,” Candice told him softly. “I have to go on as if it hadn’t happened, or I’ll go crazy with paranoia.” After a few more moments of heavy contemplation, he finally relaxed his arms and slowly knelt in front of her, taking her hand in his.

  “I can’t help it if I’m going to worry about you,” Alex said just loud enough for her to hear.

  “I know,” Candice whispered, “because you’re in love with me.” His dimples dug deep into his cheeks as his eyes sparkled with affection.

  “Yeah,” he said, “I am.” He gently ran his fingers along her cheek, and she laid her face in his palm, feeling the warmth of his strong hand.

  “You should go home and get some sleep, Alex. I’ll see you tomorrow. We can talk then.”

  Chapter 11

  THE PHONE WOKE Candice up from a deep, much needed sleep. She grabbed it off her nightstand and answered, “Hello?”

  “Candice, it’s Meagan Leavitt.”

  She looked at her clock glowing in the dark. “What happened, Meagan? It’s almost midnight.”

  “Joshua’s run away!”

  Candice sat up and kicked off the covers, before turning on the lamp. “When was the last time you saw him?”

  “It was when I put the children down for a nap, about four this afternoon,” she said in a rush. “Kyle’s been out looking for him, driving around this neighborhood and then he backtracked to our house, but he hasn’t been able to find any sign of him. Candice, I don’t know what to do.”

  “Have you called the police?”

  “Closer to seven, but they just took a report and left. They said he’d probably show back up when he got hungry. Candice, can you help us? I’m so worried.”

  “Did they take a picture with them?”

  “Yes, Kyle had one in his wallet. Why?”

  “Because I’m sure they put out an Amber Alert on him, Meagan, which means every police car, and everybody on the freeway across town, and everybody who watched TV tonight would have seen his picture already and are aware that he’s missing. I’ll be dressed in a few minutes.” Liz stood in the bedroom doorway, listening. “And then my partner and I will spend the rest of the night looking for him. Don’t worry, Meagan, we’ll find him. You need to stay at home in case he returns on his own. If he does, call me, okay?”

  “Yes, Candice. I will. Thank you.”

  Candice disconnected her phone. “Did you get any sleep?” she asked Liz.

  “Two hours.” Liz yawned. “I had some studying to do first. How about you?”

  “It took a while before I fell asleep.” Candice got up and strode to her closet. “I couldn’t shut my mind off. You better get dressed if you’re coming with me. I could really use another pair of eyes out there.”

  “Sure thing, Candice.”

  Candice had lent her a pair of PJs, so she didn’t have to sleep in her blue jeans, and made up the sofa sleeper for her before she went to bed. Candice was ready to leave in less than ten minutes and out the door five minutes after that. Of course, she kept an eye open for a white pickup that had two sets of tires on the back axel. She didn’t have to be paranoid to know somebody was out to kill her.

  “Where are we going to look?” Liz asked, yawning.

  “I ran away a few times when I was a kid.”

  “No, you didn’t,” Liz said in disbelief.

  “Uh-huh. I was very unhappy when I was a child.” Candice remembered how she felt after her parents were killed. “I caused my gr
andfather so much trouble I’m surprised he didn’t drop me off at the closest orphanage.”

  “Orphanage? Candice, I didn’t know you lost your parents.” Candice could feel Liz staring at her in the dark.

  “Yeah, when I was eight, and then I came to live with my grandparents here in Phoenix. I was very confused and—and angry that my mom and dad had left me. Those first two years were very difficult for the both of us, and I just knew nobody understood what I felt like, so . . . I ran away.”

  “Do you have an idea where Joshua might have gone?”

  “Well, I found the nearest empty house. Our neighbors had gone on vacation and left a window unlocked. I slipped inside and cried myself to sleep. The police found the open window, and me, the next morning.” She glanced at Liz. “Let’s see what kind of isolated places there are around Grandfather’s place now.”

  “Why there?”

  “That’s where our clients are living until their house is rebuilt.”

  “They’re living with your grandfather?”

  Candice sighed. “No, Liz. My grandfather died when I was seventeen. My grandmother died shortly after I had arrived in Phoenix.”

  “Oh, I thought you left home when you were seventeen. I didn’t realize that you were orphaned then,” Liz whispered. “I’m sorry, Candice.”

  “Don’t be sorry. I’ve learned a lot from my life.” Candice pointed out her window. “That’s my driveway. We’ll loop around the neighborhood and look for deserted places.” She slowed down and kept the headlights on bright, which made a few other drivers ticked off when they passed by. “I think I remember an old barn a mile or so down the road. The owners let their orchard get run down. I don’t think they’ve harvested anything for years. That would be a great place to hide out.”

  “Are you going to call Alex?” Liz asked.

  “What for?”

  “To see if he can help look for Joshua.”

  “Liz, Alex probably already knows about him running away. The Amber Alert should’ve set off an audible tone on his smartphone, giving Joshua’s name and how long he’s been gone.” She glanced at her intern. “My phone came with the same app, but I turned off the alert notice. They’re extremely annoying and have a tendency to go off at the most inconvenient times.” Like when she was on stakeout and hadn’t wanted to be noticed.

  “If I think we need backup, I’ll call him, okay? But really, how hard can it be to bring a twelve-year-old boy back home?” That was when she saw the first sales flag on the side of the road. “What’s this?”

  “Looks like you have a new neighbor,” Liz said, watching the signs go by.

  “Or, rather, a bunch of neighbors,” Candice said. “It looks like the Larsons sold their orchard to a land developer. That’s too bad. I’d like to have bought it. They had a nice house on eighty acres.”

  “And trees,” Liz reminded her.

  “Well, they actually needed to be replaced to make them productive again. But that was no big deal.” Candice sighed. “Now it’s too late.” She slowed her V-dub to take the turn into the entrance of the Encantada Estates. “This looks like a fabulous place to get lost in, don’t you think?”

  “Yeah,” Liz agreed.

  “Look in my backpack—in the front zippered compartment and get the flashlights. We’re going to have a walk around.”

  “Do you think anyone is living here yet?” Liz asked as she found two small Maglites.

  “I don’t think so. It looks like the model homes are finished and they have a few homes well under way. Some look almost finished, but I think the place is deserted.”

  “Where do we start?”

  Candice parked her car in front of the first model home and killed the engine. “I think we look for an open window.”

  “The gates are closed,” Liz said, opening her door.

  Candice grinned at her. “Haven’t you ever jumped a fence before?”

  Liz shook her head. “No. I was never even sent to the principal’s office.”

  “Oh, you good girl,” Candice teased. “I got to know my high school principal on a first name basis.” She got out and pointed her flashlight. “I’ll take the first house. Why don’t you check the windows of the second one.”

  “I . . . guess.”

  “If you see one open, just give me a call and I’ll come over. Don’t go inside.” Liz’s wide eyes stared at the impressive home. “If you get scared for any reason, call me and I’ll come running. Understood?”

  “Yes, I do,” Liz said, her voice so quiet Candice almost missed it.

  Candice could tell by her hesitation that she was uneasy about being out here after midnight, and then having to go off alone, but she wasn’t going far. Candice would be able to hear her if she got into trouble.

  “Good, let’s get this done. Remember, Joshua is alone, too. And he’s probably scared.”

  “He should be,” Liz muttered under her breath.

  It was loud enough for Candice to hear, but she had to agree with her. The second time Candice ran away, she was almost abducted by a stranger before the police found her. She’d never been so scared in her life, but it didn’t stop her from running away again.

  The four model homes were all enclosed together with a low wrought-iron fence, and it had a curved sidewalk winding along the fronts. Each home’s backyard had a six-foot-tall block wall surrounding them. After she helped Liz over the wall surrounding the four properties, they each took a house and started pushing against windows. When Candice reached the block wall separating the backyard from the front, she easily climbed it and jumped in the back. She was impressed with the landscaping the contractor chose. It used very little water yet it had a lot of vegetation. The swimming pool was small, too small in her opinion, but then again, so was the whole backyard. It seemed the developer wanted as much bang for his buck as possible. By the time she made her way into the front yard again, Liz was waiting for her.

  “Any luck?” Liz asked.

  “No. Locked up tight.” Candice motioned to the next house. “Let’s check the other two.”

  “Sure. I can do that,” Liz agreed quickly. The confidence in her voice gave Candice hope. It didn’t take them very long before they found each other again with the same results. No windows were open. “Now where?”

  Candice looked around and sighed a tired breath. “Those new constructions over there can’t be locked up yet. Let’s start with the one on the end and work over from there.” As they walked, she kept her eyes moving, looking around into the darkness for any signs of Joshua changing his mind and going home. Either he used this site as a place to escape from his parents for a while, or he might cut through on his way back home.

  Then she had a horribly troubling thought. What if Zane somehow got a hold of him and they took off together? If Joshua had been in danger before, was he safe from him now? Her heart skipped a beat with that real possibility. Lito and Bobby thought that Joshua had died in the fire, but what if he showed up at school tomorrow? How hard would Zane try to find him and his family? Candice thought maybe a security guard might be a wise thing to have patrolling on Grandfather’s place.

  “Did you want to take this one, and I’ll go through the one across the street?” Candice asked. She watched her intern’s reaction carefully.

  “Sure.” Liz studied the framed structure.

  The exterior sheathing was in place, which meant the interior walls were at least erected. The roofing trusses were bundled on the ground. There were definite places to hide and sleep without being seen. The house across the street was farther along. It had black paper and chicken wire over the two-story frame, and the roof was at least up. Candice left Liz and walked across the silent street then over the dirt yard before she pushed open the front door that was ajar. It was a beautiful Southwestern rough-hewn custom job without its hardware. She’d seen this type of door before. They weren’t standard in any construction. It was a high-end upgrade. Using her flashlight, Candice lit up the interi
or. The Saltillo tiles covered not only the entryway but the kitchen and hallway as well. They ended at the family room where off-white Berber carpet was laid.

  “Oh, that shouldn’t be installed yet,” she said to nobody. The exterior stucco hadn’t been applied yet the cabinets were already in place.

  Candice checked the garage. Nothing but paint cans and remnant drywall. The dining room was exposed to the family room and completely empty. The staircase was also carpeted in the same off-white Berber, and her footsteps were silent as she climbed.

  The first two bedrooms were small and very empty; so were the closets. The third room was bigger, but not by much. Its closet could be considered a walk-in by some standards, just not Candice’s. By the time she reached the master bedroom, she was so disgusted by the quality of the architect’s design that she promised herself she’d find out his name and make sure she never used him for any construction. The rooms were small and cramped. The layout was cookie cutter in format. No originality or style. Her grandfather must have been a dying breed of architect, and it made her appreciate his house—her house—that much more.

  After Candice cleared the master bedroom and closet, she found the bathrooms didn’t look like they’d been used, so she strode downstairs, but she’d barely touched the front door when she heard Liz’s terrifying scream. “Liz!” Her apprentice didn’t have any intensive self-defense training, or even the simplest knowledge of how to break away from somebody grabbing her. It was something she’d neglected to teach her, and it would be Candice’s fault if she were hurt.

  Candice flew out of the house at a dead run. She could see her struggling with a large, dark figure on her back. He didn’t stay there long. Candice hit him at full force, tripping him to the ground. She stood between them when the man rolled around and started to get up. He wasn’t down very long. Candice pushed Liz back and took a defensive stance, her hands in fists, in preparation of taking him out—until she saw the patch on his jacket.

  “Are you security?” Candice asked, nearly shouting. Then Liz lit him up with her flashlight, and Candice was able to see his surprised, young face and uniform jacket.