I pointed at the needle marks in his arms. “You’re right, I wouldn’t. But I want you to believe this. If I ever see you around her again, I’ll arrest you and throw your ass in jail.”
“You can’t do that; you’re not a real cop,” he retorted.
“I’ve got a badge and a gun that says otherwise. Now, fuck off.” His mouth opened as if to reply, but I turned my back on him and ran to catch up with Robbie.
She was sitting in the car, staring straight ahead, her arms crossed over her chest, her purse sitting in her lap and the box on the floor between her feet. She looked angry, but I could see the sparkle of tears in her eyes. “Are you all right?” I asked as I got in and looked over at her. She didn’t say a word, only shook her head and continued looking out the window. I saw something move in my rearview mirror and immediately started the car and stomped on the gas, leaving the junkie in my dust.
Once we were across town and had put some distance between us and the hotel, Robbie reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. She tapped on the screen.
“Can you find out who he is from this picture?” She held up the phone and showed me a photo of the man who claimed to be her father.
My smile was full of pride as I nodded and said, “Well, aren’t you the cunning one.” Had I been thinking more as a detective and less as her protector, I would have thought to keep the card the man had handed to me and run it for prints. Probie mistake. “Yeah, I can ask Rosie if she’ll run it through the database. Might take a few days. She’s pretty busy getting ready for dinner with a certain author.”
As I hoped, Robbie smiled and the pink returned to her cheeks. “That’s fine. I just want to know who he really is.”
I glanced at her, feeling instant empathy. “And if he is your father?”
“Then you can arrest him for the murder of our dads.”
“Roger that for sure,” I agreed, wishing I had the legal right to haul his ass in right then. “Still want to go with me to talk with Perla May? I mean, you don’t have to if you’re too upset. I can take you back to your hotel or drop you off at the station.”
She exhaled, the smile gone from her lips. “I’m upset, sure, who wouldn’t be. But let’s keep going. I want answers.”
“Atta girl,” I cheered. “I know you can do this. You will get your answers and use them to face you father again, if he is actually your father. You’ll see that you are not your father’s daughter.”
She shifted in her seat and placed her hand on my arm resting on the console between us. “We will,” she emphasized. “You and I will find the answers together.”
Smiling, I nodded and glanced down at her small hand on my arm. I turned my hand over and slipped it into hers, interlocking our fingers. That’s when I noticed just how beautiful her hands were. Her delicate, red polished, almond-shaped nails were just the right length; not too long that they would scratch you, but not so short that they look like my claws. Her skin was soft and warm, and her bones felt sensually padded with muscle under soft skin, not emaciated like some. I imagined that Robbie’s hands could soothe an angered brow while simultaneously scratching up a woman’s back until she screamed for more.
“You know, I never had a desire to meet my biological father, but I used to imagine what I would do if I did.”
I pushed my fantasy to the back of my mind and asked, “What was that?”
“Slap him across the cheek with a two-by-four for what he did to my mother,” she stated in a calm, flat, conversational tone.
On impulse, I brought her hand to my lips and lightly kissed it. “You are the bravest woman I know, and I will be happy to hold your purse while you do that.”
“You got a deal,” she said, relaxing back into her seat again, letting her hand rest in mine.
We drove the rest of the way in silence, but it was a comforting quiet. I thought about rubbing her palm, caressing her arm, pulling over and taking her in my arms, but I resisted. My libido was taking me places my mind wasn’t ready to go to yet. I needed time to stop comparing every woman I met to Tina, the woman who left me. Okay, in a way, I let her leave me, but it hurt just the same and I needed time to release that hurt. I also was not going to allow myself to be distracted from my job. Too much was at stake and lives depended on me to catching the arsonist. I couldn’t concentrate on the case if I was fantasizing about Robbie.
I slowly, deliberately pulled my hand away, on the pretense that I needed both hands to turn the steering wheel. She left her hand there on the console, as if expecting me to put my hand back after I made the turn. I wanted to. God, I really wanted to, but I didn’t. She finally moved her hand to her lap and looked out the passenger window. I am such a fucking jerk sometimes.
When we arrived, Engine 62 was parked beside what was left of the building. The roof and third floor were gone, and smoke still filtered up in places.
I grabbed the folder with the photos and folded it so I could stuff them into my back jean pocket. Then I opened the trunk to my car and pulled out my fire helmet and handed it to Robbie. I grabbed my camera and put the strap over my neck. Finally, I picked up my hard hat and put it on.
Robbie pulled a scarf from her purse and wrapped it over her head. She looked at me and shrugged. “I don’t know who else you let wear this thing.”
“Like I told you, it’s bad luck to wear someone else’s helmet.”
“If it’s such bad luck, why are you all of a sudden letting me wear it?”
I smiled as I laced the strap under her chin through the buckle and tightened it. Then I gazed into her glistening eyes and replied, “Because, you bring me luck.”
She had a whimsical smile on her lips when she said, “And you confuse me with your charm, but I like that side of you.”
I saw someone out of the corner of my eye. It was Uncle Joe, and when he saw me he stomped toward us. I playfully hid behind Robbie.
She laughed and said, “Coward,” before holding out her hand to stop Joe. “Now, don’t get mad, Chief. I made her come here,” Robbie said, sounding pretty convincing.
“Nice try, Robbie. But no one can force Jordy into doing anything she doesn’t want to do,” he responded and then glared at me. “What the hell, Jordy?”
I could grovel and beg forgiveness or I could just cut to the chase. “Have you found it? Have you found the smiley face?”
He sighed and shook his head. “Yeah, we found it. Follow me.” He walked inside and I put my hand up to stop Robbie.
“I’m going inside for a minute. Just wait out here for me—”
“Nothing doing,” she protested. “I’m coming with you.”
Frowning, I shook my head. “Not going to happen. That building is really unstable, and—”
She put her hands on her hips and declared, “I signed a wavier releasing the department from liability.”
“I don’t care. It’s not safe and you shouldn’t—”
“Are you hearing me?” she asked stubbornly. “I said I was coming with you.”
“And I said you weren’t, damn it.”
“Jordy.” She put her hand on my arm. “It’s okay. I know the risk, and I want to come anyway.”
“Fine,” I groaned, knowing it was useless to argue further. “Let’s go. But do not wander off, understand? Stick close to me in case we have to evacuate quickly.”
“Roger wilco, Bilco,” she quipped.
I turned toward the building, hiding my smile at her stubbornness.
The building was taped off, but there were still a few people milling about on the street. I searched for Perla May, but didn’t see her before we walked inside. The first floor was still intact and surprisingly looked in pretty good shape. From the outside, I could see that the other floors, including the one I had been trapped on, were gone and I questioned how the first floor was able to hold the weight of the other two floors. When we walked inside, I had my answer. They’d used emergency shoring to hold the floor up, probably just until the invest
igation could be completed. Well, the investigator was on the scene, and she was ready to work.
I looked around but didn’t see it. “Okay, so where’s the smiley face?”
Uncle Joe pointed down at my feet.
“Whoa.” I stepped back and turned 360 degrees. The laminate flooring had burned away forming a circle where the accelerant had been placed. But, instead of a smile, the drawing was winking. “That fucking bastard.” I had no way of knowing for sure, but it felt like that was done intentionally for my edification. Whether it was or not, I took it personally.
“Have you taken photos yet?” I asked, pointing my camera at the floor and snapping pictures.
“Yes, Kandyce took some earlier,” Uncle Joe answered.
“Is this the flash point?” I asked, knowing that it couldn’t possibly be. Fire leaves a trail when peroxide is used, and this one did not lead off anywhere.
“No,” he replied. “It was set deliberately but only burned through the accelerant.”
“Did you get a sample of the accelerant for the lab?”
“Of course,” Uncle Joe stated as if the question hurt his feelings. “They should have a report for you in a day or two.”
“Where’s the mechanism that triggered it?” I asked, looking around for a wire or some kind of remote.
The building creaked and dust fell from the ceiling, pinging Robbie on the helmet. Startled, she jumped to the side and looked up.
“Here, let’s talk outside,” Uncle Joe said, taking Robbie’s elbow and leading her out.
Kandyce probably did a fine job taking pictures but I wanted to get my own before the ceiling collapsed, so I took some from every angle. After I was satisfied that I had what I needed, I ran to catch up with Uncle Joe and Robbie. I found them standing alone at the corner of the block, under a streetlight. Strangely, with the sun beginning to fall behind the horizon, the streetlight cast a soft circle of light around the two of them that reminded me of the smiley face.
“Why are you guys standing way down here?” I asked when I caught up with them.
I pulled my hat off and Robbie followed suit, pulling her helmet off and handing it to me.
“Because, we need to talk,” Joe replied.
“You think it’s an inside job, too?” I asked.
He tried to hide his surprise, but failed. “Yeah, I do. Tell me what you’ve got.”
“Suspicions mostly,” I replied. “Deleted files, video of the fire at an angle that could only be shot from inside the zone, and now this smiley face that was drawn within the last few hours, after the fire had been put out.”
Robbie’s mouth gaped open and one eyebrow arched. “I’m impressed,” she said, handing me the box to hold as she pulled out her cell phone.
“Don’t be,” I responded, juggling the box and the two helmets. “When I catch the bastard, then you can be impressed.”
Uncle Joe crossed his arms, reminding me he was still in charge and didn’t like not being in the know. “What files are missing?”
I explained everything Robbie and I had learned about the missing files and about the connection to our father’s deaths. I wouldn’t know for sure until Rosa did her investigation.
“I always had my suspicions about their deaths, but I never dreamed they might have been set up like that. The investigator thought the smiley face was put there as a warning, but when it wasn’t seen again at any other fire, it was all but forgotten.”
“Uncle Joe… were you there?” I asked. “When they died?”
He cleared his throat. “I found them.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Robbie softly cried.
“We were called back to the scene to put out the second fire, and when Jerry didn’t answer my repeated calls, I knew something was wrong. I wasn’t expecting to find Henry, though. He was the fire director by then and didn’t come to the scene anymore.”
“Then why did the newspaper say Henry ordered Jerry inside?” Robbie asked accusingly.
“Uh, because it was a reporter misquoting the facts, again,” I jabbed, stating the obvious.
“Okay, you and I are going to have problems if you keep insulting me like that,” Robbie sniped.
“I wasn’t talking about you,” I protested. “You’re an author, remember? I was talking about reporters in general.”
“Lumping every reporter into one bad one is like saying all the news is fake because you don’t agree with it. We’re not the same. So stop insulting me, understood?”
She wasn’t angry, but she was sincere, and I appreciated that. “Yes, ma’am. I am sorry, I really didn’t include you in that assumption.”
“When we have more time, I’d love to know why you hate reporters so much.”
“I don’t hate reporters… fine. Remind me later.”
“In this case, Robbie,” Uncle Joe interceded. “Jordy’s right. The reporter got it wrong.”
“Believe it or not, Chief. I’m glad about that,” Robbie replied, gazing at me.
I was glad about it, too. Not because I was right. I didn’t want us to be at odds over something as trivial as a misquoted news article, like our mothers had been for years. The power of the pen is mighty indeed.
“Listen, Uncle Joe. I’m done wasting time,” I stated point-of-fact, changing the subject. “I’m going to find out what happened, with or without your permission.”
He shook his head. He didn’t like it, my returning to work so soon after the incident. But he sure didn’t like knowing one of his own people might be involved in setting those fires. He finally relented with a shrug of his shoulders. It didn’t matter one way or the other to me. I was going to investigate, no matter what. Being back on the clock just made it easier.
“All right, but from now on, anything you find stays just between the three of us, understood?”
“Roger that, Chief,” I responded.
Uncle Joe looked at Robbie, who was tapping on her cell phone, probably making notes of the conversation.
“Robbie?”
“What?” She glanced up, still tapping on the phone. “Oh, sure. Of course.”
Uncle Joe’s crossed his arms and furrowed his brow. “You are a reporter who knows a good story when she sees one. In a book, after all the facts are found, is one thing, but—”
“Listen, Chief. I don’t give a damn about my book anymore,” she declared, waving her cell phone in her hand as she spoke. “I have just as much at stake as you do, more so, in fact. Right now, all I want to do is help Jordy find out who this monster is and that’s why I’m making notes, so I don’t forget anything.”
“All right then,” he conceded with a nod. “As long as we have an understanding.”
“I can assure you that we do,” she replied complacently.
“Uncle Joe, did you know about my Dad becoming Robbie’s godfather?”
“Sure. You see, the three of us, Henry, Jerry, and I had been thicker than thieves since college. Jerry was a year younger and the craziest of the three of us.”
“Is that why he wasn’t made my godfather, too?” I asked.
“Yeah. He was too busy chasing skirts at the time. That is until he met your mother, Robbie. He quit chasing women, drinking, even quit smoking cold turkey.”
“He did?” Robbie asked.
Uncle Joe nodded. “He said he wanted to set a good example for you.”
Robbie’s eyes glistened with tears as she listened to him talk about her stepdad.
“A noble gesture that almost got him killed,” Uncle Joe said with a laugh that caused Robbie to look at him curiously. His eyes lit up when he said, “We had to hose him down one time when he was having a nicotine fit.”
Laughing, Robbie said, “Oh, my goodness. I can just imagine.”
Uncle Joe shook his head. “I just wish I had been as strong-willed as Jerry. I never could quit the habit.”
“Joe, would it be all right if we meet for dinner sometime and talked more about my stepdad?” Robbie asked. “You kn
ow a side of him that I didn’t.”
“Sure, I’d like that,” he replied. “Maybe your mother could join us? It’s been far too long since I’ve paid my respects to her. Jordy, bring your mother and we’ll make it a family reunion.”
“I think that’s a great idea,” I replied. “Maybe Mom won’t be mad at me for forgetting her today.”
Robbie put her hand to her mouth to cover her laughter, and I bumped her shoulder with mine. Uncle Joe gave me a curious stare and then winked. I had a feeling that I wouldn’t hear the end of a simple, friendly shoulder bump anytime soon.
As we walked back toward the crime scene, Robbie spotted Perla May. “Come on, let’s go talk with her,” she said, holding her hand out for the box.
We swung by the convertible so I could toss the two helmets and my camera in the backseat. For a while, there, I was feeling like the little woman, carrying everything for her missus. Tina used to do the same thing and I loved it.
Perla May, dressed in a ruffle skirt and short-sleeved blouse, was standing with a few other people beside a shopping cart in front of a building a half a block down from us. In the few minutes it took us to get there, only Perla May and a man whom I assumed was her husband remained.
“Perla May, it’s good to see you again,” Robbie stated as she held out her hand.
“You too, sugar. And you, Fire Investigator Jordyn Stringfellow.” She quirked her lip and smiled at me. “I have a knack for remembering names.”
“I’m impressed,” I said with a smile of my own. “But you can just call me Jordy, okay?”
“Okay, Jordy. This here’s my husband, Fred.”
I held my hand out, and he grasped it firmly. “It’s nice to meet you, sir.”
“You’re the one who saved Marie,” he said, pumping my arm excitedly.
“I’m sorry, was that her name? She was unconscious when we found her.”
“Marietta Henson,” Perla May elaborated. “But everyone just calls her Marie.”
“Do you have any idea why she was on the third floor?”
“She went up to make sure everyone got out,” Fred answered. “I was on the second floor doing the same thing.”
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