TORCHED (The Wild Flames #2)

by Bella Love-Wins

  “Would you like to take a seat?” Kevin asked, gesturing to the living room. They followed him to the room and sat down. A moment of tense silence followed.

  Tara came out from the kitchen and offered them coffee, but they refused. She took a spot close to Kevin, squeezing his hand for comfort. It was awkward. They just sat there, eyeing him, not saying a word. When he heard his parents coming down the steps, he relaxed a little.

  His dad entered the living room, and an angry expression crossed his face when he saw their visitors.

  “What are you doing here?”

  His mom placed her hand on his back to calm him down.

  “We just have a few questions for you,” Officer Jessup replied calmly. “For starters, have you seen your son Jake?”

  “No!” Kevin’s father hollered.

  Officer Jessup tilted her head. “Not at all?”

  “I can answer that,” Kevin interrupted. “None of us have seen him. Why don’t you tell us why you’re questioning that...again?”

  His parents sat in the two empty seats as Officer Grayson explained.

  “A dark sedan was spotted outside your house. It was reported stolen this morning, and a couple of witnesses confirmed they saw it parked on this street last night. Do you know if your son was driving a stolen vehicle?”

  “We didn’t see Jake at all yesterday,” Kevin replied. “Anyone could have parked on this street. It doesn’t mean Jake had anything to do with it.”

  He was surprised he was still defending his brother.

  Officer Jessup nodded. “True.”

  “What’s this really about?” his dad asked.

  Officer Grayson spoke up. “There was a murder on the street last night. The body was found in the woods by two teenagers. Marcus Grigsby had a gunshot wound to the head and burn marks on his chest. This stolen vehicle was spotted a few houses from here. We are trying to track down every lead, just to be sure it was in fact a coincidence.”

  “Gunshot?” Kevin asked. “That’s different, right? How do you know it’s the same killer?”

  “We’ve reason to believe the gun belonged to Charles Warner, the security guard found at Chesapeake Park. You don’t know anything about it?”

  Kevin shook his head, as did the others in the living room.

  “Okay. We’re finished for now, but if you hear from Jake Crawford, be sure to contact us.”

  “We will,” his dad responded for the group.

  Tara, Kevin, and his mom stayed seated as his dad led the officers to the front door. The door slammed shut and his father’s voice rose.

  “How could he do this to the family, Janine?”

  Kevin walked to where his parents stood in the foyer. His dad was livid. His mom reached out to him, but he pulled away.

  “I need some fresh air.” He stormed through the house, and out the back door.

  His mom turned around and hurried up the stairs. They were stretched so thin, emotionally. It was hard for him to watch.

  “There you have it,” Kevin mumbled. “The real Crawford family.”

  ***

  It took a while, but Kevin’s dad finally came back inside. He went up the stairs and their bedroom door closed, signaling they were having a serious conversation.

  “You know,” Tara began, “you have blamed yourself for what’s going on, but I’ve come to a conclusion.”

  “Oh yeah? What’s that?”

  “It’s my fault.” The moment she said the words, he turned to face her. A tear fell down her cheek, because of all the pent-up fears she’d been concealing.

  He brushed the tear away. “This is absolutely not your fault.”

  “Yes...it is,” she continued. “Hear me out. We’ve been looking at this the wrong way. Jake has some delusion he is in a relationship with me.”

  “He loves you,” Kevin corrected her.

  “Whatever,” she said. “He has this delusion something is meant to happen between us. I’m the problem. All these deaths have occurred because of me. An employee from one of my former jobs died, the man who bullied me all through grade school was killed. I became friends with Amy and she was murdered, we were at the state park and a tent I should’ve been sleeping in was trashed, someone a few spots down from us died...don’t you get it? These are all people I one way or another have been associated with.”

  “They’ve been associated with us,” he argued. “You can’t take on all this blame.”

  “You never worked at Richard’s Bakery. That wasn’t your tent he destroyed.”

  “Listen to yourself. If he loves you, why would he want to hurt you? He knew you weren’t in that tent. He could’ve done it for any reason. We may never know.”

  He put his hand on hers, but she pulled away. A pained expression crossed his face.

  “Don’t do this.”

  “How can I not do this?” she asked. “I came over for Thanksgiving supper, had a wonderful time, and I appreciate everything you and your family did to make that day special. For all we know, Jake stood outside and watched us. He could be anywhere, and I’m not going to stand back and let him hurt you or your parents.” She stood up. “I can’t do that.”

  “What are you doing?” Kevin jumped up and grabbed her hand. Again, she pulled away. “Tara, you aren’t walking away from this relationship to try to protect me.”

  “I’m walking away from this relationship so I can protect us both. We don’t know what Jake will do, but we do know he’s dangerous and capable of unthinkable things. I can’t stand back and give him more ammunition.”

  “Tara. Don’t do this.”

  He placed his hand on her neck and drew her closer to him. His breath hovered over her skin, as he got close enough to brush up against her.

  “We can get through it. We can get through anything,” he whispered.

  He pressed his lips to hers and even though she believed him, she pulled away.

  “Things will be better this way.”

  “Tara...” he shouted.

  The desperation was clear in his voice as she turned to pick up her purse and coat and hurried out the door. He continued to call after her, but she didn’t stop until she was in her car. Tears trailed down her face as she drove away from the house.

  Chapter 14

  Kevin didn’t sleep all night. Every time his eyes closed, he awoke to some memory of Tara. He tried calling her and texting numerous times, expecting her to eventually answer, but he received no return texts and heard the same recording over and over again. He began to suspect she had turned the phone off and would never return his calls.

  When the sun finally peeked through his window, he sat up in bed. He had his day figured out, and he knew he had to see her, but first, he had to keep her safe. He took a shower, got dressed, and was out the door without coffee or breakfast. This was more important.

  He drove to the police station, practicing the words he would say to them. When he pulled into the parking lot, he jumped out of the car and ran up to the door. He reached the desk, where a woman was on the phone. He tapped his finger on the smooth wood surface, impatiently waiting for her attention. She gave him a dirty look, and then hung up the phone.

  “May I help you with something?” The irritation in her voice was palpable.

  “I need to speak with Officer Jessup or Officer Grayson.”

  She looked down at the phone. “I’ll see if they’re available. What’s your name?”

  “Kevin Crawford.”

  She dialed up a number and waited for someone to answer.

  “Yeah, I have a Mr. Crawford here to see you. Are you available?” She looked him up and down. “Kevin,” she replied. “Okay, I’ll let him know.” She hung up the phone and gestured to the waiting area. “Have a seat. Officer Jessup will be out in a minute.”

  Kevin sat down and watched as two police officers escorted a handcuffed man through a set of doors, and another officer talked to a woman wearing thick Goth make-up and numerous piercings on her face.
Her left arm was covered in tattoos and she spoke to the officers in a high-pitched, yet commanding voice. He shivered; he wouldn’t want to get caught in an alley with her.

  “Mr. Crawford.” He looked up at Officer Jessup and rose to his feet. “Please, follow me.”

  They went to the same room where he had been questioned twice before. Each time, he had been nervous about the questioning, but today, he had a different, more proactive approach in mind. This had better work. She directed him to take his usual seat.

  “How may I help you? Do I need to record this?”

  He shook his head. “No. I’m not here to confess anything. I don’t know anything. I’m here to negotiate and to get your help.”

  She sat back in her chair, intrigue building on her face.

  “I’m listening.”

  “This has been difficult for all of us. My family is torn apart over it, and all the deaths are taking its toll on Tara.”

  She raised her eyebrow at his last statement, but didn’t interrupt him.

  “I know how urgent it is for you to find Jake. If I knew anything, I’d gladly tell you. I want this to stop, too. I don’t think my brother really comprehends what he’s doing. Tara and I talked after you left, and she blames herself. That’s where I think we can help each other.”

  She put her hands on the table and pushed herself up to stand. “I’m sorry, but this department is too busy to get caught up in a lovers’ quarrel. We’ve more important things to do.”

  “Please. Hear me out. I’m not finished,” he persisted.

  She crossed her arms, but didn’t sit back down.

  “I’m asking you to have an officer assigned to monitor Tara and me at all times.”

  She sat down in front of him.

  “Okay...and what if I did that? How would it help?”

  “I believe Jake has been following us. If he is, and you’re watching us, then maybe you’ll be able to catch him,” he added.

  “Most people wouldn’t want to be followed or have surveillance on them. Why are you so willing?”

  “First of all, we have nothing to hide. Second, I feel we’ll be safer with your protection. And as I said before, if he’s tailing us, you can get him. The sooner he’s found, the sooner we can all go back to living our lives without looking over our shoulders.” He paused for her to say something, but she didn’t. “I do ask one thing.”

  “Here we go...the catch. What do you want?”

  “I don’t want Tara and I to be charged for accessory, like you warned us about before,” he said. “I admit, we shouldn’t have been so quick to jump to Jake’s defense and claim his alibi. We know that, and if we give permission to have police surveillance on us, then I request that you withhold any charges against Tara and myself.”

  “You do realize we don’t need your permission to track your movements, right? This is a criminal investigation and if we felt watching you would get the job done, we would do it.”

  “I understand that, but you haven’t, and this is also protection for Tara. I want to make sure she’s safe.” He felt he’d proved a strong enough case. “Do we have a deal?”

  “Mr. Crawford. We will do what we can, but you need to understand this is not a game, and you’re not running things. We have other cases to handle, and we’ll take serious consideration of your request. If you do see your brother, or if he tries to contact you, please get in touch, understood?”

  “Yes, I do,” he answered, not too impressed with how his plan had gone.

  “Have a good day, young man,” she said as she left the room.

  ***

  ...Police believe that Jake Crawford may be driving a green Volkswagen. He is considered armed and dangerous. At this time, he is still believed to be in the area. If you have any information, please contact Forrest Hills Police Department.

  Tara turned off the news. There was not one channel she could watch anymore without hearing about Jake. She had dodged over ten phone calls from Kevin and multiple text messages. It was for his own good. It didn’t matter to her that she craved his company and couldn’t stop thinking about him. He had done everything to protect her, and she needed to repay the favor.

  She got up from the couch and stumbled to the kitchen to find something for supper. Kevin would have been with her if she hadn’t turned him away. She probably would have been helping him with his studies, or just enjoying his company. I hope I did the right thing. I hope what we have is strong enough.

  A knock on the door startled her. Every unexpected sound made her uneasy. After telling Kevin to stay away, she didn’t feel he would show up just like that. Who could it be?

  Whoever it was, they were impatient, because the doorbell rang soon after. She carefully moved toward the door and peeked through the peephole. It was a tall blond man. She had never seen him before. She hesitated, unsure whether she should open the door or pretend she wasn’t home.

  How silly of me. She had no reason to be leery of him. She didn’t even know him. She turned the main lock, then the deadbolt, and opened the door. His smile broadened as she pushed open the screen door.

  “Hello. May I help you?”

  “Uh...yes,” he answered nervously.

  As his gaze flitted over her body, she wondered if wearing a revealing low-cut sweater was something she would have to rethink the next time a stranger came to the door. She repositioned the sweater to hide her cleavage. He looked back up, seeming embarrassed.

  “I...I...um, let me start again.” He chuckled. “I’m Reggie. I live about two miles down.” He pointed to the right, and she glanced toward the trees. She had forgotten she had neighbors, because of the distance between houses.

  “Hi. I’m Tara. How can I help you?”

  She noticed his charismatic smile and deep dimples, and wondered what he was so happy about.

  “Well, everyone pretty much knows everyone else out here, so I thought I’d stop by and say hello. So, welcome.”

  “Thank you,” she answered with a weary smile. She didn’t mind the gesture, but couldn’t help being hesitant. “I haven’t gotten out much yet, still unpacking and stuff. I’m only going to be here until spring.”

  “Yeah, that’s what Jeff’s dad mentioned. We’re used to it. He’s gone every winter.”

  He paused. It seemed as if he was studying her.

  “I hope you enjoy the place. The neighborhood is pretty quiet.”

  “Yes, I noticed,” she agreed.

  “Are you staying here alone? I mean, I saw a guy with you when you were unpacking a few days ago. So, I figured you two were married,” he added.

  “He’s my boyfriend,” she answered, remembering how normal it was for neighbors to be curious about newcomers, even at her mom’s place.

  “Oh, that’s nice,” he said.

  “He’ll probably be back soon,” she added, not wanting anyone to think she was alone and vulnerable, no matter how smoking hot he was.

  “I see,” he said, a smile on his lips. He pulled out his wallet and rifled through the pockets. “Well, as the houses are so far apart, if you need anything, just give me a call...day or night...and I’d be more than happy to help you out.” He passed her a card and she stared at it.

  “Thank you,” she said, slipping into her pocket. “I really should be going, but thanks for stopping by, Reggie.”

  “Take care, Tara.”

  His smile deepened again, revealing those dimples as he waved and left. She watched him climb into his car before she shut the door, and reached in her pocket to look at his card as she walked back to the kitchen. There was no way she’d call him, but she slid the card into one of the kitchen drawers, just in case. As she made supper, she mulled over his visit. It wasn’t a bad thing to know a few of her neighbors, especially with Jake on the loose. Suddenly, she didn’t feel so alone.

  ***

  Even standing in the bushes at the side of the property, Jake could tell there was something about the way the man looked at Tara. He glared
at him as he walked back to his car. He could be an obstacle, and he needed to keep an eye on him.

  He noticed it had been a couple of days since Kevin and Tara were together. Jake followed her everywhere, from the grocery store to the mall and even on her morning jog that day. He was convinced his brother wasn’t around. He just didn’t know if it was intentional, or a coincidence, but he was going to find out.

  Jake turned his attention back to the man he’d seen on her doorstep, whose car had now disappeared around the bend in the road. His clean-cut appearance and strong build was the type he could see Tara going for, and her smile as she talked to him showed she could easily forget about Kevin. It gave him hope. He continued to watch her house, all of his attention on the task at hand.

  The spot he’d chosen was perfect. It was close enough to watch the front entrance and driveway, and far enough to have a direct view of her bedroom. He could see her whenever she went in, or decided to dress for bed. The room remained dark. His intention had been to wait until she made her way to the bedroom. However, he had waited long enough. If he waited much longer, he ran the risk of getting caught.

  He had switched cars and was now driving a black Ford sedan he had stolen for the evening. It was less conspicuous than the awful green Volkswagen, which he had hidden at an abandoned building at the edge of town. The key was to stay ahead of the police, and anyone else searching for him.

  “Tomorrow’s another day, my dear. I’ll be back.” He pulled out from the dirt road between the bushes, heading to the place he called home.

  Chapter 15

  As the days went on and Tara stopped receiving calls from Kevin, she was relieved he was bowing out gracefully and giving her the space she’d asked for. She missed him horribly, but she knew it was for the best. They had been best friends for so many years, she barely knew what to do with herself now that he wasn’t around. Deep down, she wished he would have fought harder for her. Maybe we weren’t meant to last.

  Christmas drew nearer and the weather grew colder. Soon, the snow would be an almost daily occurrence. Tara loved the snow, and more so after attending college in Alaska. Still, a part of her worried about being alone and stuck out in the country during a snowstorm. She was thankful the murders had ceased for the past week.