Twisted Fire

by Joanne Ellis

  “Everything OK?”

  “Yes,” she replied a bit stiffly.

  “Doesn’t sound like it.”

  Charlotte didn’t want Chelsea to talk to him but she decided to anyway. She was unable to withstand the thought of her sister in pain.

  “That was Charlotte.”

  “Is she OK?”

  “Not really.”

  “What is it?” he asked anxiously. He looked ready to race out the door.

  “She had a visit from Emma.”

  “What?” He frowned in confusion. His reaction reassured Chelsea a little.

  “She came to your house to inform Charlotte that you were still in love with her and that you were planning to go back to her when Charlotte was better. Oh, and that you were sleeping with her too.”

  “What!” His eyes turned a dark steel blue and she saw his anger building. “God, she’s such a … Why would Charlotte believe her?”

  “Emma knew all about your relationship, your misunderstanding with Dr Shaw and the fire.”

  “How? Who told her?”

  “She claims you did, that you just felt sorry for Charlotte and really loved her. She said you were sleeping together while Charlotte was in the hospital.”

  His fist clenched until his knuckles whitened. “I can’t believe this. That malicious conniving …. Ah, I cannot believe I ever felt anything for that girl. Charlotte is the best thing that has ever happened to me and Emma is not even half the woman she is. This just … I have to talk to her.”

  “Yes, you do, but finish this first. Give her a bit of time.”

  “I really want to straighten this out.”

  “I know, but have her things with you so she realises how serious you are.”

  “OK. I could just strangle that woman. I thought she couldn’t hurt me anymore, but I was wrong.”

  He was packing with haste, anxious to repair the damage, when his phone rang.

  “What now?” he exclaimed. “Yeah.”

  “Jared, it's Lucas.”

  “Hey, man, what’s up?”

  “I finally received a photo of Stevens but it isn’t Shaw.”

  “This is good news, right?”

  “Yes and no. He still could be involved in the fires. His sudden disappearance makes me suspicious. We don’t want to take any chances. I’m just heading out the door now and driving to your place.” Jared’s blood went cold.

  “Why?”

  “We’ve been sitting on Shaw’s house, waiting for him to surface and we got lucky tonight. The unit watching his house followed him but he must have got wind of their tail and he lost them. They have returned to his house to see if he comes back. We despatched a unit to your house just in case, but they haven’t arrived yet. We are heading there too, but we’re still twenty minutes away.”

  “I’m leaving now but it will take me the same time to get there.”

  “You can’t go in there, Jared. If he’s there, he could be armed. Let us handle it.”

  It was too late; Jared had already gone.

  “What’s happened?” Chelsea asked.

  “Shaw could be at my house.”

  “Charlotte!”

  “Mitch is there. Hopefully he can keep her safe until Lucas and I get there. Let’s go.”

  * * *

  As Charlotte ended her call with Chelsea, the door bell rang. Who could that be? She struggled to the side of the bed and grabbed her crutches. She clumsily made her way to the front door as her arm gave her grief. She opened the door with difficulty and was not expecting to find the person on the other side of the door.

  “Hello, Charlotte. Are you alright? I’ve been worried about you.”

  “What are you doing here?”

  “I told you, I was worried about you. I was away at my cabin when I heard about the fire. I didn’t know you were there when it happened. I was devastated about the clinic so I stayed for an extra few days to get my head together. When I arrived home, I discovered you were inside and had been injured. This is the first opportunity I’ve had to see you. I wanted to come sooner but I didn’t think that Jared would be happy to see me.”

  “How did you know I was here?”

  “When I found out you were hurt, I rang the hospital. I have a friend who works there and he told me you’d checked out and he described who picked you up. I assumed it was Jared.” He took a step forward but Charlotte kept the door partly closed.

  “The police are looking for you.”

  “They are? Why?” His surprise seemed genuine and Charlotte started to relax.

  “Because they couldn’t find you to ask you about the fire and became suspicious.”

  “Oh well, I’ll go over to the station and clear it up when I’m finished here.”

  “We are finished, Dr Shaw. There’s nothing to say.”

  “Surely you don’t think I’m responsible for the fire.”

  “The police are suspicious. There was a body found in the clinic and they suspect that was the arsonist. I guess you being here means that you aren’t this Stevens guy.”

  No matter how sleazy she thought he was, Charlotte didn’t believe he had anything to do with the fire. It didn’t make sense to her. Why would he want to hurt her and destroy his clinic? She’d already decided that Lucas and Jared were being far too paranoid.

  “I wouldn’t do something so awful. The animals, my clinic, why would I do that?”

  She shrugged. That is precisely what she thought but she wasn’t going to purvey this to him.

  “Can I come in so we can talk about repairing the damage between us? Perhaps we can find a way to work together again? I thought we might rebuild the clinic and be partners.” Charlotte wanted to believe him. His expression and the dejected hang of his shoulders, urged her to trust.

  “So you were away?”

  “Yes.”

  “I didn’t think you could be responsible. A partnership does sound tempting. I’m not sure I can trust you after what happened, but I’m willing to discuss it. Come in.”

  He followed her hobbling form through to the dining room and she gestured for him to have a seat. She heard Max following behind and felt grateful he was here. She still didn’t believe Dr Shaw was responsible for the fire but she didn’t trust him either. Max came and sat by her chair.

  “I’m really sorry about that day at the clinic, Charlotte. I acted poorly from the start. I was very attracted to you and I let it control my emotions. It won’t happen again.”

  “I’m really not sure I can trust you.”

  “That’s the wrong answer, Charlotte,” he said menacingly.

  He stood up abruptly. Pulling a gun from the waistband of his pants, he pointed it at her. Fear rose in her chest and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Her heart flew into her throat as Max stood up and growled.

  “What are you doing?” she somehow managed to ask him.

  “Finishing what I started. You think you can just toss me aside like garbage and expect me to stand by. You flirted with me, were coy with me and drew me into your web, then brushed me aside. You shouldn’t muck about with people’s feelings like that, Charlotte. You play with fire you might get burned.”

  His laugh caused her skin to crawl.

  “What about Stevens?” She asked hoping to shift his focus for a moment while she decided what action to take.

  “Ah, Mike and I were in it together from the beginning. It all started when we were quite young and our mutual love of fire brought us together. The girls in Newberry were all chosen by him but the girls here, they were mine, including you.” His grin was anything but friendly. “There have been others too but we don’t need to get into that.”

  “Why did you kill him?”

  “It was only a matter of time before the police found out about the fires in Newberry. Mike was never worried about them being linked to him but I couldn’t take any chances. I hoped they would think he was responsible all along but it seems I was wrong.”

  Charlo
tte stared for a moment, stunned by his revelation and trying to take it all in. When she finally spoke it came out in a whisper. “I just can’t believe it.”

  “Like I said, Charlotte, you shouldn’t play with fire.” He barked out a laugh again and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Her heart thumped in her chest and her hands shook as fear prickled her spine.

  “I told you how I felt from the start.”

  “Not wise to antagonise a man with a gun.”

  He walked around the table towards her. Max continued to growl and bark threateningly but Dr Shaw paid no heed. As he went to seize Charlotte by the arm, Max took hold of his leg. Without hesitation he fired at Max who yelped as he went down.

  “Max!”

  She flew to the floor. He was bleeding profusely from the chest. She attempted to stop the bleeding with her hands.

  “Stand up,” Shaw commanded her.

  “I have to help Max. You’re a vet. How could you do this?”

  “That is the irony, my dear. When we first started practising with fire, animals were good for practice.”

  “Oh God,” she whispered. “Please let me help him.”

  “I told you to get up.” He pulled her up by her arms. “Walk down to the bedroom.”

  She hobbled painfully towards her room. Hoping to avoid aggravating him further, she decided to do as he asked. She might be able to help Max this way and also escape. He commanded her to lie down on her bed. Retrieving some rope from his pocket, he tied her wrists and ankles together and then secured her to the bed. It hurt like hell on her burnt arm but she clenched her teeth and took it. In her mind’s eye she saw Max bleeding to death on the floor.

  “Why are you doing this, Martin?”

  “Because those other girls needed to learn that teasing a guy is just not nice. Of course I also love to watch a fire burn, the heat, the smell, the lick of the flames. Knowing they, and soon you, were inside adds to the thrill. It’s exhilarating.” The menace in his eyes now was unmistakable. How well he had hidden it before. Charlotte couldn’t believe it was the same man. Why did she trust him and let him in? How easily she believed people. She cursed her stupidity.

  “That’s all they did, and they were killed for it?”

  “It was enough. I do it for fun rather than revenge, until now that is.”

  “I never led you on or teased you. I thought we had a great working relationship.”

  “You didn’t think you led me on?” he said in a sardonic tone. “You pranced around the clinic with your large breasts and full lips, and then just refused me.”

  “You’re delusional.”

  “Oh well, doesn’t matter now. The reason is just a means to an end. You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, Charlotte. Anyway I got a fire to light and this time you can be awake. Just the thought of it is exciting. I’m going to enjoy this.”

  With a mocking wave, he disappeared from the doorway and she listened for what seemed like endless minutes for any sign of his location to see if escape was an option. This is when she smelt gas and guessed it would be coming from the kitchen. This was obviously his ignition for the fire. Didn’t gas explode? She started to panic. The unmistakable sound of a fire being lit resonated down the hall. Fear and desperation caused her to scream out for help. She knew it was probably pointless but she had to do something.

  “Goodbye, beautiful. Sorry it had to come to this. We might have been great together,” he said sticking his head in the door before disappearing towards the front door. Fear overcame her and the realisation that she might never see her loved ones again hit her full in the face.

  Chapter 30

  Gone

  Lucas and Maggie arrived to find three squad cars waiting for them. There were two officers on each of the back entrances and two on the front, and they were waiting on the word to go. Lucas was about to give that word when they heard the distinct whooshing sound of a fire igniting. An officer on the radio confirmed a blaze had started in the family room. Lucas quickly organised for a fire truck to be dispatched. It would be longer than expected as the crew from the local fire house had already been called out and a truck from a different station, Jared’s station, would be attending. This would result in a delay of at least fifteen minutes.

  They were deciding the next course of action when Jared’s Ute pulled up. He leaped out of the car with Chelsea hot on his heels.

  The front door flew open as they joined Lucas, and Shaw ran out, straight past two officers who pounced on him immediately.

  “Where is she?” Jared yelled as he ran towards Shaw.

  “She’s inside, but I’m not going to tell you where.”

  “And my brother?”

  Shaw shrugged and offered a wry grin.

  “Get him out of here.” Lucas had come up behind Jared.

  “I’m going in,” Jared told him.

  “It can’t be safe. Wait for the truck.”

  “How long before it gets here?

  Lucas updated Jared on the ETA.

  “Too long. She can’t wait.”

  He was starting to remove his t-shirt when Mitch arrived.

  “What’s going on? What are you doing?” Mitch asked.

  “Where did you go? You were supposed to be protecting her. Forget it, there’s no time. I’m going in.”

  “Here, take my shirt,” Mitch told him as he removed it.

  “Thanks.” Jared threw his t-shirt back on, went to the tap to wet Mitch’s before tying it around his face and heading towards the front door.

  Although the smoke was thick, visibility was still satisfactory. He smelt gas and knew he needed to locate her quickly. Shaw must have known this, lit the fire in the family room knowing it wouldn’t take long to ignite the gas but still allow him time to escape.

  He searched the front two bedrooms first and found them empty. He almost went past what had been Charlotte’s bedroom, but he knew all rooms should be checked. He was relieved to find her still conscious. He undid the rope attached to the bed, picked her up and headed straight towards the front door. She was yelling something at him but he was unable to hear her. When he set her down to untie her she told him about Max.

  “Where is he?” he asked grimly.

  “In the dining room.”

  “Dammit, the place is going to blow. I have to go back.”

  “Jared,” she cried as he ran back into the house.

  He found Max on the floor, breathing shallowly. He carefully collected him from the floor. Even though the fire was burning strongest in this room, Jared determined the fastest exit was through the sliding door in the family room.

  The fire was now burning its way towards the dining room and would reach the kitchen and the leaking gas at any moment. There was no time to waste. He sprinted into the family room and stopped when he reached the sliding door. As he smashed the glass with his elbow he felt the glass tear through the skin along his arm and hand. Ignoring his injuries, he climbed carefully but quickly through the broken glass, sprinted toward the back of the yard and the garden shed, hoping to be shielded from the blast.

  * * *

  Charlotte thought forever must have passed and Jared should be out by now. He would have found Max easily. Surely too much time had gone by. Something must have happened. The thought of losing him was agonising. The truck siren could be heard as it drove up the road and she thought it must be driving in slow motion as it was taking far too long to arrive at the house. It finally pulled up as an explosion rang out.

  “No!” Charlotte screamed.

  Chelsea and Lucas were supporting her weight but her legs gave out and she slumped to the ground.

  “Where’s Jared?” Sam asked Lucas as he ran over.

  “He went in to get Max and we haven’t seen him yet,” Lucas answered grimly.

  Chelsea was sitting on the ground next to Charlotte holding onto her as she sat stony-faced with shock.

  “I’ll find him. He knows what he’s doing and wouldn’t
have been near when the explosion occurred.”

  He ran back to the truck, pulled on his protective helmet and went into the house with a crew member. They were gone so long and Charlotte thought this couldn’t be good. Her body felt cold and she couldn’t stop shivering. Her heart thumped so hard she thought it might burst straight out of her chest.

  When Sam returned infinite minutes later, he looked dejected.

  “I,” he stopped and tried to calm his building emotions. “I didn’t find him.”

  He’d sent his crew member to check the rear yard but didn’t think they were going to have any luck. Jared wouldn’t have gone that way, not into the fire. When the officer returned from his check, he gave a quick shake of his head to Sam.

  “Where is he?” Charlotte asked agitated.

  “We won’t know until the fire is out. He wasn’t anywhere in the house. He either got out the back way or he was in there when it exploded. I’m sorry, Charlotte.”

  Sam dropped to the ground, removed his helmet and put his face in his hands.

  “No!” The blood drained from her face. “Jared,” she whispered before weeping in her sister’s arms.

  * * *

  Jared and Max scarcely hit the deck when the explosion erupted. He felt the hot gust and waited it out until he knew it was safe. He looked down at Max who appeared to be struggling. Jared needed to move.

  He stood up slowly to ensure he didn’t cause Max too much pain and then eased him over the neighbour’s fence before jumping it himself. He saw his crew were starting to get the fire under control and determined it would be safe to move through the neighbour’s yard to the front. He wanted to check Charlotte for himself, make sure she was alright and then have her attend to Max.

  None of them saw or heard Jared approaching. Chelsea was holding Charlotte and reassuring her. Mitch stood a short distance from the girls, staring at the house, his mouth wide in disbelief. Sam held his head in his hands and Lucas was pacing the lawn, looking at the ground. He placed Max down gently and then crouched in front of Charlotte.