Footsteps in the Dark

by Josh Lanyon

  I dropped one leg over the ledge, my heart pounding so loudly, I couldn’t hear anything else. I didn’t want to lower my other leg. I really, really didn’t want to. My muscles shook, and panic gripped me as I forced myself to drop my second leg. With my legs dangling, I held tight to the metal windowsill. My fingers and arm sockets ached as they supported my full weight. When my arm muscles began to twitch with exhaustion, I wished I’d been better about my upper-body workouts.

  Dear God, please let the windowsill hold.

  I met Jax’s gaze. He gave me a weak smile, and tears ran down his smoke-streaked cheeks. I had no illusions he was crying for me; his eyes were no doubt burning from the smoke. He did look disappointed. I wasn’t sure if that emotion was for me, or for the predicament he found himself in.

  “Good luck,” he whispered, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his tanned throat.

  I gave a sharp nod and twisted my head to try and see below me. I could just make out the flower ledge. It looked a lot farther now that I was hanging by my fingertips. I slowly began to rock my legs back and forth. I had to move gently because of my precarious grip on the windowsill. Back and forth, back and forth, nausea built in my stomach as the moment of truth approached. If I let go too soon, or too late, I’d die. There was no room for error. None.

  Jax surprised me when he covered one of my hands with his. When I looked up, he looked sick to his stomach. His jaw was clenched tight, and black smoke poured out of the window around his head. I wasn’t sure why he’d touched me. Perhaps he just needed to feel connected to another human as death nipped at him? Or maybe it was genuine concern for me. I couldn’t tell. But the resigned look on his pale face gave me a renewed sense of urgency.

  “I’ll be back in just a sec,” I muttered, holding his gaze.

  “Can’t wait.”

  I pulled my gaze from his and swung my legs as hard as I could toward the lower balcony, at the same time releasing my death grip on the windowsill…and I was falling. Fear like I’d never known roared through me as my stomach seemed to rise up into my throat. With a loud crash, I smashed onto the flower pots below, crushing them beneath me. The wind was knocked out of me, and I couldn’t move for a few moments.

  Feeling lightheaded, I stared at cracks in the stucco and a fluttering spider web an inch from my face. Was this real? Had I actually made it onto the ledge alive? With a groan, I managed to suck air back into my lungs. I started coughing. The air was pure and it felt amazing to breathe it in, but I didn’t have time to sit there smelling the literal roses. Jax was still in danger. I sat up, broken pottery and flowers stuck to my hands. I was bleeding from my palms, but none of my bones seemed broken.

  Scrambling to my knees, I made a point of not looking down. I tried to push open the windows, but the good citizen whose office it was had locked them. Cursing under my breath, I grabbed one of the unbroken flower pots and slammed it repeatedly against the window. There wasn’t a lot of space for me to maneuver, and the hair stiffened on the back of my neck at the thought of slipping off my precarious perch. One of the windows finally cracked; I said a prayer and started banging the glass even harder. Jax was counting on me.

  When the window gave way, I could have cried with relief. I tumbled through the broken window, hissing when I sliced my arm on a jagged edge. I clambered to my feet and sprinted across the deserted office. I thought I heard sirens in the distance, but I just kept going. It would take the firemen a while to get upstairs; I felt I was Jax’s best hope. I threw open the office doors and raced down the empty halls to the stairs, then up the steps, taking them two at a time.

  My heart banged my ribs as I reached Jax’s floor in the stairwell. I felt the door, finding it cool to the touch. I inched it open to find the hallway filled with smoke. I didn’t see or hear flames, so I shoved open the stairway door and bolted toward Jax’s private office.

  When I reached the reception area, it was almost fully engulfed. I pulled off my shirt and held it to my face as I moved to his door. Anger mixed with panic when I found a cane wedged in the handles.

  This wasn’t an accident.

  It was so hot, my skin hurt, but I couldn’t give up on Jax now. Not when I was so close to rescuing him. Using my shirt to protect my hands, I yanked the cane loose and tossed it on the ground, then threw open the door to Jax’s office.

  The smoke was so heavy, I couldn’t see anything, but I heard Jax coughing. Relief rolled through me, and I stumbled into the room. “Jax?” I yelled, trying to see through the smoke. My lungs burned, and I couldn’t stop coughing. “Jax, come toward my voice,” I growled.

  Jax stumbled out of the smoke, his face red, his eyes wide and searching. I grabbed his arm and dragged him after me, gagging on the thick smoke. Once out of the reception area, the air was slightly better, and we were able to gulp in some oxygen. We lurched down the stairwell, stumbling and bumping into the walls. I kept my arm around Jax because he seemed like he was having trouble walking.

  When we reached the third floor, we ran into a group of firemen storming up the stairs. One of them stopped and grabbed hold of my arm. “Is there anybody else up there?” he demanded.

  “I don’t know,” I wheezed, wishing he’d let us get the hell out of the building.

  He scowled, but he let go of my arm and continued on his way up. I pulled Jax after me, and eventually we reached the bottom floor. The lobby was deserted except for the fire crew, and they shuffled us out the front door to a paramedic truck. There were three fire engines, and firemen scurried around, pulling hoses and running lines to the building.

  I pulled on my crumpled shirt and sat beside Jax on the back end of the paramedic truck. They gave us oxygen and tended to the cuts on my arm and my hands. I didn’t want to think too deeply about what I’d done to get us out of the building. Every time I remembered hanging from the windowsill, my stomach rolled.

  Jax gave me a grateful look. “Thanks,” he whispered hoarsely.

  I nodded, unsure what to say. I’d wanted to save my ass as much as his. I had felt protective of him, though. I couldn’t deny that. I assumed that was just my cop instincts kicking in; protect and serve, right? Or maybe my need to rescue him had been spurred on by the resigned look he’d had when I’d dropped off the ledge. Clearly, he hadn’t had any faith that either of us was going to make it.

  Trevor rushed up to us at one point, looking flustered. He grabbed Jax in a hug, and I stood and walked away to give them privacy. I still wasn’t sure what the exact nature of their relationship was, but Trevor seemed distraught.

  I approached the Fire Captain, explaining I was positive it was arson. He promised as soon as the flames were out, he’d make sure the scene was preserved for the arson team. I called Andy, and he showed up, looking rattled.

  “What the hell happened?” he asked, raking a hand through his hair.

  “Someone set Jax’s office on fire.” I pressed my lips tight, suppressing a shiver. We’d had a close call. There was no way around that. Whoever had set that fire hadn’t cared that a cop was in the room with Jax. In fact, they’d purposely lured me to the scene of their crime. Why? If the goal was to kill Jax, it wasn’t logical to have me there. Why had this person texted me? Having me arrive on the scene seemed counterproductive to killing Jax.

  “Why were you with him? I thought you weren’t meeting that Trevor guy until three.”

  “I got a text telling me to come sooner.”

  “What the hell?”

  I met his confused gaze. “I know. It’s not making a lot of sense.”

  “Do you think they were just trying to scare you guys?” Even Andy didn’t look like he believed that. “I mean, only an idiot tries to kill a cop, right?”

  “I don’t think this person was playing around.”

  “Wow, that’s pretty nervy to go after Jax when you were with him.”

  “I agree.” I glanced around at the gathered crowd. It wouldn’t have surprised me if the arsonist was in the group of onlo
okers. Arsonists often returned to the scene of the fire. One guy stood out to me; he was chubby and short—Ben Willoughby.

  Without thinking I moved toward the guy. His round face tensed as I neared, but he didn’t try and run.

  “You work on the set of Don’t Die, right? Ben Willoughby?”

  He frowned, then nodded. “Yes. Me and a bunch of other people.”

  “Any idea how this fire started?”

  He blinked at me. “No. I saw the smoke and came over.” He glanced around. “Just like everyone else.”

  “Did you see anyone run out of the building?”

  “No.”

  I noticed a small black pin on his shirt: Animal Liberation Front. From what I remembered, the group liked to cause financial loss to “animal exploiters” through damage and destruction of property.

  “Do you agree with using animals on the show the way they do?”

  His hand moved to cover the pin. “What I do in my private time is my business.”

  “That’s true. But I have to wonder why a guy with your beliefs works on that show.”

  He scowled. “I have to eat and pay rent like anyone else.”

  “Maybe you could come down to the station tomorrow for a longer chat?” I forced a smile. “I’m talking to everyone.”

  He swallowed. “Sure.”

  “How about three?”

  “Okay,” he said softly. He turned and walked away quickly, not looking back.

  ***

  It didn’t take long for the fire to be put out. Even though what I really wanted was to go to the commissary for a stiff drink, I shook off my jitters and made myself talk to the firemen who exited the building. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that the fire was set deliberately, and the cane wedged in the door handles cinched that thought.

  At one point Jax made his way toward me, looking uncharacteristically bedraggled. Normally, he didn’t have a hair out of place, but at the moment his suit was crumpled and his face streaked with sweat and soot.

  “Is it okay if I go home? I gave my statement to one of your guys.”

  “I guess it’s fine if you leave.” I frowned. “But I’d appreciate it if you could put some thought into who the heck would want to hurt you.”

  “I’ve tried. There are lots of people who could resent me, but I can’t think of anyone that would actually want me dead.”

  “Well, someone is after you.” I blew out a tired breath. “Why don’t you have a bodyguard? Big shots like you always seem to have a security detail.”

  “Big shots like me?”

  “Yeah, you know, higher-ups.”

  He still looked annoyed. “I had a guy for a while. I found it awkward to have him around all the time. It just felt strange.”

  “You need to get someone again. Whether it’s uncomfortable or not.”

  “I’ll think about it.” His jaw had a stubborn jut to it.

  “You were lucky I was there today.” My tone was grim. “You must know that.”

  “I can take care of myself.”

  I gave a gruff laugh. “Why are you being so stubborn?”

  “I like my privacy.”

  “You’re being foolish.”

  Lifting his brows, he said, “I prefer being alone once I’m home. Besides, I have an alarm system at my place.”

  “Cops don’t respond to regular burglar alarms anymore in Los Angeles, unless a guard from your alarm company verifies there’s a break-in.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yep. The police chief put that into effect April 2019.”

  “Why?”

  “Because over 90% of the calls are false alarms.”

  He shrugged. “Well, if someone breaks in, I’ll call 911.”

  “You’re willing to take that risk simply because you like your privacy?”

  He shifted uneasily. “Maybe.”

  “Suit yourself.” I couldn’t force him to get security, but I thought he was being stupid. “I noticed cameras in the halls around your office. I’d like my guys to look at that footage ASAP.”

  He looked pained. “They painted my floor this week.”

  “And?”

  He sighed. “They’re putting in new cameras. Those existing cameras aren’t plugged in.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding.” I scowled. “Who else would know the cameras aren’t working?”

  “Trevor. Tressa. Lots of people. It wasn’t a secret.”

  “Hmmm…”

  “Sorry.” He gave the building an uneasy glance. “It’s not like I knew anyone was going to come after me.”

  He was right, but that didn’t make me any less annoyed that our arsonist wouldn’t have been caught on camera. “What about the cameras in the stairwells?”

  “Those should be working. But how is that helpful? Lots of people use the stairs.”

  “Between the stairwell cameras and the elevator ones, we can narrow down who got off on your floor around the time the fire started.”

  “Oh.”

  “The more we narrow it down, the better.”

  “Right. Makes sense. I’ll see to it you get that footage right away.”

  “Thanks.”

  He shifted as if he was about to leave.

  “Before you go, can I ask if anyone visited you right before you passed out?”

  “No. Tressa asked if she could go to lunch. Then I made some calls, and started feeling woozy.”

  “Did you eat or drink anything other than your coffee?”

  “Nope. I didn’t have time for lunch.”

  “Do you fix your own coffee?”

  He smirked. “You think a big shot like me has time for that? Tressa usually brings me a cup.”

  I ignored his snide comment. “Did she do that today?”

  “I think so. My coffee was waiting for me on my desk after I got back from a meeting.”

  “Hmmm.” I needed to talk to Tressa. I’d met her once, and she hadn’t struck me as a criminal mastermind, but looks could be deceiving. “How long has Tressa worked for you?”

  His eyes narrowed. “There’s no way Tressa drugged my coffee and set fire to the office. There’s just no damn way.”

  “You need to stop second-guessing everything I say and do, Jax.”

  “Tressa is a sweetheart. She can’t even kill a fly. She has to ask someone else to do it.”

  “We have to look at everyone.”

  “Some people are just not the criminal type.”

  I squelched my irritation. “While I have no doubt you’re an expert, I’ll still need to talk to Tressa.”

  He pressed his lips tight, an angry glint in his eyes. “Of course. You know best.”

  “Yeah, I actually do.”

  He shook his head. “Can I take off now?”

  “Sure.” I hesitated. “Maybe instead of going home, you should think about going to a friend’s house.”

  “What?” He looked confused.

  “Well, you won’t hire a bodyguard, and it’s obvious someone isn’t happy with you. It might be best if you didn’t go home for a few days. Could you maybe stay with a friend?”

  “The only person I know well enough to crash at their place is Trevor. I’m not staying at Trevor’s place. That would be…awkward.”

  “I thought you two were fine just being friends?”

  His cheeks tinted pink. “I can’t stay with Trevor.”

  “Okay. Someone else, then? Any family in town?”

  “My family is in Nebraska.” He looked uneasy. “I don’t really have any close friends. I have a lot of acquaintances, but not anyone I’d be comfortable imposing on.”

  “Then maybe you should stay in a hotel for a while. Just until we figure out who doesn’t like you.”

  “Lots of people don’t like me.”

  “I mean enough to try and end you.”

  He flinched at my blunt statement, looking lost. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

  I had that familiar twinge of empathy; he
looked so forlorn. “I’d feel better if you didn’t go home for a couple of nights. Pick a hotel, and I’ll make sure you get there safely.”

  He frowned. “How?”

  “I’ll follow you there.”

  “You’d do that?”

  Not usually.

  “Sure? Why not?” I did my best to sound nonchalant, but even I was confused by my impulse to babysit Jax.

  He looked warily at the firemen and cops buzzing around us. “Seems like you probably have work to do here.”

  “I can’t directly investigate the fire because it involves me. I have to wait for the arson investigator and my team to bring me info.”

  “Oh.”

  “Besides, I’m allowed a break. I’m in dire need of coffee and food.” I studied him more closely, noticing tired lines under his eyes. “You could probably use a meal yourself. We should grab a bite.”

  Grab a bite? Why would he grab a bite with me?

  “You’re actually hungry?”

  “Yes.” While I didn’t usually climb out of burning buildings, the stress of the job was a constant in my life. I barely noticed anymore, and certainly didn’t let it interrupt my food and caffeine intake. “I haven’t eaten all day.”

  He took in my wrinkled shirt with a distracted look. “Yeah, uh…I don’t think I could eat right now.”

  I wasn’t exactly surprised he hadn’t jumped at the offer to have a meal with me. Even if I hadn’t been disheveled, guys like him probably wouldn’t set foot in the kinds of places I usually frequented. He was a fine-dining kind of guy, while I was a shove-food-in-my-face-fast-and-get-back-to-work kind of guy.

  “What do you say? Pick a hotel, and I’ll see you get there in one piece?”

  His gray eyes softened. “I appreciate you doing that for me.”