Page 57 of No Take Backs
His eyes are locked on the corner of the screen. “Can you grab the folder that says March and Chrysler Dealership on it?”
I hold it up, but he doesn’t take it from me. Instead, he pauses the video. “Look at the computer dispatch report and tell me when fire and EMS were dispatched.”
My eyes scan the familiar layout of the document. “It says we dispatched fire at 10:03, and EMS ten minutes later at 10:13.”
“Then why is the paramedic you replaced showing up here at nine forty-five?” He points at the grainy feed, where I can clearly see the brunette woman I’ve only met once when I interviewed for the position.
I shrug, not really knowing what he expects me to say. “Did they have another call there?” It isn’t unusual for EMS to go from one call to another if there isn’t a need for the patient to be transported or if the call is canceled.
“I’m going to find out.” Josh sighs deeply. “But this isn’t adding up.” He kisses me on the nose, then starts typing furiously on the computer. “You’re my good luck charm, Nia. First you tell me you love me, and now I’ve got the first potential break in this case.”
22
JOSH
Accusing anyone, even a former paramedic and not a current employee, is still something that may cost me both of my careers.
I’m not going to make any friends in the fire department if I’m wrong, and I’ll be betraying the thin blue and thin red lines both.
So walking into the chief’s office, where my captain and the fire chief and the police chief and the Birch County sheriff are all waiting for me is not something I want to be doing.
“Harmon,” Chief Hayes greets curtly. “I’m hoping that you have more information for us other than the short ‘I need to meet with you in the morning’ email that we all received.”
I sigh and hand over the four copies of the file that I’ve put together, including the stills I’ve just printed of the security footage with the time stamps. Not only that, but I’ve also confirmed, through dispatch records, that the ambulance had not been on any other calls the morning in question.
“I think one of our paramedics started the fires.”
“What?” comes from all four men.
I break it down for them, the same way I’ve done for myself, a little bit for Ryder, and then for Nia.
“I had the chemical analysis pulled for all arson investigations over the last five years. Of those cases, ten of them stretching over the last two years all had the exact same chemical makeup. Those fires include the one that took Piper Lachlan’s life.” I clear my throat. “In fact, over the last two years, that is the only fire that had a fatality as a result.”
“Who? Gem? The new girl, what’s her name? Virginia?” Sheriff Findlay crosses his arms over his chest in an impressive display of emotion.
“No.” I shake my head and point out the picture I’ve seen. “Laura D’mato.”
Silence, thick with tension I could cut with a knife, fills the air around me as the others look at the bundle of evidence I’ve put together.
“This is pretty damning,” Sheriff Findlay mutters. “I just can’t believe this. I’ve known Laura for years.”
“We all have,” Cap says disdainfully. “But it makes sense. She tried to have our department shut down. Repeatedly. And when she didn’t make any headway there, she quit. But it looks like she was up to a lot more than just reporting us to the state and trying to get the department closed.”
“Chief.” I rifle through the folder I brought for myself and pull out the most important piece that I’ve been able to find. “In the most recent fires, there were no indications that they were started by anyone. She learned how to cover her trail effectively. But the earlier fires, the first three to be exact, are the ones that showed her on different surveillance.”
“These photos look like they’re from the old Chevy dealership.” Chief Hayes taps the laminated paper with his forefinger. “This is from the oldest one?”
“Yes,” I tell him. “She was seen on the surveillance camera that they have there for the rental vehicles. At the time, it was a brand-new ATM and they hadn’t even formally announced to the public that it was there. Essentially, we got lucky.”
“But the MO is the same with all of them?” Cap is busy reading the various reports.
“It looks like some appeared to be electrical fires, and others were started by a candle or a stove left on. She was smart about it, and that’s why I had to get the accelerant report breakdowns. A fire here or there that blended in, in an old farmhouse, wouldn’t stand out. But it would look like BFD was overwhelmed and not able to handle the workload.” I clear my throat. “That’s not the only thing, either.”
I thought the tension in the room was bad before I started talking the first time. But now that the shock of what I’m saying, and who I’m accusing, has worn off, the tension is palpable. Every breath I take is stifling and more than capable of suffocating me if I don’t force the words out.
"What do you mean, this isn't it?" Cap waves his folder through the air a little dramatically. "There's a lot of damning information here, Harmon. I wouldn't hesitate to make an arrest in this situation." He sighs loudly. "But I guess that's why I'm not a cop."
"What else is there?" Chief Townsend asks, his voice holding a quiet and deadly tone. "What's not here that you need to tell us?"