Page 53 of Built of Flames

Thinking about the potential for partnerships, Bella went through her list, looking for family members and good friends. Once again, she trusted her gut and ignored those people she liked and trusted. Only if necessary, would she go back later and add those in.

She flagged Leo and Patrick Mahoney then Stan Billings and Geoff Chambers.

Next, she flagged anyone who had reason to dislike her dad. Well, dislike him enough to burn down a few buildings.

She’d been young when her dad had been selected as the new fire chief, and she didn’t remember the transition well. Would any of his peers have applied for the job as well? Probably. Would the fact that Juan had been chosen pissed anyone off enough to trigger this spree?

That seemed unlikely. And if it was the case, these fires went back a lot longer. Unless something more recent triggered things.

The variables and possibilities were endless. It was much easier to start with a pile of ash and discover the way fire worked than to dig through people’s motivations.

She was a woman who enjoyed pursuing clues and evidence. This personality stuff wasn’t up her alley. Evidenced by her refusing to even consider people she trusted. While she was a damn good arson investigator, she wasn’t cut out for straight detective work.

Sirens sounded in the distance, and Bella straightened in her chair and set the laptop back on the table. Another fire.

Was this one set by the arsonist? Had their investigation upped the ante? She started to move to the street to see where the engines were heading, but she needed answers. The best way to do that was to keep working.

Steadying her hands, Bella started inputting information on this fire into the spreadsheet. She knew who was on shift with Mitch and Christo today, so she could fill in that.

Was the clue there?

Stan, Geoff, and Leo were working. Bob, Gino, and Kent were off. She’d do more research on those three. Starting with Kent and his dad.

A quick online search showed her mostly things she knew. But she also found a couple of DUI reports for Steven Speers. Two from six years ago.

She peeked back at her spreadsheet. Steve had retired six years ago.

In August. Late August.

She pulled up an online calendar to check.

On a Thursday in late August.

Same day an abandoned bowling alley had been burned. One of the fires on her list.

Excitement fired through her veins, like it did when she figured out if a fire had been arson or accidental. She was on the right track.

Either creepy Kent or his dad was the arsonist. Or they were working together. Mitch and Christo would be on the fire scene, so she couldn’t call them. But her dad would likely be at the hall. She’d call him first and then bring in the laptop and show her findings.

Bella brought the app up on her phone and scrolled to her dad’s name as she closed the laptop and stood. “Don’t move, Isabella. I’d hate to shoot you.”

The voice was right behind her and had Bella jerking and stumbling. Her laptop and phone crashed to the patio, and she whirled around to find Kent smirking at her.

With a gun pointed in her direction.

When she stepped back, his smirk grew. “Who am I kidding? I really wouldn’t hate to shoot you. In fact, I might enjoy it a little too much.”

She needed to get her phone. She’d opened the phone app and pulled up her dad’s name. All she needed to do was press the button.

At the moment, Kent was lounging against the wall of the house. His gun was raised, but she didn’t think he was actually aiming. It was a show of strength.

She’d left her gun in the safe at Midnight Lake, never thinking she’d need it in Kelsor.

Idiot.

Would Kent really fire the weapon at her?

So far, his crimes had been against property, with some incidental injuries. She had to take a chance. Bella took a step sideways and pretended to stumble, rolling toward the phone.