Page 40 of Challenging Luke

Monica decided it was best to follow him. It was her fault they took so long to begin with, and she could see he was on edge.

His truck and the rental car he had delivered earlier that day were blocked in by the many fire trucks lining the streets. As he dragged her past it, she was tempted to ask where they were going, but two blocks down she got her answer. Waiting for them at the corner was Caden.

"Thanks for picking us up." Luke opened the back door and waited for her to slide in before he moved around to hop into the passenger's seat.

"No problem. I started pulling security footage for the area. I'll look at it once I drop you off at your place."

"Wait." She took a beat. "You don't think it was an accident?"

Luke hadn't mentioned that once while he was ushering her out.

"I don't think anything yet, but it doesn't hurt to look. I'm not a fan of coincidences and yesterday your car was vandalized. Today you're being forced out of your house due to a fire."

Monica tried to wrap her head around what Luke was saying. "Wouldn't the person go after me directly? Wouldn't they try to burn my place down?"

"Not necessarily," Caden answered. "You reported the vandalism to the police. If your house burned today, they would know someone was after you directly. Hitting the neighbor's house forces you out, but keeps the suspicion off you being the target."

Sadly, that made sense.

"You think this was Fletcher."

That man was really starting to piss her off and that was saying something. She had wanted to scratch his eyes out the first time she met him. Now she was thinking a good kick to the nuts was more appropriate.

"I don't think you've pissed anyone else off lately," Luke said.

Luke was right. She hadn't. Except Carmichael, but he wouldn't stoop that low. His way of getting revenge would be to cut her out as a partner.

"No, I haven't and I hate to change the subject and sound dramatic, but I have work in the morning and nothing to wear."

Being late two days in a row wasn't an option. It didn't matter how much sleep she lost, she would get to work on time tomorrow.

"We can check the status of your place in the morning. If we can't get in, we will find you something to wear."

"Okay." She wasn't about to argue and tell him how hard that would be. Most places she shopped at didn't open that early in the morning. She just had to hope the firefighters would save her house and her wardrobe.

The firefighters did not, in fact, save her stuff, and so much for not being late two days in a row.

CHAPTER TWENTY

"Wait." Nash held his hands up and closed his eyes. "Are you telling me someone tried to burn her place down?"

It was mid-afternoon and Luke was just getting to the office to update everyone on what was happening with Monica.

The firefighters hadn't been able to prevent the fire from spreading to her place, but luckily, only one area of the house had been affected. Unfortunately, that one area was Monica's bedroom. To say Monica was pissed was an understatement.

He had stood there that morning as firefighters allowed Monica to take in the damage. Her closet was completely destroyed. Every article of clothing had been on the floor, covered in soot and debris, not to mention soaked from the water used to put the fire out. Guilt ate at him. Monica had begged to pack a bag, to save something, and he had been the one to tell her no.

"It's going to be hard to prove she was the target considering it was the neighbor's place that caught on fire first, but yeah, I think so. It's being ruled arson, so my guess is whoever set the fire had hoped the close distance to Monica's place would mean the fire spread quickly and caught both places."

Nash looked to where Caden sat further down the table with his laptop open.

"What are your thoughts, Caden?"

"I agree with Luke. That's why I reached out to a buddy. He's going to help us locate Fletcher but is also sending us a package in the meantime. He says it's a tracking device all the guys he works with use. It can be attached to jewelry. He recommended having Monica wear it in case things escalate." Caden looked at him directly.

"I'm not sure I'm the best person to suggest that right now. She's all sorts of ready to cut my balls off today."

"Late to work again?" Caden gave him an empathetic look.

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