Page 101 of Serial Burn

“Yeah. I’m just jumpy about any weapons being in the open or within his reach.”

“I got it. You’re right. I wasn’t thinking. Sorry.”

Eli walked into the den. “Aw, Jess, you don’t have to apologize. I’m the one who needs to do that.”

She smiled. “Hey.”

He nodded. “I’m hungry. Thought I’d do some cooking. You got anything to eat around here?”

“A fully stocked freezer and fridge,” Nathan said. “Help yourself.”

“I’ll do that.” He looked at Jesslyn. “Anything you don’t eat?”

“Fungus and mold.”

He raised a brow. “’Scuze me?”

She laughed. “Mushrooms or blue cheese. Can’t stand either.”

He shot her a smile, then nodded. “Got it. Homemade pizza without fungus or mold. Should be easy enough.”

He made his way to the kitchen and Nathan watched him go, his eyes cloudy with emotion she couldn’t identify. Guilt, anger, compassion? All of the above?

“I think I need my aunt to look at this list of neighbors,” she said. “She might be able to give insight into some of them.” She snapped a picture of the list and texted it to Carol with the request for her to look it over and see if anyone stuck out as a possible woman her father may have been involved with.

While she waited for Carol’s reply, she texted Kenzie her location and explained that Nathan would bring her to Kenzie’s home when they were finished going over the case.

Kenzie sent her a thumbs-up emoji, and Jesslyn started her search of all the fire locations. She also wanted to know every building in Lake City that had Owen McCormick’s name associated with it, and she was almost done. She closed her eyes and brought her father’s face to the forefront of her memory. The familiar pang of regret was there like it always was whenever she thought about him.

He’d obviously had his mental health issues and dealt with stresses in his marriage in an unhealthy way. Her mother had been stubborn and determined to save her marriage. What would her life have been like if her family hadn’t been wiped out?

It wasn’t the first time she’d wondered that. Probably wouldn’t be the last. The more she searched, the more her breath caught. “I have the connection between all the buildings.”

“What’s that?” Nathan looked up.

“We thought it was me, but it was actually my father. He was in commercial real estate.”

“Right.”

“And he either built or sold all the buildings the arsonist is targeting, including the bank.”

Nathan’s eyes widened. “No kidding.”

“Not even a little.”

“Coincidence?” She raised a brow at him and he shook his head. “Yeah, probably not. But why target you?”

“Because I’m trying to stop him? Because I’m my father’s daughter and the last one alive?” She shrugged. “Take your pick.”

He nodded. “That’s definitely a connection.” His phone buzzed and he glanced at the screen. “Andrew said he could join us for dinner if we wanted. He’ll just be late and for us not to wait on him to eat.”

“Okay. What’s going on with him and his family anyway?”

“I’m not entirely sure. His parents moved here shortly after Andrew was assigned to the Asheville office. They own a bookstore here in Lake City, did you know that?”

“Hm. I think he’s mentioned it.”

“So one of their employees just up and quit. His mom has some doctor’s appointment his dad had to take her to, so he’s manning the store. In the meantime”—he sniffed—“I’m getting hungry.”

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