Page 6 of Smoldering Nights
That silenced her.But he saw the slight frown on her pretty face.Even frowning, she was a beauty.
She nodded and pulled her phone from the back pocket of her jeans.While she stepped away to make the call, Mitch turned back to the video feed and rewound it again.The figure in the alley moved with intention.He or she paused for several seconds behind the dumpster, just out of camera range, then slipped off.
That pause bothered him.
Who waits around before setting a fire?
His phone buzzed.A message from Jayson:
The hotel owner pulled all camera footage from the past week.Uploading it to a shared drive now.Sending you the link.
Mitch waited for the link, then as soon as it landed in his inbox, he clicked the link and started the download.The sooner he had the full picture, the better.
Izzy returned a few minutes later, stuffing her phone into her bag.“Sadie says yes.Her boyfriend, Trent, is working third shift tonight, so I’ll have the guest room.”
“I’ll need you to drive me to Petal Pushers to retrieve my truck,” he said, carefully rising from his seat.He stiffly sauntered to the sofa and, trying to reach behind it, he groaned as stabbing pain ripped through his body.
Izzy rushed to his side."Let me do that."
"I need my go bag."
"What's in it?"
"Essentials."
He moved to the fireplace in the corner and touched the side of it where a fingerprint portal was hidden.Slowly, the bottom of the mantle lowered, revealing a few of his many firearms.He picked up his favorite, a Springfield DXM.He also nabbed a couple of loaded magazines and slowly tucked them into his pockets.
Izzy caught sight of the weapons and blinked.“That's an impressive mantle.”
He didn’t answer at first.Just met her gaze with quiet resolve.“Thanks.It was the first thing I did.I have hidden storage spaces all over this place.I'd rather have my weapons close and not need them than need them and not have them available.”
Her throat bobbed in a swallow.“Right.”
They rode in silence to her shop.He saw her throat constrict as they neared.Seeing her shop again would be difficult.
"It's special to you, I know."Mitch began."But it can be rebuilt.Whatever needs to be done can be done."
She nodded and sniffed.
He stared straight ahead and watched the landscape as they neared Petal Pushers.The police crime tape swayed in the breeze.
"Stop here and let me out.I want to walk behind the building to see the path the arsonist took."
"It has police tape around it."
"I'm aware.I'll contact Trey Fielding, Chief of Blossom Springs PD.I work with the police all the time."
He carefully hefted himself from her van.She shut it off and got out of the driver's side."You need to stay back, Izzy.We don't want to damage any evidence."
"But you might need assistance."
"Stay back, honey."
His heart thumped when 'honey' rolled off his tongue without thought.He shook his head and carefully stepped to the back of the building to investigate the area.The grass had been cut within the past two days, which helped him to see where footprints still showed on the bent grass.He also found a rusty metal cap from an old gas can.He slowly pulled his phone from his pocket, careful not to put too much pressure on his sore ribs.He snapped photos of the cap and texted them to Trey.
Found this behind Petal Pushers.I have the video footage from the hotel showing someone back here early this morning.
He didn't wait for a response.The sound of a female crying caught his attention, and he turned toward the front of the building.
