Page 38 of Fear of Flames
“The Wishing Well is still my favorite.”
“Have you read Broken Promises?” Kenzi asked.
“It’s on my TBR.”
“It’s terrifying and good. Wait, no, don’t tell me something happened to D. Valentine.”
Ali laughed. “Well, this isn’t a BookTok podcast, so yeah, I brought her up for another reason.”
“What happened?”
“Honestly, they don’t know what or if anything happened to her.”
“Is she missing?”
Ali replied. “This morning, I saw an all-points bulletin stating IMPD—the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department—issued a missing person’s report for Michelle Holdcraft.”
“An APB. Why?”
“Well, the police confirmed she’d been home last night and early this morning her house exploded.”
Michelle gasped.
“Exploded?” Kenzi questioned. “How?”
“Methane gas, possibly. If you ask me, for something as severe as an explosion, the local police aren’t being very forthcoming with answers.”
“Oh, this is interesting,” Kenzi said. “You said D. Valentine’s real name is Michelle Holdcraft.”
“Yes. I confirmed that off the record with a source at Broadway Publishing.”
“Ali, there was a Dennis Holdcraft found dead in a house fire in Iron Falls, Massachusetts, only a few days ago.”
“No way. They can’t be related, can they?”
“The fires or the people?”
“Both,” Ali answered. “Stay tuned. We will dive into this new unsolved mystery.”
“Come back tomorrow, and we’ll tell you what we learn.”
Fletch turned down the volume as a legal statement was read. “I guess that answers our question about the APB.”
“You blew up my house,” Michelle said incredulously. “My pen name wasn’t supposed to be revealed. They know that at the publishing house. They wouldn’t give out that information.” Her mind was running in circles. “I should sue.”
“Can’t sue if you’re missing—or dead.”
“I can’t help but wonder if you’re threatening me.”
Fletch tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “Not threatening you. Reminding you about what’s at stake.”
“Nothing. I have nothing left.” Her volume rose. “You blew up my house. Not just a fire, but a full-out explosion. Oh, that’s subtle.”
“It wasn’t meant to be subtle. It was meant to call attention to both you and Denny.” Fletch grinned. “I can always count on Crime Daily. Those ladies scour the outlets for any little tidbit. They’ll get people talking.”
“I don’t understand. One minute you’re telling me to lie low and keep my head down. Now you’re happy that my name is being broadcast all over the world in a true-crime podcast.”
“They won’t be able to hide the fact you’re missing or that your father was killed. That’s what they wanted. They wanted to sweep both of you under the rug like they’ve been able to do to others. They don’t want justice. They want silence. This is the opposite of silence.”
