She was hugged repeatedly while everyone murmured how happy they were that she and the bees were safe.
Family.
This made her think of her own, and that made her sad.The only people who had any reason to hurt her or her bees were those who wanted something from her.
Her family.
She leaned into Lawson.“Do you think someone in my family tried to hurt my bees?My business?”
He hugged her.“The police chief and firefighter from Phail are on their way.We’ll let them look before we come to any conclusions.”
So, he agreed with her but didn’t want to say it aloud until they had more evidence.
Her family hadn’t stopped with verbal requests.They’d tried to hurt her.
Rage simmered inside Lawson.Some asshole had tried to set fire to Dani’s bees.If they hadn’t been walking back from the apple farm, fire could have swept through the entire area.
Bees and Beatrice.The surrounding forests.It could have wiped out Dani’s cottage or spread to Lorraine’s property and the apple farm.
Without road access to the clearing, bringing in the Phail fire truck would have been impossible.The closest road access was Nash’s cabin or the road leading to Dani’s cottage.
The fire could have killed the bees and surrounding wildlife, as well as Dani and Bibi.
The arson investigator from Phail, Bella Martinez-Robinson, chatted with Dani, who sat on Beatrice’s tailgate with Bibi attached to her side.
Marcus Ramirez, the Phail police chief, approached Lawson.“Tell me what you’re thinking.And remember that I’m a cop, so don’t go making threats I’d have to confess to hearing in court.”
As Arrow probably intended, Lawson managed to laugh.“That helps.Thanks.I’m thinking it’s one of the assholes working for her family, or maybe a family member.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Dani’s great-grandmother started a cosmetics business.Her parents run it now.Until the other day, Dani hadn’t had contact with any of them in a over a year.They don’t approve of her independence or her lifestyle.”
The chief’s eyebrows shot up.“They don’t approve of a woman running a couple of successful businesses?”
Lawson shrugged.“She didn’t want to marry the man they chose.He was a jackass, but he had family money and connections.Dani walked away.”
Marcus nodded.“I knew I liked her.”
Lawson watched where his sisters stood on either side of Dani as she talked with Bella and her husband, Mitch, the local fire chief.“Me too.Her mother emailed a few days ago, saying she needed Dani to sign some papers.They want to merge with another company.She didn’t know it until then, but Dani has veto power over name changes and mergers.”
“She didn’t know?”
Lawson shook his head.“She was a minor when her great-grandmother passed, and no one told her.When Dani asked questions, all she got was avoidance and demands that she sign.No one’s giving her straight answers.”
They both looked around the clearing, and Lawson sighed.“Setting fire to her bees is cruel and petty.It would hurt her and her business, but it wouldn’t send her running back to her family.This proves they don’t know her at all, if that was their plan.”
Marcus nodded.“Sounds like.Okay, let’s see what Bella has told her.”
Turned out there wasn’t much evidence for anyone to find.Bella shook her head with a frown.“I’ve got a few matches.No cigarettes or fuel used.The matches are too small to get viable fingerprints.”
Marcus’s eyebrows went up.“No fuel?”
Bella shook her head.“None.Looks like they ripped up some leaves and grass, then set them in a pile and lit them.Then did it again in a couple of spots trying to get a larger flame.”
Marcus frowned.“No dropped evidence.”
She shook her head.“Sadly, no.People who do this need to do serious jail time.The fire could have taken hold if Lawson and Dani hadn’t happened across the area.Swept through all the trees and buildings.”
