“Hey Dennis,” Marcus says, “you got any idea who might have done this?”
Dennis thinks for a second, then shakes his head. “I can’t think of anyone who’d want me dead.”
The lieutenant looks at his ruined home, which is no longer burning with the same intensity. The fire’s under control, and the extent of the damage is painfully evident now. The place looks like a bomb got dropped straight on top of it.
Marcus nods solemnly and jots something in a small notepad. “What about you fellas? Got any bright ideas about who might’ve started this thing?”
All of us shake our heads.
Marcus takes a deep breath and furrows his brow.
“What are you thinking, detective?” Dennis inquires.
Marcus takes a second before responding. “I’m thinking you got an enemy.”
I can’t think of anyone in my life who hates me this much. Not even Susan.”
Susan is Dennis’s wife. They’re married, but only on paper. As far as I know, they’re totally separated. Dennis doesn’t really talk about it, but we can tell how much it weighs on him. Since Susan moved out, he hasn’t brought home a single woman. That was eighteen months ago.
“I didn’t say the person was in your life,” Marcus says, without hesitation. “An enemy isn’t always someone you know personally.”
The detective’s words hang in the air along with the thick smoke that has wafted over from the fire.
16
Dire Circumstances
My cell phonewakes me up in the middle of the night. Whoever’s calling me better have a damn good reason or else I’ll chew them out.
I glance at the screen before picking up. An unfamiliar number. But the area code is 773. So the caller’s from Chicago. Good. I can drive over and kick their ass; maybe that’ll teach ’em not to call me at this time.
“Hello,” I say, gruffly and groggily.
“Harper.” The voice sounds familiar. The tone is urgent.
“Speaking.”
“Are you okay?”
“Who is this?”
“It’s Marcus. Is everyone at your house safe?”
“Um . . . yeah, sure. I mean, I was asleep, but I think—”
“Good. I need you and anyone else at the residence — pets included — to leave immediately and come directly to the station. If this wasn’t an urgent matter I wouldn’t be calling you at three in the morning.”
“What’s going on?” I say, feeling all of a sudden very much awake.
“I’ll fill you in at the station. Right now, it’s vital that you leave your house. You’re not safe there.”
My heart’s in my stomach. I get out of bed and make my way down the hall to Kailee’s bedroom. “What the hell is going on, Marcus?”
“Just get everyone out. It’s a matter of life and death. Hurry.”
He says those weighty words as I place my hand on my daughter’s cheek, hoping to gently wake her. We pack a few things and step outside.
“Daddy?”
