No one had died.
Alex Maynard hadhis usual impervious mask on as he drank the mug of tea his cousin had made him. Jonny sat next to her, trying not to entwine his fingers with hers even though he was beyond the point of giving a shit. Detective Inspector Garrison sat next to Alex, his face stonier than the peaks in winter.
“Did you notice anything suspicious after the children had left or while they were leaving? Anyone hanging around who wouldn’t normally be there?” Garrison was leading the questioning, which was to be expected.
Rayah sat back. She was wearing her joggers and a hoodie that was one of his, something Jonny knew her cousin would pick up on straight away but was unlikely to say anything.
“No. And usually I do pick up on anyone who is unfamiliar. We have to be vigilant to people hanging around schools.” She sounded confident and assured, not fazed by Garrison’s demeanour.
“What about round the back?”
Rayah shook her head. “I wouldn’t know. I left my classroom with the children and went into a staff meeting. If I had gone back in, I might’ve noticed someone if they were hanging around at the back – the windows are huge – but I didn’t have reason to go back inside.”
“Can you think of any ex-students who would want to do this?”
It was a standard question, Jonny knew, but it made him want to laugh. The three of them sitting here right now were ex-students, most of the town were ex-students or living with one. It was a small school that had grown a little bigger as the town had and generally most kids were decent humans.
“Like any school, we get our kids with issues. But as I’ve only been there for five years I wouldn’t have seen enough of them develop into the stage where they’re showing pyromaniac tendencies.” The edge of sarcasm was sharp from Rayah.
The inspector’s eyes trailed onto Jonny. “I heard you were a bit of a firebug when you were younger.”
He heard Rayah choke.
“I was obsessed with it. Fire fascinates me, still does. It has a power that we’ve never been able to master and yet we rely on it so much. That’s why I learned to put them out: I wanted to be able to master fire.” Jonny watched Garrison’s face darken.
“Is there anyone in the town you’d suspect of something like this?”
Jonny gripped the material on his jeans. He’d had time for a long shower once they’d finished shifts, switching out with the next team who were taking over a fire that was under control, on its way to little more than a smoulder. The shower he’d taken after had been long and hot, and he’d used more than half a bottle of shower gel trying to rid his skin of the blackened aftermath of the flames.
“There’s no one I know who’d destroy a school. The most delinquent things that go on here are the phone boxes being painted and the Coven after a night out at the distillery.”
Garrison squinted. “You have witches here?”
Jonny laughed. “No. It’s a nickname for the three women who run the post office. They also oversee the gin distillery that’s just opened.”
It seemed that it was impossible for the man to ever crack a smile.
“I see. How about you?”
Jonny felt Rayah stiffen. He recognised this, the vibes she was giving off, the tension. She was battling with herself.
“I can’t help but think, Inspector, that it’s something to do with the girl who saw the man in her room with a gun.”
The inspector sat up, his skin greying, eyes darkening. “That was properly investigated, Miss Maynard, and there was nothing to suggest that she had been telling the truth. You need to trust me and move away from that line of thought as it’s not going to bring you any joy.”
Jonny frowned and glanced at Alex, whose usual poker face had slipped away leaving worry and concern. His eyes were on Garrison and his shoulders were as tense as Rayah’s. Jonny had seen Alex lose his temper twice. Once at a rugby match when the referee had been clearly biased against the Severton side and once at a boy who had been bullying a girl in Jake’s class who had additional needs. A third time right now would not be good for his career.
“That sounds like a threat, Inspector Garrison.” Rayah stood up. “And I’m not sure that you are in a position where you should be making threats.”
“You have a respectable position here in the community, Rayah. You need to consider that before continuing to discuss what mad ideas you have conjured up. I’ll be on my way. I can see there’s no cooperation here.” He stood and walked towards the door.
Alex didn’t move. Instead he waited for the front door to close before he even shifted an inch.
“Ray, you need to back down. I know there’s something fucking strange going on, but please don’t start trying to dig. Leave it to me.” His tone was pleading.
Rayah stayed standing, looking out of the window where the curtains hadn’t been closed, watching Garrison walk down the driveway.
“Do you think there’s something weird going on with him?” She turned around to face them. “Where’s he come from?”
