“Come on, Cap.” One of the firefighters edged closer, trying to peer into the dish. “At least let us see what-”
Lucian’s hand shot out and smacked his reaching fingers away. “I saidours.”
Two more firefighters had been creeping toward the table. Solomon turned his head slowly, fixing them with a stare that could freeze fire. They scattered faster than startled cats.
“Damn,” one of them muttered, retreating to a safe distance. “It’s just pasta.”
“It’s her pasta,” Percy said cheerfully, already loading up a second plate. “Exclusive for us.”
After that, I heard the sharp click of heels. Cateline was gathering her cookies, her jaw tight, her earlier performance completely abandoned. She stormed toward the exit, the door slamming hard enough to rattle the windows, perhaps to save some dignity.
Nobody commented. Just a few firefighters exchanged looks.
I tried not to feel smug. But I can’t deny the satisfaction.
The next twenty minutes passed in a warm blur. I sat bracketed between Solomon and Percy, Lucian across from me, and for a few stolen moments I forgot about everything else. The three of them bickered over the last serving.
The front door opened again, and two police officers walked in. The shorter one scanned the room, spotted Lucian, and headed over with a professional nod.
“Captain Valdris. We have updates on the arson case.” His eyes landed on me and widened slightly. “Oh, I didn’t expect to find you here.”
“She’s staying with us,” Lucian said. Flat with finality, daring anyone to question it.
The officer blinked. Glanced between me and the three men surrounding me in a protective wall. I could practically see him connecting dots, already composing the gossip he’d share later.
“Right.” He cleared his throat. “Well, that’s actually good news. We strongly advise her to remain somewhere secure.”
My stomach clenched. “Why? What happened?”
“A man based on the description of your ex-boyfriend was spotted at a gas station two towns over this morning.” The officer consulted the notes from the statement I gave when we dropped by the station yesterday. “There’s more. The fire at your bookshop is connected to the last arson in town. Same accelerant and methodology.”
Solomon had mentioned the accelerant days ago. Before the police confirmed it.
How had he known?
I shoved the thought aside for later.
“Your ex matches witness descriptions and we are tracking him,” the officer continued.
Suddenly, it hit me. The emergency call. The one that pulled Percy away from watching me. The one that gave Hudson his window.
“He set those fires on purpose,” I heard myself say. “To isolate me.”
“That’s our working theory. He’s escalating. Don’t go anywhere alone.”
“She won’t.” Lucian’s voice had gone cold. “She doesn’t leave our sight.”
The officers left and now the firehouse felt too exposed and fragile.
Hudson had planned everything. From the fires, my isolation and his last attack. He’d been playing chess while I stumbled through checkers, always three moves ahead.
And he was still out there.
“Mira.” Percy’s hand found mine under the table. “Hey. Stay with me.”
I couldn’t. I was somewhere else. Somewhere that smelled of smoke, tasting fear as I fear hands around my throat.
“He’s not getting near you,” Solomon said quietly. “Not while we’re breathing.”
