A Bone to Pick (Page 19)

Tessa nodded and turned around. Her nose wrinkled. “Do you smell smoke?”

Logan sniffed. The pungent scent of gasoline penetrated his nostrils. Alarm and adrenaline shot through his bloodstream. “We need to get out of here.”

They hurried from the studio back into the living area. The heat hit Logan immediately. As they crossed the threshold into the living room, flames licked up the front wall of the barn. Logan turned away from the burning front door. “There has to be a back door.”

Smoke filled the room. Whoever had set the fire must have used a large quantity of gasoline for the flames to catch and spread that quickly. Tessa and Logan ran for the kitchen area in the back of the building.

“Wait!” Tessa darted back into the studio.

“Damn it!” Logan ran after her. What the hell is she doing?

She emerged a few seconds later, carrying a hissing and flailing orange tabby cat.

Wood creaked overhead.

“The roof!” Logan pointed upward.

A beam fell behind Tessa. Embers flew into the air and ignited the carpet. Flames rushed across the floor as another piece of wood fell from the ceiling. Smoke filled the space.

“Run!” Logan gave Tessa a push toward the windows.

Trying to hold on to the panicking, fighting cat, she staggered. Logan opened the window. The flames rushed toward the fresh oxygen—and them. He took off his jacket and wrapped it around the terrified animal, then took the wriggling bundle from Tessa. She slipped over the sill. After tucking the cat under his arm, Logan climbed out behind her.

They raced out into the night air as the roof caved in. Sparks showered around them. Logan stayed close to Tessa, shielding her as best he could.

Coughing, they ran around to the front of the barn and stopped short. Pam Rhodes was standing in the grass, holding a gas can and staring at the burning building. More cans littered the yard.

Logan stared at her. The cat howled, clawed its way over his shoulder, and took off for the woods.

Pam froze. Anger lowered her brow. “What are you doing here?”

Tessa pulled her weapon and aimed it at Pam. “Slowly put down the gas can, and raise your hands.”

Pam’s eyes caught the firelight, reflecting rage.

A door slammed. Jerry ran across the backyard clad in a pair of flannel pajamas and slippers. He grabbed the garden hose, turned it on with a squeak, and raced for the fire. He yelled, “I called the fire department. What the hell is going on?” Apparently, he hadn’t seen the gas can Pam was holding.

Widow’s Island’s fire company was made up of volunteers. Each man had to drive to the station and suit up before they could respond to the call. The barn would be beyond saving by the time they arrived.

Pam’s gaze was fixed on Tessa. Logan eased backward one step, moving slowly so he didn’t distract Pam, hoping he could circle around behind her. He shifted closer to the shadow of the burning barn. Heat seared his shoulder and face. Flames engulfed the corner of the barn, and the fire climbed up the side toward the roof. It wouldn’t be long before the entire structure burned.

“Pam!” Tessa’s voice hardened. She slowly stepped sideways, moving away from the flames. “Put down the gas can.”

“Not until this entire barn and everything inside it burns to the ground,” Pam snapped, but she mirrored Tessa’s movement, taking two steps away from the fire. Unfortunately, she also angled her movement backward, which put her closer to Jerry.

Pam lifted the can until it was in front of her chest. If Tessa shot at her, the can might explode, especially if it contained more fumes than liquid. Jerry was close enough to get caught in the explosion.

Tessa shouted, “Jerry, get away from the fire. You can’t save the barn.”

Either the roar of the fire drowned out Tessa’s command or Jerry was too focused to hear her.

Pam turned toward Jerry and lifted the gas can.

Logan read her intention in her body language. She was going to turn them both into human torches. But Logan was too far away to stop her.

“Don’t do it, Pam!” Tessa shouted.

“Fuck off.” Pam doused Jerry and herself with gasoline. She grabbed him by the sleeve, dropped the gas can, and held a lit lighter in front of their bodies.

9

Tessa had no good options. If she shot at Pam, she could drop the lighter, setting both her and Jerry on fire.

Jerry went still. His eyes opened wide in panic. Tessa caught his gaze and held it for a second, then she dropped hers to the hose he still held. He followed her line of sight. Relief crossed his face, as if he’d forgotten he was holding a running hose.

His jaw tightened, and he raised his hand and pointed the hose at the lighter. Water extinguished Pam’s flame. She tried to relight it, but nothing happened. Frustrated, she tried to drag Jerry closer so she could use him as a shield. But he jerked his sleeve from her grip. He broke away and fell to his knees. Turning the hose on himself, he soaked his pajamas, then scrambled back toward the house.

Pam snatched the gas can again and held it in front of her body. Tessa had had enough. The barn was toast, but she wasn’t going to let Pam hurt anyone. Tessa stalked forward. Pam backed up, then stopped when she realized the fire was in her retreat path.

She turned as if to run around the barn. Logan emerged from around the corner, blocking her escape.

Panic lit Pam’s eyes. She backed up again toward the fire, her eyes shifting between Tessa, Logan, and the burning barn. Rain began to fall, dampening Tessa’s face.

“I’ll jump in,” Pam threatened.

Tessa ignored the threat. At this point, the only person Pam could hurt was herself. Tessa was grateful that her mom hadn’t been in the barn, but she still needed to find her. The night was getting colder, and the rain would slow their search and increase the risk of hypothermia.

“It’s over, Pam.” Tessa stooped and snatched the hose from the ground. She aimed it at Pam and pulled the lever. Water gushed. Pam dropped the gas can and raised her hands to block the water streaming in her face.

Tessa gave her a thorough soaking. Pam was sputtering and wiping her eyes when Tessa approached. “Put your hands on your head, and turn around.”

Pam complied.

“You’re under arrest.” Tessa holstered her gun and brought one of Pam’s hands behind her back. “On your knees.”

When Pam resisted, Tessa gave her wrist a twist, using leverage to force her to submit.

Pam sank to the ground. “Bitch.”

Tessa turned out Pam’s wet pockets and found a sopping book of matches and a set of keys but no other weapons. Tessa’s hand automatically went to her waist, looking for her handcuffs. But she wasn’t in uniform. She’d been looking for her mother. She hadn’t planned on arresting an arsonist. “Logan, could you get my spare handcuffs from the SUV?”

After he returned with the handcuffs, Tessa fastened them around Pam’s wrists.

Sirens sounded in the distance.

Jerry waved toward the barn. “Why the hell did you burn down my barn?”

But Pam just glared at him.

“Did you kill Dante?” Tessa asked her.

Pam looked away and didn’t answer, but Tessa could see the anger and guilt in her eyes. Was Pam strong enough to have harpooned Dante? Tessa thought yes. Pam was not a small woman. She was also athletic, and as Logan had pointed out at the crime scene, a harpoon was specifically designed to impale flesh.

Anyway, Tessa didn’t have time to interrogate her now. It would have to wait until she found her mother.