Fire Angel (15 page)

He shivered. Pipe bombs were too close to the kind of explosions that had been the norm in Afghanistan. Innocent people were dying here, just as they had there; and it looked as if the bomber was a member of the community.

Howard and Alicia had put their heart and soul into Providence House, providing a safe place for those who had none. How could they possibly be connected to a drug dealer, lazy handymen, and crooked mechanics? What kind of home-grown monster could justify killing innocent women and children? He would look more closely at Howard and Alicia in the morning, starting with their financial records. Maybe all four groups had gotten in with the wrong crowd — borrowed money from the mob or something. He yawned.

He saved the document and went into the bathroom. He was tired and sore. Would it have been so wrong to invite himself in to Alexis's room? God, he missed her. He had been alone, without a woman in his life in that way for more than five years, and yet, after only two days, she had become as essential to him as air. He had gotten along fine without Irena, but he doubted he would be able to manage when Alexis left. His poor battered heart would never recover from another death blow.

The key was not to let her go. Not only did he have to find the killer, he had to convince Alexis to stay in Paradise. Would she, with her uncle still in the picture? Somehow, he would have to find a way for the two of them to make peace; otherwise, his happiness didn't stand a chance.

• • •

Alexis awoke with a slight headache, probably a remnant from the nightmares she'd had the night before. Peter's confession had brought back unpleasant memories that had drifted in and out of her dreams. They had been distressing, but in the way of dreams, they vanished with the morning light.

Still tired, she opted for acetaminophen and a shower, as well as a bracing cup of coffee. It was after eight, and she needed food; she was a breakfast person. She had eaten a banana and a plum, but she needed more.

She opened the door to her cabin and stopped short when she saw the dead bird on her doorstep. There was a tag around its neck. She bent down and read it, careful not to get prints on it.

Alexis,

This owl wasn't as wise as he thought he was, and neither are you. You should have left when you had the chance. I warned you; now, it's too late!

Fire Angel

She re-entered the cabin and phoned the front desk. She asked for Jake.

“Good morning,” she said. “I hope you slept well. I hate to bother you with this, but our friend has left me a token of his esteem. It's a lovely dead bird. Could you bring a shovel and a box?” She listened as Jake cursed a blue streak, and then gave her instructions to stay put.

“You can be sure of that. I have no intention of going anywhere until you get here.” She hung up.

Jake was at the door in less than five minutes. He shoveled the dead bird into the box as she watched. When he had finished, she grabbed her kit and coat, and followed him to the main inn.

He put the box in the back of his truck.

“I called Everett and let him know about your little gift. I'm not sure what makes me madder — the fact that he killed that beautiful bird or the fact that he can get to you so easily. Alexis, maybe you need to step away from this.”

“I said it before and I'll say it again. I
will
do my job. No one is going to bully me out of it, but I have a request; do you think that you can find a room for me a little closer to the inn? It doesn't have to be very big. The cabin is beautiful, but it's rather isolated. It would be perfect for honeymooners, but with the note and all, it just might not be the safest place for me right now. It's gorgeous, and I love it, but I have to be practical.”

Jake's smile turned into a full-blown grin. “Beautiful and smart! Consider it done; I'll have the staff move your stuff while we're gone. Do you need anything from your cabin now?”

“No, I'm good. What I do want is breakfast.”

“I want to have another look at the owl, and then I'll make the arrangements about moving you. Meet me in the dining room. I told Leon to have our table ready.” Jake returned to his truck, taking her pink case with him.

She had barely stepped into the dining room when Leon appeared to lead her to the corner table, promising that a carafe of coffee was on its way. When it arrived, the aroma of the dark brew seemed to energize her and help settle her nerves. The owl had disturbed her far more than she was ready to admit. There was a memory teasing at the periphery of her mind; if she could just grab it, everything would be explained, but like a wisp of fog, it had disappeared. She remembered dead things that had shown up on her window ledge at home. She had always wondered if they had come from James and his strange friends, but they had really upset her aunt, and there was no way James would ever encourage that. He might have been a jerk in a lot of ways, but he was a devoted son.

Jake joined her just as plates of French toast, with real maple syrup and sausage, materialized at the table, and she sniffed appreciatively.

“Did you recognize the owl?” she asked. She did not know much about owls, but this one had only been about eight inches long.

“Yes, it's an adult Eastern Screech Owl, but it isn't a recent kill; it's been stuffed. I have no idea where it came from though. There are a few of those owls in the area, but they aren't plentiful. Don't think about it.”

“Of course I'll think about it, Jake. It shows that the sadistic bastard is scared. Why else would he do something so out of character? You haven't found evidence that he threatened or warned any of his other victims, have you?”

“No, you're right; we haven't.”

“So, we've upset him. And if he's upset, he'll make mistakes.”

“I don't like it, Alexis. That's a death threat, and you know it.”

“Well, I didn't think it was an invitation to the prom. Jake, you're my partner, remember? You have my back; I trust you.” She reached across the table and gripped his hand briefly.

“I want to go to the cabin today to see if I can find that waxy residue,” she added. “If I do, then we'll have definitive proof that the candles are part of his set up. Apparently, they found some at the boarding house on the table, but I want to see for myself. The table wasn't in the evidence room, so I assume it's still in the kitchen. I need to see how that fire was started.”

“The cabin is only a few miles from here,” said Jake. “I'll call Everett and have him arrange to meet us at the flophouse later today. The kitchen area is a mess, but according to the fire marshal, it should be safe enough for you to investigate. I'll get Everett to send over some extra men; you definitely shouldn't be alone in there, especially not now, not after this.”

Alexis didn't argue. Dead owls and death threats were enough to convince her to behave. She might be pig-headed at times, but she wasn't stupid. There was no point in courting danger.

As soon as they had finished eating, they agreed to meet out front at the truck. Alexis went to wash her hands and freshen herself. Jake was waiting for her when she came out.

She opened the truck door quickly and hopped in, hoping to prevent Jake from doing the gentlemanly thing and rushing around the truck to open the door for her. Whatever she could do to make it easier on him, she would. She need not have worried. As soon as she got in the truck, she saw him struggling to secure Maya into a doggy seat belt unit on the back seat.

“I got this for her a couple of years ago,” Jake was explaining. “It keeps her safe and comfortable, and she can move around a little, but if I stop suddenly, the belt and harness will keep her in place. It might seem like overkill, but this little lady is very important to me.”

“Hey; you're preaching to the choir here. I agree that animals need to be restrained in vehicles; I'm just surprised to see her with us.” Alexis placed her bag at her feet and tied her seat belt.

“She's for protection. She'll let us know if we have any unwelcomed visitors. The cabin is on the river, just up the road from here. There've been bear sightings in the area, and since the weather has been mild, not all of them have gone into hibernation; many of them continue to forage for food.” He secured his own seatbelt.

“The river bends just a short distance away; that's probably why no one saw the smoke from the fire that night. It's pretty secluded.”

“I can imagine,” she answered. She vividly recalled how alone she'd felt after seeing the moose — an isolation she knew now to have been false, and with the dead owl this morning, and the possibility of bears, any kind of protection was welcome.

“Bringing the dog is a good idea.”

Jake drove out of the parking lot, moving in the opposite direction from town. The sun shone brightly, but the temperature was cooler than it had been, and Alexis noted the dark clouds on the horizon that promised snow or rain by the end of the day.

“Did you find me a room inside?” She did not want to spend a stormy night alone in that cabin. Between her imagination and the killer's threats, she wouldn't get a moment's peace.

“They're moving your things into my private apartment as we speak,” Jake began.

Alexis bristled and cut him off.

“Now, hold on, cowboy. I think you've misunderstood me. I asked for a room in the inn, not a spot in your bed. If and when the time comes for that, you'll be the first to know.”

She realized that she might have misunderstood when she saw Jake's hands tighten on the steering wheel and his face turn red.

“You don't understand,” he said. “The apartment is a self-contained unit at the back of the inn. I have an extra bedroom; you'll be sleeping in the guest room.”

She looked away, knowing her face was probably as red as his.
Damn!

“The inn is completely booked for the rest of the week; the two security men are taking the last room. I'm giving a couple your cabin to accommodate them; that's how busy we are — even the restaurant is closed to the public. That's one of the reasons why I put you in that cabin in the first place. The Temagami First Nation from Bear Island is holding meetings with other tribes in the region. They've taken over the inn until Sunday afternoon. If you'd looked in the lounge, you might have seen the group of elders who checked in late Sunday night.”

He might be staring straight ahead, but Alexis doubted he was concentrating on his driving. His hands still grasped the wheel tightly. When was she going to learn to think before she spoke?

“I was going to tell you that I'd made arrangements for you to eat your meals with me,” continued Jake, his voice stiff and formal, “but I didn't get the chance. That's another reason why we had pizza in town last night. Now, you'll not only be having your meals with me, you'll be staying with me as well. Don't get so worked up about it, we won't be alone. I don't make a habit of forcing myself on women.”

He appeared to focus on his driving, but the tenseness of his jaw spoke of his continuing distress.

Now, I've really done it,
she thought. Before she could open her mouth to apologize, Jake turned off the main road onto a rutted country lane. The unpaved road was bumpy and Alexis grabbed the bar above the door to steady herself. Jake pulled the truck to a stop on the edge of the clearing.

“I don't want to go any closer in case I contaminate the scene,” he said, his tone neutral. “I'm not sure what you want me to do.”

She looked over at him. His cheeks were smooth without the inkling of the stubble she had felt when he'd kissed her briefly last night.

And I doubt he'll want to kiss me again
, she thought, feeling gloomier by the minute.

He wore tight fitting black jeans, hiking boots, a black turtleneck, and a light gray fleece vest. On the seat between them lay a pair of work gloves and a box of rubber gloves for field use, one size larger than the ones she used. His tripod cane was in the back with the dog. Alexis looked over her shoulder at the little animal who sat primly on the seat facing forward, waiting patiently to be released. The dog had more common sense and self-control than she did.

“Jake, I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions. I have a bad habit of putting both feet in my mouth at times. I did see some of the Temagami at the inn yesterday before I found you in the dining room; I just didn't realize how many of them there might be, and with the owl and all, I didn't even look today. Will you please let me take my size nines out of my mouth, so we can be friends again?” She held out her hand.

He looked into her eyes and smiled sadly. “Friends,” he said shaking her hand, holding it a moment longer than necessary.

“You know, when you look at me with those kitty cat eyes, I'd give you anything you wanted. In all these years, I've never forgotten your eyes and the way they change colors. It's magical.”

She blushed. “Okay then, let's get to work.”

As she pulled on her bright yellow coveralls, she looked over at the cabin. She could see where the owner had begun his clean up. He had taken quite a bit of debris from the one side of the cabin; however, the other side was remarkably well preserved and appeared untouched.

“I printed these for you last night; I thought you might want to look at them before you examine the cabin,” said Jake handing her a manila envelope labeled:
Amable du Fond River Cabin Fire Evidence/Copy.

She opened the envelope and removed several photographs. There were pictures taken by the owner for his insurance company, as well as those taken by the forensic team before they had recovered the body. Although Jake had mentioned it, the cadaver was in much better condition than she had supposed, and it explained why they had been able to find the traces of Rohypnol. She slipped the pictures back into the folder.