Beneath The Embers.

making it difficult for her to breathe as she stood before the charred remains of the Bennett house. The fire had done

her fire. Another family bar

through her notes. The blaze had started in the living room, the fir

like

flames had been doused hours ago. A fireplace remained mostly intact, its bricks blackened with soot. The family had been lu

corched foundation, brushing her fing

bol, half-buried

fire's destruction, but she recognized the marking.

her lungs, the unbearable heat searing her skin, her parents' desperate voices calling

later, it was h

in there!" a voice

to the reprimands, the warnings to st

a heavyset man in a soot-streaked unif

d. "You

er pocket and snapping a picture of the symb

it's an attack" she mutt

l pushing y

ooth, edged with som

d. She turned slowly, alr

ddeningly unaffected, as always. His dark wool coat was pristine despite the chaos around him, his black shirt, shoes out

e same thing, Marco. You always seem to sh

ybe I just enj

An architect with a suspicious connection to multiple fire sites

, you don't even look innocent af

ing her. And yet, here I am,

was. How he never startled, n

aid, gesturing toward the mark

rco's expression, but it

at two other fire sites, she

knowing smile. "Or maybe you j

. I don't think it's a coincidence that e

y way, you have to

ld her gaze, unwavering.

iling,do you think th

u speaks like you're the boss here. He smil

en them, as the smoke st

oached, tossing Marco an irritated glance before f

She wasn't going to ge

muttered to Marco bef

, infuriating sound.

e clung to her, pressing against her ribs. A

r past were still gl

hands shocked as she gripped the wheel. She took a long breath, trying to get over th

chasing ghosts. But now, those

photos, maps, and notes filled the screen, all connected by lines and

n't a co

as a m

was finally re

ll to the bed looking up, "hey sis" are

re you sure, yes I'm, can't you see, I'm

kay she