BURNING INTUITION (Intuition Series Book 2)

by Makenzi Fisk

  More emergency lights joined the ones that had already arrived. The parking lot buzzed with activity when they topped the rise. Plumes of thick smoke rose from the blackened van, its driver’s door still hanging open. Behind the wheel, a charred figure leaned sideways, as if his lifeless body sought to escape his scorched coffin.

  Lily laughed. “Got you!”

  “Shut up.” Erin fought the impulse to stun her again.

  A single figure slumped in the back of a police cruiser, its dome light flashing. Beside the emergency vehicles, a firefighter rolled up a long hose. Where was Allie? She couldn’t see her truck.

  “I’m going to fucking kill you.” Lily hissed through her teeth. She struggled and Erin put pressure on her arm. “Ow! My shoulder.”

  “Stop fighting. You’re hurting yourself.” Erin growled.

  “Hey there!” Someone shouted and a man in uniform loped toward them from the parking lot. He shone his flashlight into Erin’s face. “Are you Erin?”

  “Yes. You must be Constable Audette.” She squinted, her night vision ruined. “I’ve apprehended the suspect I witnessed lighting the fire in that van.”

  “You weren’t exaggerating. We’ve got another kid in custody and a body in the van. Burnt to a crisp.”

  A smile touched Lily’s lips and faded. She snorted. “Crisp.”

  Constable Audette shot her a dark look. “The kid we arrested says she’s responsible. We found a note near the edge of the park. Looks like it implicates that kid too.” He turned his flashlight on Lily and Erin blinked hard in the sudden darkness. He reached for his handcuffs.

  “My shoulder is injured. Please, sir. Not too tight.” Arms tensed, Lily kept perfectly still while he cuffed her skinny wrists in front of her. A defiant smirk twisted her lips.

  Erin frowned. Why was Lily holding her arms like that? Did she think she was Houdini or something? Erin would never handcuff a suspect in front. It was not protocol. She reluctantly let him take custody.

  “Allie. Where’s Allie?” White spots still danced across Erin’s vision and she couldn’t see her anywhere. What had happened while she was chasing Lily?

  “There’s another lady down there. She’s talking to the Sergeant. What did you see this kid do?”

  “I saw her approach the rear gas tank area, lean over and then there was a spark. She ran and I chased her down.”

  That was all she could actually testify to. What else could she say? Lily is the one responsible for the death of that man down there, no matter what the other girl says. She also broke in and trashed Ciara’s house and harassed my pets. She ran away because she thought there was a ghost. No, officer, I didn’t witness it, but my girlfriend saw it in her mind. She’s gifted, or something.

  She backed away from Lily. It repulsed her to be so near the girl. Was this how Allie felt all the time?

  “What happened to your shirt?” The Constable pointed to Erin’s torn sleeve. “Did this little girl put up a fight?”

  Erin grimaced. “Hit me with a stick. Tried to bite me. She still needs to be searched.”

  “Don’t worry, I’ve got custody now.” Constable Audette didn’t understand what Lily was capable of. His dark mustache curled up when he scrutinized the girl’s face. “What’s up with the mud? You go all commando on this lady, did ya?”

  Lily narrowed her eyes and stared back. Her eyes flicked to the semiautomatic pistol at his hip.

  “Think you’re tough, do ya? We’ll see about that.” He gave her a nudge toward the flashing lights. She resisted but he clucked his tongue and held her arm tight. She lowered her head and plodded forward. A prisoner to the gallows.

  In the parking lot, an unmarked car partially blocked their view of the burnt van. A reporter with a camera ducked past and was blocked by a stout firefighter. He pointed a stern finger and the reporter withdrew. His camera strobe flashed from a safe distance.

  With professionals monitoring emergency scanners twenty-four hours a day, media response was fast in this city. Erin was glad they didn’t have to parade the suspect past the corpse. That’s the sort of picture that would hit the front page. She turned her face away. The last thing she wanted was more media attention.

  The firefighter circled, spritzing hot spots. Smoke trailed into the sky and an objectionable odor filled the air. Plastic, upholstery, and burning flesh. Erin coughed. She breathed through her mouth but could still taste it.

  A detective was arriving and Forensic Identification wouldn’t be far behind. Erin wondered if Nina’s dad had died by fire, or something prior. Her home study forensics courses had covered multiple scenarios, none of them pleasant. Suddenly Erin didn’t feel so bad about being passed over for the Forensics Unit back home. Her sinuses clogged with soot, her skin crawled. Everything associated to Lily was poisoned.

  They passed the first police cruiser. Seated behind a Plexiglas shield a girl bowed her head. Red hair drooped over her face. From Allie’s description, that must be Lily’s friend, Nina. Lily didn’t even turn her head when they passed. It was as if she walked by a stranger. Was this some new game?

  A crew cut officer up front scrawled notes in his notebook. He wouldn’t be able to interview Nina until she had a parent or advocate, but he would note everything at the scene.

  Erin followed a pace behind Constable Audette. Lily was Winnipeg PD’s responsibility now. They skirted the fire truck where two men were stowing equipment. There it was. Her Toyota parked by the abandoned white Audi. The puppy bounced up and down on the seat, paws scratching at the glass. He looked excited. Happy to see her. Had Allie locked the door?

  Behind the truck was a police SUV, its emergency lights still activated. An older officer sat at the wheel, with Allie on the passenger side, a clipboard in her hand. The officer was taking her witness statement.

  Erin exhaled. Her shoulders unwound with the immense relief of seeing Allie unharmed. Safe.

  Allie’s head swiveled toward them and her eyes locked on Lily.

  Constable Audette knocked on the window and the older officer rolled it down. Erin noted the stars on his lapel, the softness of his jawline, the Sergeant designation on the vehicle. This was the man in charge. His nametag read Paswan.

  “You got the other kid?” Sergeant Paswan asked. His eyes flitted to Lily, to Erin. “Who’s this?”

  “This is the officer I told you about. Ericsson, from Minnesota. My wife took that course with her boyfriend.”

  The Sergeant grunted.

  “Z-man’s just a friend.” Erin clarified.

  The Sergeant tilted his head. He had recognized her name. “The Raging Ranger from Morley Falls, eh?”

  “I’m not a ranger.” Goddamn the reporter who’d come up with that inane moniker.

  He gave his head a sideways bob and Constable Audette nodded. Erin’s gut roiled. She hoped to hell Allie hadn’t been entirely forthcoming in her statement. I don’t know, officer. I just felt the pull to come here. You see, I had these visions, and… The Sergeant would write them both off as nut jobs.

  Inside the SUV, the senior officer retrieved the clipboard from Allie and jerked his chin toward the door. She climbed out, took a step toward Erin, and stopped to look at the puppy in the truck.

  “Stay here.” The Constable prodded Lily against the side of the SUV. “I gotta talk to Sarge.”

  Erin kept a polite distance when he leaned through the open window. The two men talked in low tones.

  Lily raised her head and a tiny glint ignited her pale green eyes. One side of her lip lifted. She gave her shoulders a shake and her handcuffs rattled.

  Erin took a step forward. There was something furtive in the way Lily angled her wrists. Behind her, Erin could hear the dog’s nails scratching the window of her truck. He really wanted out. Did he need to pee? Something else?

  Allie joined Erin. Her entire body trembled. She took in a deep breath, held it and let it out. She was trying to maintain control. The puppy yowled. Erin reached into her pocket for her
keys and thumbed the unlock button on the fob. The lock shushed open.

  The color drained from Allie’s face. She turned to the dog again.

  Erin put her hand on her arm. “Baby, why don’t you wait in—?”

  * * *

  Pain seared Allie’s abdomen, white hot in its fury. Simultaneously, there was a metallic clunk as an ill-fitted set of handcuffs hit the ground.

  “Die, witch.” Lily twisted her fist and blood dripped from the blade between her knuckles. Her eyes widened, pupils dilated, mouth opened. Jagged energy drowned out the light.

  “No!” Erin’s voice.

  Allie doubled over. Her vision funneled to a point. She stared at the knife in her gut. Ciara’s knife. The one she’d peeled vegetables with last week. Blood spilled through her shirt.

  She should have paid attention to the dog. He’d warned her but she hadn’t listened until it was too late. Her foster mother told her that she couldn’t change fate. If only there had been more time. She fell to her knees.

  She remembered her mama’s tousled red hair, like angel wings, as the world spun.

  On the pavement beside her, Erin straddled the girl and twisted her arm. Doors slammed. Boots pounded the ground.

  Lily turned her face to Allie, pale eyes furious. “How did you find me? Tell me!”

  “Your mother sent me.” The earth wavered and rose to meet her.

  CHAPTER 32

  Erin packed the last of Allie’s belongings into a cardboard box. A long row of computer monitors still dotted the L-shaped desk. A new motion sensor, linked to a central monitoring system, oversaw it all.

  “Raphael, sweetie.” Ciara called. “One more.” A muscular, olive-skinned man smiled shyly and carried the box outside. On the floor beside her, Rachel sulked in her kitty crate. Ciara squatted and stuck two fingers through the wire mesh. “I’m going to miss you.” The cat’s whiskers twitched. She turned her back and swished her tail.

  Erin picked up the last box and Ciara hefted the crate. They stacked them on the front step.

  Erin grabbed her in a bear hug and squeezed until Ciara squirmed in her arms. “I’m so sorry about how everything turned out.”

  “I’ll miss you, superhero. And I’ll miss your quirky need to clean my house.”

  “We’ll miss you too.” Erin picked up the crate and the cat grumbled. She loaded it into the cab.

  Raphael slid the last box into the back and closed the tailgate with a thump. Ciara winked at him and he blushed.

  “You need to name that dog.” Ciara reminded Erin. As if she hadn’t already hinted a thousand times.

  “We will.” Erin got behind the wheel.

  Ciara walked around and opened the passenger door. “No more crime-fighting shenanigans, okay?” She reached out and placed her hand on Allie’s pale cheek. The puppy leapt from her lap and she winced. Ciara scooted him over to Erin’s side. “Remember what the doctor said. You’re lucky to be alive. It’s going to take a while for that wound to get better.”

  “Good thing she didn’t steal your carving knife.” The circles under Allie’s eyes were dark but the light in her eyes was bright as always. She would heal.

  “Thanks for the guilt trip.” Ciara kissed her on the cheek. “I don’t ever want to spend another night in the hospital I.C.U. to find out if my best friend will make it.” She glanced at Erin and back. “Your wife never sat down once. She paced a groove in that horrid brown tile.”

  “My wife.” Allie said to Erin.

  Erin’s head tilted. “Maybe.”

  “Take care of yourself and I hope you’re well enough to enjoy your friend’s wedding.” Ciara closed the door and Allie immediately rolled down the window.

  “You be careful. Remember to lock your door.” Erin started the engine. “Set the alarm. You can monitor it from your smartphone.”

  Ciara stared at the shiny new phone Allie’s business had purchased for her. No more living off the grid.

  “Don’t worry. No one will ever break into this place again.” Solid muscle on Raphael’s forearms bulged when he crossed them over his chest.

  “Between you and Erin’s Fort Knox security system, we’re safe as houses.” Ciara smiled when he blushed again.

  “I like the idea of you and Raphael teaming up to run my office here.” Allie put a hand on Ciara’s shoulder and whispered. “Are you going to make an honest man of him, or is he your toy du jour?”

  “I think he might be a keeper,” Ciara whispered back.

  “About time. We’ll talk business when I get back to Morley Falls. A partnership sounds like it a good plan. This business is already too much work for one.”

  “A three-way,” Ciara said too loudly and Raphael’s face flushed to his ears. “Fabulous.”

  They waved as Erin backed out the driveway. The puppy bounced up and put his paws on the back window. His black nose pressed against the glass.

  Ciara grabbed Raphael’s hand and dragged him up the steps.

  CHAPTER 33: TWO MONTHS LATER

  Derek Peterson picked up the plastic bag and ripped off the seal. Some asshole had written van Gogh on the tag and he threw it on the floor. It wasn’t the worst prison nickname he’d heard of, but he sure didn’t want it to stick. Inside were the belongings he had surrendered when he was booked into Oak Park Heights Prison. It was all that remained of his previous life, and it was surprisingly light.

  One hand holding up his baggy pants, he dumped the contents onto the waiting room floor. His loafers were stained and misshapen from the river water, but he kicked off his inmate’s sneakers and shoved his feet into them anyway. He pulled out his leather belt. Oh how he had missed this simple luxury. He eagerly slid it around his lean hips but it hung on him like it was made for another man. A man in his past.

  The door opened and with the sudden draft came a small man with a large briefcase.

  “You’re late.” Derek got to his feet and his old shoes pressed uncomfortably on his toes. “I don’t want to spend another goddamn second in this place.”

  “Sorry, sorry,” the small man said. “I had trouble at home. My wife—”

  “Stop whining,” Derek snapped. “I told you I’d help you with that.” If there was anything Derek hated more, it was an ex-wife who thought she was entitled to every last shred of a man’s dignity.

  “Just get me the hell out of here.”

  “Done. Already done.” The lawyer glanced nervously at Derek’s missing earlobe. “No one will call you van Gogh again.”

  Derek glared down at him. “Don’t ever call me that.”

  “Sorry. Uh, as your solicitor, I’m happy to inform you that you’re free to walk out that door any time you want.”

  “That should have been the first fucking thing out of your mouth.” Derek grabbed his bag and shoved the door open. Cool air chilled his lungs. As if tentacles reached out to snatch him back to confinement, he hurried down the steps and away from the building. The sky was spectacular from outside the prison walls. Magnificent.

  The lawyer opened the door of a black sports car and he slid into the butter soft seats. He had his freedom and he was never going back.

  “A free man, yes you are. Free to live your life.”

  Derek squinted out the side window. The sun was brighter than he remembered. Had he been looking at it through tinted windows all this time? “You sound like fucking bad song lyrics, man.”

  The man’s hands trembled on the wheel. “Please don’t use that language. I’m trying to help.”

  “You. Don’t be a pussy,” Derek barked. “Remember where I’ve been for the last year. You want me to say please and thank you? To get on my knees and beg you to get me a P.I. license? You’ve got your head up your ass.”

  The lawyer’s neck shrank into his shoulders. “Sorry, sorry.”

  “Listen, Dick. Your name’s Dick, right?”

  “R— Richard, actually.”

  “Well, I’m gonna call you Dick.” Derek smirked when Richard’s face
flushed. “I’ll help you get evidence on your cheating whore of a wife as soon as you get me my license. You’ll be a fucking free man too.”

  “It will take time,” Richard complained. “Your felony conviction was reduced to a gross misdemeanor. You can qualify for your license, but paperwork always takes time. I assure you I am pressing forward on this.”

  “Dick, listen to me. I need cash, and I need to earn it legally. I’ve got a kid who needs me and too many eyes are watching me now.”

  “A couple of weeks, a month. No more than three…” Richard pulled up in front of a dilapidated motel with a neon sign in the window.

  Derek held out his hand. “Gimme a fucking advance.”

  Richard winced. “I thought this was a trade for services.”

  “I’m getting that bitch off your back. Isn’t that worth more?”

  Richard peeled a half dozen bills from a fat wad in his wallet. Derek eyed him sternly and he peeled off a few more.

  “You know where to find me, Dick.” Derek picked up his bag. “Right here at the finest fucking motel in Morley Falls.” He slammed the door and headed to the last place he’d seen Tiffany. He’d find her. They’d build a new family, a new life. And he’d start right here.

  CHAPTER 34

  Erin started with the wide end of the tie in her right hand and the other in her left. She wrapped the big one over the little one, under, up to the right, to the center, through the loop… Crap. She unraveled it and started again. “There are, like, fifteen steps. Are you sure you need an Eldridge Knot?”

  Chris Zimmerman rose to his feet. The tails of his tuxedo lodged in the crevice between the chair seat and back. He tugged them loose and smoothed the wrinkles. He’d just showered but beads of sweat dotted his forehead. Was he going to make it to his own wedding?

  “My bride is perfect,” he grumbled. “I need to look presentable. You can’t tie it like you’re putting on a fishing lure.”