Jayme's Journey

by Laura Scott

  Jayme’s Journey

  A Christian Romantic Suspense

  Laura Scott

  Copyright © 2021 by Laura Scott

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Epilogue

  Dear Reader

  Caitlyn’s Christmas

  Chapter One

  The pungent scent of smoke pulled Jayme Weston from sleep.

  Fire!

  She bolted upright in bed, her heart pounding, fear clawing up her back. She swept her gaze frantically over the room, searching for the yellow and orange flames. It took a moment for her to register that the fire was from her dreams.

  Her nightmares.

  Swallowing hard, she pressed a hand to her chest and willed her pulse to slow down. She instinctively massaged her scarred hand, bending her fingers back and forth. But then she wrinkled her nose again.

  The smoke scent lingered. Maybe even getting stronger.

  It wasn’t her imagination!

  Jayme scrambled out of bed, jammed her feet into running shoes, and pulled a sweatshirt on over her sleepshirt and shorts. She grabbed her phone and a large baseball bat. She was grateful Caitlyn had moved out with her college friend at the start of the semester. Yet being alone in the small house only emphasized her vulnerability.

  Never again, she thought grimly as she gripped the bat and tiptoed down the short hallway to the living space. She wasn’t a victim, she was a strong and capable woman. The smoke scent was stronger now, a haze hanging in the room. But she still couldn’t see any sign of an actual fire. And the smoke wasn’t enough to trigger the alarm.

  Yet she wasn’t going to take any chances either. She swept her thumb across the phone screen and quickly dialed 911. When the operator answered, Jayme did her best to remain calm.

  “My name is Jayme Weston. I live on Oakdale Road in Sevierville, and I smell smoke inside my house. I don’t see a fire, but I would like you to send the fire department out to investigate.”

  “What’s the house number?”

  Jayme relayed the information, still searching for the source of the smoke. Was she making a big deal out of nothing? Maybe the fire was somewhere nearby and not actually in her home. They hadn’t had a lot of rain recently, so it could be that a portion of the woods was burning. And it would explain why her smoke detectors weren’t going off.

  “Ma’am, are you able to get out of the house?” the dispatcher asked.

  On cue, the smoke detector in her living room began to blare loudly. She winced and shouted into the phone. “Yes!” Tucking the bat beneath her arm, she grabbed her purse off the counter and ran to the front door. Outside, it was easier to hear the dispatcher. “I didn’t see any flames.”

  “The fire could be in the attic or basement. Please stay outside, far enough back to remain safe. I’ve sent the fire department to your location.”

  The fire might be in the attic or basement? The basement was empty except for the washer and dryer. Jayme glanced up at the roof of her house. There was no indication the fire was in the attic, yet she wasn’t an expert on house fires.

  Although she had started one. A long, long time ago.

  Taking a deep breath of fresh air, she shoved the old memories away. She stumbled across the lawn, glancing back over her shoulder at the house.

  She hadn’t turned on any lights, so it was completely dark, with no sign of anything amiss.

  But the smoke had to have come from somewhere. She was tempted to run around to the backyard to see if she could figure out where the smoke was coming from, but the wail of sirens convinced her help was on the way.

  The early October air was relatively cool, especially at night. Maybe she should have changed into jeans; her legs were chilled. She dropped the baseball bat, convinced she didn’t need it, and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to stop from shaking. A reaction to the smoke and her dream of the fire rather than to the cool temperatures. The scent of smoke clung to her clothing, reassuring her that it was real. Not some figment of her overactive imagination. And the smoke detectors were still screeching.

  The sirens grew louder, overwhelming the annoying chirp of the smoke detector. Soon she could see the swirling red lights cutting through the darkness. The fire department had made good time. Granted, Sevierville wasn’t that large, and it wasn’t that late, just past midnight.

  She felt silly standing out on the sidewalk next to her baseball bat. But the team of firefighters pretty much ignored her as the fire engine pulled up in front of her house. They jumped down and spread out around her property. They were all dressed from head to toe in heavy coats, hats, and carrying a lot of gear. One of them crossed directly to her. “Are you Jayme Weston, the homeowner? You called about smelling smoke?”

  “Yes, the smoke woke me from a sound sleep, and you can hear the detector going off. I looked around and could see a haze in the house, but no source of the fire.” She rubbed her hands over her arms. “Is there a forest fire nearby that may have caused this? It doesn’t look to me like my house is on fire.”

  “No other fires have been reported nearby. Please stay back, we’ll take a look.” The firefighter lifted a hand and gestured toward the door. Two firefighters went inside while he and another firefighter walked around the outside of her property.

  A few of her neighbors’ lights flipped on, no doubt woken by the sound of the fire truck. She glanced around, noticing faces pressed against the windows. Her cheeks flushed, and she ran her fingers through her red hair. This was going to be mighty embarrassing if it turned out to be a false alarm.

  Her closest neighbor, Mrs. Katz, hurried outside. “Jayme dear, are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” Mrs. Katz had a kind heart and certainly meant well, but she was also extremely nosy. Jayme forced a smile. “No need to be concerned. I’m sure it’s nothing.”

  “Well, the fire department must be here for something,” the woman insisted. “I’m glad you’re okay, though.” Despite her nosiness, Jayme did her best to stay on good terms with the woman. Mrs. Katz had often treated Caitlyn like a granddaughter.

  Her experience of living with family was limited to the foster homes she’d been in. The last one in particular she’d suffered physical and emotional abuse. And more. There was no point in dredging up the past now, but she edged closer to Mrs. Katz, once again grateful not to be alone. “Did you happen to smell smoke?”

  “No, dear. Is that what this is about?” Mrs. Katz’s eyes widened with interest as she scanned the area. “I don’t see any sign of fire.”

  “I didn’t either.” She lifted her arm to Mrs. Katz’s face. “But you can smell the smoke clinging to my clothes, right?”

  Mrs. Katz sniffed. “Yes. That’s so strange. Maybe a part of the woods is on fire?”

  “But we’d see the flames, wouldn’t we? And the firefighters would have known about that.”

  “Over here,” a voice shouted.

  Her heart leapt into her throat, and she found herself gripping Mrs. Katz’s arm. Had they found something?

  Jayme watched as a fireman pulled the long
hose toward the right side of her house. It didn’t take long for the crew to douse whatever they’d found, and within minutes, the crew had brought the hose back and returned to the fire truck.

  Maybe she’d woken up just in time. Calling for the firefighters, who’d found the source before it had time to spin out of control. Thank goodness for smoke detectors.

  The same firefighter who’d spoken to her on arrival came over to join her. For once, she didn’t mind Mrs. Katz hanging around. “Ms. Weston? We found the source of the fire.”

  “Where? Is my house damaged?”

  “Not from what we can tell. The fire was found outside the east part of your home near the heating vent. That’s how the smoke was sucked into your house.”

  Jayme frowned. “But I don’t understand. What was burning? Did my furnace malfunction?”

  “No.” The firefighter took her arm and drew her away from Mrs. Katz. He lowered his voice and said, “Ms. Weston, you need to know I’ve called in the arson investigator. The fire was small, but it was also deliberately set.”

  She blinked, wondering if she’d misheard him. “Deliberately set? Are you sure?”

  “Positive.” There was no room for debate in his tone.

  “But—who would do such a thing? Kids?”

  The firefighter shrugged, eyeing her steadily. “I don’t think it was kids. The fire was set in a way that it wouldn’t spread but would cause enough smoke to be sucked into your home to be noticeable.”

  A shiver snaked down her spine. That certainly didn’t sound like something kids would do. She cleared her throat, striving to remain calm. “I’m glad it wasn’t more serious, but please tell me, have you seen this happen anywhere else?”

  “No. And I haven’t heard about it either. That’s the reason I called the arson investigator. Lincoln Quade covers the entire city, among others, and would know if this particular type of signature had been used anywhere else recently.”

  Signature? It sounded like something out of a movie. She nodded dumbly, grappling with what he was telling her. The fire had been set on purpose, but only enough to cause smoke to fill her home, to set off the smoke detectors, but not enough to engulf the house in a huge blaze.

  It didn’t make any sense. The firefighter must be wrong; this particular incident had to be something a bored teenager had come up with.

  “Oh, there’s Linc now,” the firefighter said.

  Jayme saw the twin headlights grow bright as a large SUV pulled over to park near the large fire truck. When the firefighter she’d been talking with crossed the yard to meet up with the driver, she followed more slowly, in no hurry to join them. She veered back toward the sidewalk where Mrs. Katz was standing.

  Watching the two men speak in low tones was easier than trying to understand what had happened here. They walked over to the side of the house where her air-conditioning unit was located.

  “Is everything all right, dear?” Mrs. Katz asked.

  “Yes, everything is fine.” She forced a smile. “Apparently, it was a small fire set by kids. It made a lot of smoke but didn’t cause any real damage.” She patted the woman on the shoulder. “Nothing for you to worry about, Mrs. Katz.”

  “Kids?” Mrs. Katz tsked. “I just don’t understand this new generation.”

  Jayme smiled. “Me either.” She was twenty-nine years old but felt decades older. Living in the woods, then on the streets while caring for Caitlyn had forced her to grow up real fast.

  Too fast.

  But Mrs. Katz didn’t need to know that. “Get some sleep, Mrs. Katz. The fire is out, and we’re all safe. That’s what matters.”

  “Of course, dear.” The woman’s curious gaze darted back to where the men were still talking. “Jayme, if you need a place to stay, you’re welcome at my house.”

  “Thank you, that’s very sweet.” Jayme was truly touched by her hospitality. She knew from personal experience that not everyone would have made the offer. “But since the fire was outside and didn’t cause any damage, I’ll be fine.”

  “If you’re sure.” Mrs. Katz gazed around with frank curiosity, clearly not satisfied there’d been enough drama.

  “I’m sure. Get some rest.” Jayme moved away, walking over to where the arson investigator and the firefighter were talking. The two men had large flashlights they used to illuminate the area. Even as she approached, she could see the black soot, which had been caused by the fire, staining the white siding of her house.

  Thankfully, it wasn’t anything worse than a black sooty stain. Nothing like the cabin she and the other foster kids had watched go up in flames thirteen years ago.

  “Clever setup,” a deep male voice said. “Thanks for calling me in.”

  “Figured you’d want to know.” The firefighter caught sight of her. “Linc, this is Ms. Jayme Weston, she’s the homeowner.”

  “Linc Quade, arson investigator.” The tall man shifted his flashlight and offered his hand. She forced herself to take it, ignoring the way his fingers wrapped around her scarred hand. She didn’t doubt he could feel the raised burn scars. “Ms. Weston, can we go inside to talk?”

  “I—uh, sure.” She hadn’t expected that. “I assume the house is safe for me to go inside?”

  “Yes, it’s safe. The remaining smoke should dissipate soon. There wasn’t enough to cause any real damage.”

  She let out a tiny breath. “Good to know.”

  “Shall we?” Linc Quade seemed anxious to get her away from the scene of the fire. Maybe he was worried she’d mess up any remaining evidence.

  She walked across her dew-damp lawn, took a moment to scoop up her baseball bat, and led the way inside, flipping on the lights, which were bright enough to hurt her eyes. The smoke detectors were still blaring, but the fire investigator quickly reset them. She crossed over to the small kitchen table. Up close, she could see Linc Quade’s handsome features more clearly. His blond hair was cut military short, a shadow of scruff covered his cheeks as if he hadn’t shaved in a day or so, and his piercing dark eyes were intense enough to knock her off-kilter. She set the bat down, turned away, and tried to focus. “Ah, do you want some coffee?”

  “No thanks.” He was polite as he gestured for her to sit before dropping into the chair across from her. For a long moment, he simply looked at her. “As you’ve already been told, we know the fire was set on purpose.”

  “So I hear. Kids, right?”

  “Not likely.” Linc Quade stared at her for another long moment, then his gaze dropped to her scarred hand and wrist. “Looks like this isn’t your first close encounter with a fire.”

  She instinctively covered the scars with her uninjured hand as if that alone would make them disappear. “That was from an accident thirteen years ago.”

  “What happened?”

  Jayme shifted in her seat, unsure why he was asking about the past. “Does it matter? Thirteen years is a long time, and that event doesn’t have anything to do with today.”

  He leaned forward, propping his elbows on the table. “Ms. Weston, I’ve been investigating fires for over three years now. I’m the best judge of what matters and what doesn’t.”

  She wanted to snap but managed to control her redheaded temper. Since he didn’t seem willing to let it go, she decided to give him the bare minimum information. Even telling him that much wouldn’t be easy. Caitlyn was the only person who knew the varnished truth about what happened that night in the Preacher’s cabin, and as far as she was concerned, that was one person too many. No one else needed to hear the gory details. She held Linc’s dark brown gaze. “I accidentally broke an oil lantern, and some of the hot oil spilled on my hand and wrist.”

  He surprised her by reaching across the table to lightly grasp her injured hand. He examined it closely. Why on earth she noticed the gentle strength in his fingers was beyond her. “Thirteen years ago? These scars are pretty bad. Why didn’t you get appropriate care?”

  Linc Quade knew far too much about fires and burns for
her peace of mind. “I was too far away from civilization when this happened. By the time I was able to get anywhere close to a place offering medical care, it was too late.” She tugged her hand from his, gripping her hands tightly in her lap. “Why don’t you explain to me why my injury from thirteen years ago matters?”

  His dark gaze bored into hers. “Sometimes victims of fire become obsessed with fire, sometimes referred to as the dancing dragon. It wouldn’t be the first time a fire victim became an arsonist.”

  Never in her life had she heard of fire called the dancing dragon. Then the rest of his words registered, and her jaw dropped in shock. “Me? You think I started the fire outside my own house? That’s ridiculous. Why would I do that, then call you? Especially when I’m terrified of fire.”

  He shrugged. “Why are you terrified of fire? I thought the burn on your hand was from hot oil?”

  She felt like he’d punched her in the gut. He was smart, she’d give him that.

  Or maybe she was an idiot to think she could fool him. The spilled oil had in fact started a fire. That night thirteen years ago was seared painfully in her mind. The Preacher, as he called himself, had ranted and raved at the foster kids in his care, screaming about how they were all going to hell for being terrible sinners. He’d hit them with switches to hammer the point home.

  If that wasn’t bad enough, he’d set his sights on her. The evil leer in his gaze when he looked at her chest, her thighs made her want to throw up. She had no idea what to do, how to keep him from acting on his sick attraction, but escape was impossible.

  When he made his move, she’d been grossly unprepared. He grabbed her, dragged her down, and began unfastening his pants. Horrified by what he was trying to do, she tried to call out to wake Ruth, but the woman was sleeping as if she’d been drugged.