By the Light of the Moon

by Cindy Caldwell

  “Yes, sir, I have.”

  “Why did you return to the fire scenes? We are to investigate those, as you know.”

  “I’m sorry, sir. I was a bit confused about the cause, and the homeowners asked me to take a look. I didn’t mean to compromise any investigation.”

  “Did you find anything of interest that I should know about?”

  Colin hesitated a moment, glancing at Hanna. Her gaze was steady, her dark eyes meeting his, and he felt he knew what he should do.

  “No, sir. I’ve found nothing so far,” he said, squaring his shoulders. “I don’t really even know what I’m looking for. I’m just a volunteer firefighter. An amateur.”

  Senor Jimenez rested his hands on the counter as he leveled his gaze at Colin. After a few moments, he said, “How long have you lived here, Colin?”

  “About five years, sir.”

  “And where did you move here from?” The Delgado pushed himself from the counter and began to walk back and forth, pacing.

  “Ireland, sir.”

  “Yes, I’ve heard that. And I’ve heard other things that I’ve never felt need to speak of. Is it true that you have experience with fires in a way that might be...harmful?”

  Colin’s face fell into his hands as he shook his head. “No, no, no. I’ve never been involved in anything like that, sir. It’s a rumor that I just can’t shake,” he said, his voice rising.

  The captain stood, crossing the room and placing his hands on Colin’s shoulders. “Relax, son, he’s just asking questions.”

  Breathing deeply, Colin looked at the Delgado. “Sir, this is my home. I have no reason to do anyone harm. I’ve spent my time here trying to help. And that’s what I plan to continue doing.”

  Senor Jimenez stopped pacing. He took his hat off, tossing it on the counter. “Colin, I’m in a bad spot here. I need you to be honest with me.”

  “Anything, sir,” Colin said as he looked from the Delgado to the captain. “Anything I can do to help.”

  The captain cleared his throat, and the Delgado nodded at him.

  “Colin, we’ve had homeowners report that they’ve seen a car at the fire scenes, both before and after. Before the fires started, and then later afterward.”

  Hanna sat up, leaning forward. She rested her chin in her hand, her eyes on Colin.

  “Is that so, Captain? Is that someone we can find and ask questions of? That would be helpful.”

  The captain and Delegado looked at each other, and then back to Colin. “The car is yours, son. The only blue Jeep with flames painted on the side that we know of in the South Campos.”

  Colin sat down hard on the couch beside Hanna, his breath catching in his throat.

  “Captain, Senor Jimenez, I can assure you that I had nothing to do with these fires. Nothing at all. In fact— “

  “The fire yesterday was at my house,” Hanna interrupted. “We were both injured. Why would he possibly have anything to do with that?” She stood, her hands on her hips, challenging the statements she’d just heard.

  The Delgado slowly walked to the counter, picking up his hat and slowly turned to Colin. “I don’t know yet. All I know right now is that you are considered a suspect, and I must ask you not to leave the south campos until this matter is investigated.”

  Chapter 23

  Silence enveloped Colin and Hanna as they watched the cars disappear in the distance. Nala whimpered at Colin’s feet as Hanna pulled him inside the house, shutting the door fast behind her.

  “We’ve got to do something. I don’t know who saw that car besides us, but they reported it, and now we have to—”

  “What? Do what?” Colin said, sitting on the couch with a thud. With his elbows on his knees, his head fell into his hands. “It’s all coming back to haunt me, Hanna. I thought I was through with it all.”

  She paced quickly in front of the fireplace, its warm glow gone. “I couldn’t help thinking while they were talking...kept remembering something. I can’t quite pin it.”

  “What do you mean?” His shoulders still hunched, he couldn’t understand what she was getting at.

  “Last night, when you had me smell the can of lacquer, I remembered smelling it before. I just can’t remember where.”

  Colin thought for a moment. “You smelled it when I was painting the mural. Your nose crinkled the same way,” he said, a smile spreading against his will.

  “Not then,” she said. “Another time. Recently.”

  Colin stood slowly and rubbed the back of his neck. He snapped his fingers suddenly and smiled. “I remember it, too.” Grabbing his coat from the back of the chair, he grasped her hand and pulled her toward the door. “Come on. We’ve got to go.”

  Nala jumped in the car before Hanna could get in the passenger seat, taking her usual position in the back.

  “Where are we going?” She held onto the strap on the side of the window as he spun out of the driveway. “What’s the hurry?”

  “Do you remember that shack we saw when we were riding the other day? The one on the side of the creek bed?”

  “Yes. The one with the smoke coming out of it?” She hit the dashboard with her hand. “You’re right. That’s where I noticed that smell.”

  “Do you remember the car that was outside of it?”

  She thought for a moment. “Oh, my gosh. It was just like yours. Without the flames.”

  “Exactly,” he said, turning the car onto the paved highway and heading south. “Do you think you can remember where it is, by car?”

  She straightened the cap on her head and looked out to the west, to the mountains. “Sure. I’ve been by there many times. Slow down a little. The turn is right up here.” She pointed to a large elephant tree a bit ahead. “Right here.”

  Colin slowed and turned the Jeep hard right as he headed into the soft sand of the creek bed. Following the twists and turns of the dry wash, he tried to imagine who could be doing this, who would want to frame him.

  “Slow down, Speed Racer. You’re going to miss it,” she said, smiling.

  “Okay, okay. I just want to see what’s going on here.”

  “So do I, but I want to get there in one piece.” Her knuckles white, she hadn’t let go of the strap since they’d left the house. “There it is,” she said, pointing up to the top of the arroyo.

  Colin cut the engine, coasting to a stop under a mesquite tree out of view from the shack. No smoke was coming from the chimney and they walked slowly up the bank.

  As they crested the bank, he held his finger to his mouth, holding Hanna back behind him. “I don’t see a car or any movement,” he said. “But I do smell lacquer thinner.”

  “So do I,” she said, her nose crinkling once again.

  He grabbed her hand as they walked slowly toward the shack. Its door hung off the top hinge and several of the slats had fallen off the sides. “Stay here. I’ll see what I can see in the window,” he said, crouching and moving forward slowly. He put his hands up to the lone window to the left of the door. “It’s covered with something.”

  He motioned for her to join him, moving slowly to the door and lifting the rusty metal latch that held it closed. He tugged once more, the latch not budging an inch.

  “Maybe it’s locked from the inside,” Hanna said, peering around the corner to the side. “Is there another door?”

  Tiptoeing around the back of the building, Colin held his hand up to Hanna behind him. He let out a whistle as he peered around the corner. “Would you look at this?”

  Hanna peered around his shoulder. “Oh, my God,” she said, her hand over her mouth.

  The shed had been built into the dune behind it, and a large alcove had been dug into the hill to the side. Inside, rows of cans lined a makeshift shelf. Lacquer thinner, gasoline, propane, even lighter fluid for barbecues stood all in cans inside the alcove. To the right of the shelves stood an open metal barrel full of clean rags.

  “What would somebody want with all this stuff way out here?” Hanna
asked, her eyes scanning the shelves.

  “I don’t know, but I think it’s not good.” Colin turned back to the shed. “I’ve got to find a way in there.”

  “Let’s check the other side for a door. Or break the window.” Hanna made her hand into a fist and thumped it into her palm.

  Colin smiled. “Let’s not get carried away, shall we? I’m sure there’s an easier method.”

  “Okay, but I’m ready,” Hanna said, pulling her baseball cap further down her forehead.

  They moved around to the west side of the shack, another door with a metal latch in its center. Hanna crept up behind Colin as he jiggled the latch. “They can’t be rusted shut. It’s only been a few days since we saw a car here.”

  Hanna picked up a rock and, in one swift move, hit the latch from underneath. She jumped back as it flew open. “See? It was just stuck. I told you, we’re going in there.”

  “Easy there, lass,” Colin said. “I’m going in first.”

  Colin squinted as he entered the building, his eyes adjusting to the darkness. He felt on the wall for a light switch and, finding none, took his flashlight out of his pocket.

  “God, it smells awful in here,” Hanna said as she pinched her nose.

  “Yeah, not good at all.” Colin shone the flashlight around the room slowly, catching his breath as his heart began to race. Several milk crates lined the counter to the left and he moved closer, reaching his hand inside.

  “Timers?” Hanna asked, as she turned her flashlight in the direction of the crates.

  Colin placed the devices back into the box. “Yeah, I’m afraid so.” As he turned to move further into the shed, Hanna’s flashlight clattered onto the floor.

  “What? What is it?” He spun around and stared at Hanna. She stood stock still, staring down at the wall in front of her. He followed her gaze, and his heart skipped a beat.

  The bulletin board had several pictures on it. With the low light from the door, he was able to make out photographs. Slowly, he realized that there were four pictures, all familiar.

  “That’s the house where the first fire was,” Hanna said as she pointed to the first picture on the left. “And that’s Mike’s house in Playa Luna.”

  “The second fire,” James said slowly. His eyes widened as Hanna gasped.

  “There’s a picture of my house,” she said, her eyes brimming with tears.

  His stomach clenched as he turned to the fourth picture on the bulletin board.

  “Oh, goodness,” he said.

  Hanna stared, not blinking. “Isn’t that the resort?”

  “It is, I’m afraid.”

  He reached up and stopped her as she started to take the pictures off of the board. “No, we don’t want anyone to know we were here, Hanna.”

  She looked at him and nodded. As she backed away from the pictures, her foot caught on something on the floor. She fell into Colin, her flashlight clattering on the floor.

  Colin steadied her, bending to pick up her flashlight. As he stood, his light caught something under the table, its bright colors catching his eye. “What is that?” he said, handing her the flashlight.

  Slowly, she reached under the table and picked up two big magnetic decals for the side of a car. They matched the flames that he and James had painted on his blue Jeep during their drunken fiesta. Matched them exactly.

  “So, what are we going to do now?” Hanna said after she’d finally caught her breath. She’d dropped the decals as if they’d burned her and run out the door, Colin close behind, and not stopped until she’d gotten to the car.

  “I have no idea.” Colin’s head spun as he raced toward the highway through the creek bed, and he let out a laugh.

  “Why are you laughing? This is anything but funny.” She couldn’t believe he was laughing. Framed for arson? And laughing?

  “I know it’s not funny, Hanna. I just never, ever thought I’d be in this sort of trouble. Again.”

  Chapter 24

  James and Alex were both at Colin’s house as he and Hanna pulled up. “They got here quickly,” Hanna said.

  “We don’t lay about when we get an emergency call on the radio,” Colin said, smiling.

  Colin poured tequila as they all settled in for the story. “Not too much now, James. We’ve got a mystery to solve,” he said as he handed James his shot glass.

  “I’m not that bad, mate. I’m ready,” he said as he lifted his glass. “Now, tell us what this is all about.”

  Colin quickly recounted what the pictures had revealed and showed them the wires and timers. He explained about the pictures he’d taken at the previous fire sites, and that he and Hanna thought that the arsonist came back to take out the incendiary devices before anybody noticed.

  “It’s the disadvantage of being a volunteer brigade. We can only get to things when we have a chance, and if we suspect something,” Colin said as he finished describing what they’d found.

  “Bloody hell, who would do such a thing?” James asked, his eyes wide and fists clenching.

  “I have no idea, mate, but there’s more.” Colin described the visit from the captain and the Delegado, complete with the request that he not leave the South Campos.

  Alex laughed loudly. “You can’t be serious, amigo. They suspect you?”

  Hanna set chips and salsa on the table, taking a seat next to Colin. “He mentioned Colin’s questionable past,” she said, taking a sip of tequila. “He didn’t seem to be joking.”

  “Well, the biggest red flag is that there has been a blue Jeep spotted at the arson sites that looks a lot like mine.”

  Hanna cut in. “Not a lot like. Exactly like, with the same paint color and the flames on the side. But it can’t be Colin’s Jeep. It just can’t be. We found magnets, like those big ones for realtors or whatever, that made it look just like Colin’s. Not a real paint job.”

  After hearing the rest of the story, complete with the magnets just like the flames on Colin’s car, James pounded his empty glass on the table. “That’s it. I’m not going to take this. Nobody’s going to copy my flame paintings.”

  “Oh, brother,” Colin said, rolling his eyes at his friend. “All kidding aside, it gets more serious. We found four pictures in the shack. Three of the structures have already been burned. There is one more.”

  Hanna and Colin turned to Alex, who was listening intently. “What? The resort?” he asked, his eyebrows raised in shock.

  “Yes, that’s what we believe. It’s the only one of the four places that hasn’t yet been attacked.”

  Alex rubbed his chin as he looked from James to Colin. “What exactly was the picture of? Any specific part of the resort?”

  “Yes, the stable,” Hanna said. “We believe that’s where this person will strike next.”

  Colin pushed back from the table, his arms folded over his chest. “I know that it’s the resort at risk, Alex, but with your permission and James’ help, I’d like to try to catch this guy. And clear my name.”

  “I’ll do whatever you need to help stop this threat, once and for all. Cassie and I have put our hearts and souls into this, and too much damage has been done already,” Alex said, his kind eyes turning to Hanna. “I’m just grateful no one has been hurt so far.”

  James filled their glasses with tequila once more. Raising his glass, he said, “Count me in. Here’s to catching the guy.”

  Chapter 25

  The stables at the resort were quiet, tranquil, when Colin and James arrived the next day.

  “Doesn’t look like anything’s been planted here.” Colin wiped his hands on his pants, removing the dirt from crawling all over the stables, rafters included. Nala ran around in circles. “I know, girl, but you wouldn’t have liked it up there.” Colin reached down and gave her a quick pat before Nala ran off to find a stick for Colin to throw.

  James wiped his forehead with a handkerchief as he looked around the inside of the stables. “Nothing outside either, mate. Maybe he’s not been here yet.”
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  “These fires have all happened within days of each other. I have no doubt that whatever is going to happen here will happen soon. I was just positive that we’d find something already.” Colin rubbed the back of his neck and stared through the open stable window toward the construction of the main resort. “All of the other fires were set by explosives, set off remotely. I just think maybe we’re missing something.”

  “I checked inside every stall and in the tack room. I didn’t see any propane tanks.”

  “Don’t forget it’s not just propane tanks we’re looking for. Any big cans of any kind?”

  Colin headed toward the big doors of the tack room. “Let’s look in here one more time. I’m not willing to give up on this.”

  Moving through the tack room slowly, James started on one side and Colin on the other. They lifted the saddles, opened every drawer and checked in every cupboard. Against the back wall, water tanks stood in a row, waiting to be filled when the horses arrived the following week. A small door led from the tack room to the feed room that had been empty when Hanna and Colin had visited days before.

  “Did you check in there?” James asked, gesturing to the room that would hold the hay and alfalfa. “I didn’t.”

  Shaking his head slowly, Colin moved toward the door, reaching out to lift the latch. He stopped suddenly, pulling his hand back quickly.

  “What is it?” James moved toward Colin but stopped as Colin held up his hand, raising a finger to his mouth, motioning for James to be silent. He pointed to Nala, who had been sitting at the door at alert, staring at the crack.

  “Nala, come,” Colin said, motioning for the dog to move away from the door. She looked up at him with a whimper, immediately turning her head back to the door, refusing to move.

  Colin cleared his throat. “I was in there the other day,” Colin said. His jaw tightened as James looked at him, a question in his eyes. “I know the horses aren’t coming for another week. Nothing in there. Let’s go take another look outside,” he said, motioning for James to follow him to the door.