by Jill Sanders
“Aunt Roslyn.” She nodded briskly.
“So, you’ve returned?” Her aunt’s once-beautiful blonde hair had been cut shorter and had streaks of grey and dark brown in it, giving it an unwashed and messy look.
There were far more wrinkles and age lines than there had been and at least twenty extra pounds on the woman’s normally fit frame.
Roslyn Brooks assessed Raven with dark, unemotional eyes.
“I suppose you want a place to stay?” she asked as she motioned to Raven’s luggage, sounding as if Raven were asking for a handout. Raven nodded quickly and raised her eyebrows slightly, a move that she knew her aunt would take as a play for power. After all, this was her place. Willed solely to her by her mother and father. Her uncle and aunt had only been running the business while she’d been away.
Her aunt turned quickly and walked back over to the receptionist. Raven followed, leaving her luggage where it was.
“My niece will need a room,” Roslyn started.
“A suite,” Raven corrected quickly. “One in the west building.” She remembered that it was the last building her father had added during his ownership of the resort and so the newest. “Top floor,” she added at the last minute.
Roslyn sighed and looked even more annoyed, but she nodded to the woman. Then she turned back to Raven. “How long can we expect your visit to last?”
Raven smiled. “Oh, I’m not here on a visit,” she said smoothly. “I’m back. I intend to take my place and run the resort.” She leaned slightly on the countertop, making sure that her voice was raised just enough that the receptionist would hear.
When the woman’s fingers stopped working on the keyboard, Raven knew that the employee had gotten the message, loud and clear.
Her aunt’s eyes narrowed as her lips thinned. “Indeed?” she said between clenched teeth. “Does Colin know your plans?”
“No.” She sighed and acted bored. “I had hoped to surprise him with the news. It’s too bad he’s out.” She shrugged slightly. “You will have to let me know the moment he’s back”—she glanced around and frowned— “at work. Until then, I’ll take a day to get settled, some time to get caught up on where things stand before…”
“Before?” Her aunt watched her closely.
Raven smiled. “I’m sure we can work something out,” she said with a shrug and turned away from her aunt to take the key card that the receptionist was handing to her.
“I’ve put you in the west executive suites,” the woman said with a friendlier smile.
“Thank you…” She glanced towards the woman and noted that there was no name badge, no set uniform, or anything that could count as a dress code. Actually, the woman’s attire was seriously lacking, messy, and just plain… unattractive. As the first impression of the resort, it was in dire need of correcting.
“Christina,” the girl answered.
Raven frowned. “Is that really your name?”
The woman glanced over at Roslyn and then back at Raven before shaking her head slightly.
“What is your name, your real name?” Raven asked.
“Cemal,” she answered in a low tone.
Raven smiled. “A much more beautiful name.” She nodded. “Thank you, Cemal. Is there someone who can help me take my things up?”
“Yes, I’ll ring for Tommy, umm, Tom, to help you with your things.” The woman’s smile turned more sincere as she turned to pick up the phone and call for help.
When she turned back to her aunt, Raven noticed Roslyn glaring at Cemal.
“Guests don’t like names they can’t pronounce,” her aunt started. There was so much that Raven wanted to say to her aunt, but she settled for a quick jab instead.
“Guests?” Raven chuckled and looked around. “What guests?”
“It’s off-season,” her aunt threw back at her.
“It’s early summer. In the mountains.” Raven walked over to the large windows and looked out at the side of the mountain. There was still enough snow at the top of the ski runs that she could remember just how wonderful it felt to rush down the hills. “I would think there would be people in the city who need a weekend getaway and this view.” She turned back to her aunt. “One must only give them what they want with the rest.” She glanced around the rundown lobby and made a tsking noise. “Such a shame.”
“Colin and I have done everything we could to keep this place afloat.” Her aunt grabbed her arm, and her long well-manicured nails dug into her skin.
Raven jerked free, then walked over when a young, skinny high school boy came rushing out of the dining room. As with Cemal, the boy’s attire was disheveled, and she realized that here, too, there was no set uniform or required attire.
“Miss.” The boy saw Roslyn and turned almost sheet white. “I…” Then the boy’s eyes turned to her and went wide.
“Holy shit. You’re her.” He practically pointed at Raven. “You’re the Firestarter,” the boy said, still staring at her.
“That’s quite enough, Tommy. Please help take my niece’s things up to her suite,” Roslyn said before turning away. “I’ll contact you when your uncle has returned,” Roslyn threw over her shoulder before disappearing down the hallway leading to Raven’s father’s old office.
Well, that went just as planned, Raven thought as she rode the elevator up to her rooms in the west building. She’d requested to stay in that building not only because it was the newest. It also had the best views, especially from the fifth floor.
Tommy, or Tom, remained quiet as they rode up together. She could tell that the boy was nervous and, at this point, she no longer cared. She wanted a shower and a few hours to shut down before she tried to find something to eat. Spending the past ten hours in the car, thinking about what she was going to say to her uncle and aunt, had drained her emotionally and physically. Worries about how they would react and fears of them tossing her out had played over in her mind the closer she had gotten to home.
Then again, it wasn’t just her family’s response to her return that would be a problem. No, she had the entire town of Cannon Falls to worry about.
Every single person she’d wronged. Every surviving family member of a loved one she’d killed.
When she opened the door to her suite, she genuinely smiled for the first time. Here, at least, she knew that she would be welcomed. The view of the still snow-covered peak warmed her.
Waiting for Tommy to set her bags down, she turned to the boy.
“Do you have a uniform?” she asked him as he waited for a tip. Raven doubted that the kid was popular in school. He was far too thin, wore thick glasses, and had a serious acne problem. She just bet there was a stack of books somewhere he’d been engrossed in when Cemal had called him.
The boy’s eyebrows shot up.
“Yes,” he answered quickly.
“Yes, ma’am,” she corrected.
The boy looked irritated.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said between clenched teeth.
“Tommy.” She walked around him and tilted her head. “If I’m going to take my resort back, I’m going to need to make sure that each of my employees is on my side,” she said clearly.
The boy seemed to take in her words, and his slight frown turned into a pout.
“Your…?” He cleared his throat. “Gosh, this is your place?”
“It is,” she said easily with a smile. “My aunt and uncle have been running it while I was away at college.”
“Well, shit,” he said, straightening up. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Brooks,”
She smiled. “Miss,” she corrected. “You can call me Raven.”
“I didn’t know,” he said quickly.
“No, I take it a lot of employees don’t.” Her aunt and uncle had probably hidden that detail from everyone over the past ten years. “But I bet you could enlighten them.”
Tommy smiled and nodded, then turned towards the door, the prospect of a tip totally forgotten.
“Tom?” she said, gett
ing his attention. “I’ll expect to see you in the uniform next time.”
He groaned slightly. “Miss…” He stopped when she arched her eyebrows. “Raven, it doesn’t fit.”
“It doesn’t?” She frowned. “Well, we’ll have to fix that. Until I have a chance to correct the issue, your best slacks and dress shirt should do nicely.” She motioned to his worn jeans, T-shirt, and sneakers. “And some dress shoes. If you need an allowance to purchase some, see me tomorrow.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said with a big smile. “Thanks,” he said and left quickly.
She walked over and opened the doors to the bedroom suite and assessed the large space that would be her new home until she could secure her own place. The bedroom could use some freshening up, as could the bathroom, but she was thankful that the room wasn’t as rundown as the lobby had been.
She headed back into the larger sitting room, pulled open the sliding glass doors, and stepped out onto the balcony. Leaning her hands on the railing, she took in a deep breath and enjoyed the fresh smell of the country air.
There was a hint of the crisp cold snow that floated down from the top of the mountain in front of her, and she took several moments to appreciate it all. Then she turned her gaze to the left and held her breath.
She’d avoided driving through the small town of Cannon Falls when she’d headed to the resort. Normally, tourists or guests would take the business loop directly through town to get there. However, locals knew the old highway that wound around the hills and avoided the heart of the town.
The fear of what she’d see had caused her to take the old route.
Now, she turned her eyes towards the small town of Cannon Falls, the place that had been so close to her heart. The place she’d destroyed.
She didn’t know what to expect. Ten years ago, hardly a single building remained standing. Had they rebuilt it? What did it look like now?
Seeing the outline of the newer trees against the larger ones that hadn’t been destroyed, she felt her heart swell. Where once had stood the charred remains of the forest that had burned down, it was now green for as far as the eye could see. The lines of everything she’d destroyed were blurred.
Her knees buckled and she folded down to sit on the floor of the balcony as her eyes watered.
What had made her think she could do this? Why on earth would she ever return to this place? It had been two months since she’d received the call that her grandmother had passed away peacefully in her sleep. Her father’s mother had been the only family who had welcomed her after the fire. The only person in the world who had cared, really cared for her.
Now, that person was gone, just like everyone else who had cared in her life. She was once again, all alone.
The darkness was back, awakened once again after so long of a reprieve. Its gloriously dark tentacles reached out, consuming, overwhelming once again. Changing, twisting the mind. Splitting it in two as it had once before, long ago.
The smell of smoke hinted at its return. The sight of flames tickled and teased it from its hiding. Over the past ten years, nothing had allowed it its freedom, until it had seen the bright red of Raven Brooks’ red locks once more.
Now, thanks to her return, the monster was finally free, and it was only a matter of time before someone paid the price.
Chapter Two
Where there is smoke there is fire
“What in the hell do you think you’re doing?” Cade Stone stormed across the yard and stomped on the pile of papers and dead plants, extinguishing the small flames his neighbor, Bobby Robert—yes, that was really the man’s name—had started.
“Hey!” The middle-aged man pushed him. “What the hell.” Bobby shoved him again. “Why’d you go and do that?”
“Bobby, I know you’re smarter than to light a fire when we’re under restrictions.” Cade stomped on the pile again to make his point.
“Well, shit.” Bobby sighed and wiped a dirty handkerchief over his face. “I was going to stand right here. Got my water hose and all.” The man motioned to the hose, which wasn’t even hooked up to the water spigot.
“Don’t test my patience,” he warned the man. “Now clean this mess up. Trash day is tomorrow.” He motioned to the garbage can sitting at the end of Bobby’s drive.
Jumping into his truck, he whistled for his dog, Blue, to follow him.
The old bloodhound took his time getting up and stretching before he hobbled from his spot on the front porch and climbed into the truck with him.
“Thanks for joining me today,” he told the dog, who rolled his eyes at him. “Don’t give me that look.” He started the truck and headed into town. “Listen, if you don’t give me attitude, you might get some cookies.” The dog’s ears perked up, as much as the droopy things could. “You’d think you’d be more enthusiastic to come to work with me. Man’s best friend and all.” Blue laid his head down in his lap and looked up at him with big begging eyes. “Yeah, yeah, we’ll stop off and get you some cookies,” he agreed, causing Blue’s tail to wag frantically.
He parked in front of Upper Crust Bakery and let Blue follow him inside. Even though the building was newer, built after the fire, the bakery had been a staple in the town his entire life. This was the case with most of the other businesses in Cannon Falls. The ones that had stuck around and rebuilt, that was.
The old Cannon Falls Diner was the only building downtown that hadn’t burned to the ground. That business, along with a little over a hundred homes, was all that had remained after that summer day. The day the town had lost thirty residents, including his younger brother.
“Morning, Cade,” Dawn Highett, owner of the bakery, greeted him when he walked in. “How’s Blue this morning?” The blonde woman, who was a few years younger than him, bent down and scratched his dog on the head. Blue, who wasn’t a fool and knew who had the cookies, laid his head on Dawn’s knee.
“Morning, Dawn.” Cade walked over and helped himself to the self-serve coffee.
“Will you be bringing in donuts for the crew this morning?” Dawn asked, giving Blue a few cookies from her apron.
“You know it,” he said, adding creamer to his coffee. “I’ve already extinguished one fire this morning,” he said. He walked over to the counter and waited until Dawn finished washing her hands before helping him pick out two dozen donuts for his men.
He’d been tempted to ask Dawn out at one point. The pretty blonde had always been friendly to him, and he liked how nice she was to Blue. But then he’d found out that she had a live-in girlfriend.
It wasn’t as if he’d been desperate for dates over the years since he’d returned to his hometown. And since he’d become fire marshal, he’d decided to keep his focus on his career. Blue took up a lot of his time as well.
“Oh?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder. “What happened?”
“Bobby.” He said the man’s name, as if that explained everything.
Dawn rolled her eyes. “Seriously?” She chuckled. “I swear, some people should be banned from buying matches.”
He chuckled and started pointing at the donuts he wanted for his team.
“So, you heard the latest rumors?” she asked as she carefully placed donuts in the pink bakery boxes.
“Rumors?” he asked, pointing to the green-clover-covered sugar cakes. “About?”
“Raven Brooks is back in town,” Dawn said as she filled the box. He froze in place. “Or so Tommy Andrews has been saying all over town.”
“Raven?” He felt his blood start to boil. “Where is she staying?”
Dawn glanced up at him, no doubt because of his stern tone.
“As far as I know, she’s staying at the resort.” She gave a little shrug and walked over to ring him up. “Her family still owns the place, after all.”
“Right.” He paid Dawn and mentally rearranged his day to add a visit to the resort. He’d been waiting ten long years to talk to Raven Brooks. Ten long years that he’d spent without his brother,
Reggie.
Now the day had finally come to question the person responsible for his loss and the losses of so many others.
After dropping the sugary breakfast off at the firehouse, he and Blue headed up to the massive resort that hung along the hillside overlooking Cannon Falls. He’d been to the place so many times over the years, as he was responsible for certifying and enforcing the fire code for the entire town, including the resort.
However, this time when he parked and stepped outside, he had only one goal in mind. Finding and questioning Raven Brooks.
He could vaguely remember his younger brother’s high school girlfriend. He had at one point received a photo of the two of them at a school dance. Since Cade had been away at college most of his brother’s senior year of school, he hadn’t been around when his brother had been dating the girl.
He did, however, remember seeing the young redhead around long before then. After all, Cannon Falls had always been a small town, even before the fire that ravaged the place, destroying so many lives.
Snapping his fingers, he had Blue lying down just outside the doors. He knew the dog would remain there until he returned.
Stepping into the lobby, he glanced around. Over the years, he’d watched the decay of the once-elite resort that had housed thousands and thousands of wealthy families.
But he knew that it wasn’t the fire ten years ago that had caused the resort’s decline. No, he knew all too well the problems behind its demise.
“Morning.” He smiled at Christina.
“Marshal.” The young woman beamed up at him. “I didn’t know we were having another inspection today.”
He leaned on the counter and tried for charm. After all, he didn’t quite know how to go about demanding to see Raven Brooks. Technically, he had no jurisdiction over a case that had been closed more than a decade ago.
“Oh, I’m not here for an inspection.”
