by Joanne Ellis
“Hi, guys,” she said striding into the kitchen.
“Hey there, Dr Summerville. How was your first day?” Chelsea asked.
“Great.” She paused. “I met the hottest guy today.”
“Well that is an extra bonus and on your first day too.” Chelsea smirked.
“He wasn’t very friendly though.”
“Summerville women have that effect on men,” said Lucas, hugging Chelsea affectionately.
“I don’t think the attraction was mutual.”
“Did you find out his name or anything about him?” Chelsea asked.
“Jared something, I didn’t get his last name as Dr Shaw doesn’t charge him because he’s a model citizen, a fire fighter,” she said flippantly before wandering off to change for dinner.
“Chelsea, did she just meet Nathan’s brother?”
“Sounds like it.”
“Should we tell her?”
“No, let her find out at the wedding. If there was an attraction there, what better place to find romance than at a wedding?” she said dreamily. “Besides she will knock him dead in that dress.”
Charlotte returned and they sat down for dinner. She told them all about her day and Chelsea updated her on Carrie and Mabel’s dress choices for the wedding. After dinner was finished and they cleared up, Charlotte headed upstairs to do some more studying and get an early night.
Once up in her room she found herself unable to concentrate again, so she ventured outside to sit on the balcony. Her thoughts went instantly to Jared. She recalled the jolt she’d felt when he took her hand to shake it and how it was unlike anything she’d experienced before.
She’d been attracted to lots of good looking men in the past but never like this and so instantaneously. She smiled when her heart fluttered as she recalled his handsome face. He was absolutely incredible. Disappointment suddenly filled her. The first time she’d ever encountered such a strong magnetism and he did not feel it in return.
* * *
After running his errands, Jared threw himself into cooking dinner, anything to take his mind off those incredible legs and edible lips. Once dinner was accomplished without incident, despite his lack of concentration, he headed out the back to sit with Max in the quiet darkness. His thoughts remained on the girl with chocolate eyes. Why couldn’t he stop thinking about her?
She was the most breathtaking woman he had ever set eyes on and he had discovered sensations that were new and unlike any before. Becoming involved with a shallow insincere woman would be a mistake. She had been very kind to Max but that was her job and perhaps she was just good at it.
Whilst she cuddled Max, he craved to have her arms around him instead of Max, to kiss those delicious lips. He was being whimsical and it needed to cease since anyone who did not take life seriously had no place in his life.
Chapter 4
Dr Shaw
Charlotte strived to forget about the gorgeous fire fighter with sea blue eyes and amazing smile but failed to achieve her goal. Of course, as her luck would have it, the most stunningly attractive man she’d ever met did not return the sentiment.
Dr Shaw had allocated some appointments for her, so thankfully she would be busy all day which would be a respite, she hoped, from ridiculous thoughts that would never be fulfilled. As she set up for the day, her mind began to wander nevertheless until her first patient arrived.
Jared’s attitude towards her the previous day had stung. He’d made it apparent that she was clearly not in his league. He was hot so evidently his attraction would be to someone just as hot as him. She would have to accept she wasn’t actually his type with her gangly legs and out-of-control curls. Despite this, her traitorous heart skipped a beat as she thought about his blonde locks and broad shoulders.
Dr Shaw appeared and she was relieved to be brought back to reality. She had work to do. First up this morning she was assisting him in the operating theatre.
“So, Charlotte, how was your first day yesterday?” he asked her once they began.
“Great. Thank you so much for the opportunity, Dr Shaw.”
“Please call me Martin. If we are going to be working together, first names are better.”
“OK, Martin,” she replied with a smile.
“So, what do you do when you’re not here?”
“Are you flirting with me, Martin?”
“Maybe,” he smiled.
“Well, I sometimes help my sister in her flower shop or in the garden. I also love to shop and go to the movies. I study a lot, though, and don’t get all that much time for anything else.”
“Yes, I remember those days. They are almost behind you now, though.”
“Yes, last year, finally. I’m looking forward to being Dr Summerville.”
“So … what are you doing for dinner tonight?”
“Probably just staying in with my sister and her fiancé. Chelsea is a great cook like our Mum, which is just as well because I’m not so good at it.”
“Would you be interested in having dinner with me? I know this great restaurant you should try.”
“I’m flattered, Martin, but I don’t think we should socialise if we work together.” Charlotte was grateful she could keep her eyes averted and on the task at hand. Turning someone down had always been difficult for her. For some reason she found his flirtation a little disconcerting.
“If I’d known that, I wouldn’t have hired you.”
She frowned before answering. “Then you probably wouldn’t have seen me again to ask anyway.”
“You could be right. Can’t blame a guy for trying. You have a unique beauty.”
“Thanks, Martin,” she mumbled. “I’m not so good with compliments.” She blushed.
“Oh, a coy side. How delightful.” She met his eyes and his attraction was obvious in his expression. Her blushing intensified and her cheeks burned as though she’d been standing too close to a fire. She also hoped his flirting wouldn’t continue.
“Anyway, Martin,” she said trying to regain some composure. “What do you like to do?”
“I’m quite predictable I’m afraid. I like to swing the golf clubs.”
“I’ve never tried golf before. There is exercise involved and I’m afraid I’m allergic.”
He laughed. “You wouldn’t know it to look at you.”
She blushed again, feeling more than a little uncomfortable from the attention he was paying her. They continued in silence for the remainder of the operation and while Martin prepared to wake their patient, Charlotte cleaned up.
Her day was filled with all sorts of patients big and small, from mice to St Bernard’s. She wasn’t undertaking anything overly difficult at this stage but she knew eventually Martin would provide her with a more challenging role.
Thinking of Martin, she had to admit she was a little surprised at his attention and hoped she hadn’t offended him by refusing his offer of dinner. Although he appeared kind and a little fun, she was absolutely not interested in him in that way. Hopefully the message got through and their working relationship could still become a strong one and be unaffected by the rejection.
When she arrived home that evening, she found the house empty. A note from Chelsea told her they’d set off to the movies and some leftovers from last night were in the fridge for reheating. Oh, her considerate sister, what would she do without her? She heated her dinner and parked herself in front of the television while she ate without actually concentrating, merely staring.
More familiar with a full house, she found the quiet somewhat lonesome and she wished yet again for someone to share the silence with. It was pleasant living with Chelsea and Lucas but she constantly felt like the fifth wheel. Growing up with her parents, sister and brother, plus her grandparents, meant generally there was someone around. Feeling discontented, she thought about her family, hoping to lift her despondency.
Her grandmother had passed away some years before and she was deeply missed. Her Pa, a retired psychiatrist, with a f
uzzy grey beard and hair, was always on hand for a shoulder and advice.
Her mother, Sarah, was a strawberry blond haired version of Chelsea and was always up for a chat or to lend moral support.
Her father, Bradley, was the local doctor where they lived. A tall, gentle and empathetic man with dark hair and the same chocolate coloured eyes as hers, he encompassed all that was good and true in the world to Charlotte. Her brother, Hayden, eight years her junior at sixteen, was a young version of their father and was thoughtful and sensitive. Charlotte held high hopes for her little brother and believed he would pursue the same occupation as their father. She thought he too had the potential to become a wonderful doctor.
Chelsea was the creative, sweet one in the family. Owning her own florist shop suited her personality immensely.
Thinking about her family made her homesick and it hadn’t helped lift her restlessness. She had only been away from home for a month and was grateful for Chelsea, but the ache of missing the rest of her family became strong as she sat alone in the empty house. Reaching over to pick up the phone, she called home and her mother answered.
“Hi, Mum.”
“Charlotte, honey, it’s so good to hear from you. We miss you. How is everything going with Dr Shaw?”
“Great, the clinic is very busy so I’ve been seeing a lot of patients over the last two days.”
“Is everything alright? You sound a bit down?”
“Yes, I’m just a bit homesick. Chelsea and Lucas are out and the house is quiet, I guess I’m not used to it.”
“You’ll come to appreciate it one day, dear. I like to sit out on our balcony sometimes and just listen to the quiet. It’s quite soothing.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
“Is there anything else wrong?”
“I met this guy yesterday, Jared, and he was … abrupt but so gorgeous and I felt … something but he obviously didn’t feel the same.”
“Maybe he’s shy, dear. Sometimes people seem different at first, from how they really are.”
“Perhaps, but I suppose it doesn’t matter. I probably won’t see him again anyway.”
“You might and you may find him different. Charlotte, you have a lot of confidence and some people find that intimidating. We love that you are so sure of yourself but it could be interpreted differently.”
“I know. I’ve had this problem before. Usually I just shrug it off, plenty of fish in the sea, but I felt something different this time and I was offended by his disapproval.”
“If that was actually what it was …. ”
“You’re right, I’m probably reading into nothing, as usual. I have never felt so unsure of myself before, that’s all.”
“Are you sure you’re alright?”
“Yeah, I’m OK, Mum. I think I’ll go to bed now, I’m tired.”
“Ok, honey. You know where I am if you need me. Love you, sweetheart.”
“Love you too, Mum. Good night.”
She hung up the phone, switched off the television that she hadn’t actually watched, trundled upstairs and sat on the balcony. She now understood why Chelsea spent so much time out here as it was relaxing and therapeutic looking over the city.
She wondered whether somewhere out there was the right man for her and she found her mind drifting to the elusive Jared. Amazed by how one meeting had affected her so much, she tried to shake it off.
She didn’t succeed.
Chapter 5
Arson
Jared’s three days off passed quickly and his thoughts were filled with untamed blond curls and incredible legs. What astonished him most was how one woman, after one meeting, could invade his thoughts so much. He decided that loneliness, and nothing more, was obviously the reason for such a powerful attraction.
She’d clearly been the type of girl he’d sworn off so he decided it was time to move on and erase her from his memory. To aid with this, he volunteered to do some much needed maintenance at the station. Anything to occupy his wandering mind.
He was in the process of replacing worn attachments and parts on their equipment when the bell sounded. Jared raced down to their truck and did a head count before setting off. Sam was sitting in the passenger seat, talking on the radio obtaining the details of where and what they were heading to, when Jared climbed into the truck.
It was a little after four in the afternoon when they pulled up to the burning house. Neighbours stood out on their front lawns and lined the streets, watching the action unfold. Jared chose one of his most reliable men to search the premises. The remainder of the crew began to hose the house. Once the blaze was subdued Jared would begin his investigation so, to ready himself, he began to pull on his protective gear. He observed the flames and heat of the fire as his crew attempted to control it, as these were also indicators of origin and cause.
About five minutes later their crew member surfaced carrying a badly burned and unconscious victim. Ambulance officers tried resuscitation but it appeared the person was already gone. In most instances involving a victim, the fire itself was usually the accidental cause of death. Sometimes when a fire started in the early hours of the morning, while the occupants slept, the smoke could cause victims to become disorientated when awoken by the blaze. In most cases they would become trapped within the house or pass out from the thick smoke. In most cases a crew arrived in time to save a trapped victim, particularly if the fire didn’t burn with intensity, however sometimes victims died from smoke inhalation without actually waking at all.
The other scenarios, which he didn’t like to contemplate, were that the victim had been murdered before the blaze began and it was merely a cover up, or the fire itself was the murder weapon, which was far more sinister. He hoped it wasn’t like the previous arson case.
An autopsy would ascertain whether it was a deliberate or accidental death. His findings would also aid in discovering how the death occurred.
He didn’t feel confident about an accidental fire as he watched the strong, hot flames. Jared didn’t want to jump to conclusions until he’d investigated fully.
While the men continued to extinguish the fire, Jared checked over his kit and ran an inventory. Now there was a suspicious death, the police officers who attended the scene had called in detectives along with the Medical Examiner. Jared knew they would need his findings for their investigations.
The fire was almost quenched when Lucas and his partner Maggie Johnson arrived and, not far behind them, David Walker, the Medical Examiner. While David examined the victim, Lucas and Maggie came over to talk to Jared.
“Have you had an opportunity to check for arson?” Lucas asked.
“Not as yet. I was just about to go in as the boys are finishing up now.”
“OK, we’ll wait and interview some of the neighbours to see if they have any information.”
Once Jared determined the fire was doused, he grabbed his evidence case and entered the building. He went from room to room checking for the possible point of origin.
After eliminating all appliances and power outlets as the likely causes, he moved on searching for other combustible items that might possibly be the source.
He checked each room thoroughly before discovering something in the dining room near a sliding door exit. The room, the curtains which housed the door and the carpet looked as though they’d been exposed to more heat than other rooms within the house. This indicated to Jared the area had probably burned for longer.
He took photos of the area and documented his findings before removing a test kit from his case to check for an accelerant. After many tests of different areas, he finally received a positive result on the walls, curtains and the floor. He followed the path the fire would have taken and determined the accelerant had been splashed though many rooms in the house. He completed his report and went outside to share his findings with the detectives.
“Hudson,” he called.
When the detectives came over, Jared continued, “The intensity and colour
of the flames indicated to me something was fuelling the fire. After ruling out possible sources such as gas or oxygen which typically combust a fire, I tested the areas which appeared to be the ignition point and I received a positive result for an accelerant - probably petrol or something similar. I believe the fire was started deliberately.”
“The ME has informed us the young female victim has a blunt force trauma on the back of her head. He isn’t sure whether she has been hit or fell, but his assumption is the first, indicated by the wound markings. The blow would have rendered her unconscious and he believes she probably died from smoke inhalation but he is going to confirm and let us know. Your discovery of arson suggests the fire could again be the murder weapon, like our cold case,” said Lucas.
“I agree. This scene appears similar to the last. I will look over the file again when I get back to the office and confirm. If you need any further clarification, give me a call,” he said, handing Lucas a copy of his report.
“I will. Thanks again. I guess we’ll see you in a few weeks, if not before,” Lucas grinned.
“Ah yes, the big day. I’m looking forward to it.”
“Me too.”
The detectives left and Jared ran through the check list to ensure procedure had been followed before they headed back to the station house.
Jared spent the following hours checking and then entering his report into the computer. While doing so, he re-read the file from the fire seven months earlier. Both fires were started by an accelerant splashed throughout the house and then lit. Did they have a killer using fire to murder, or an arsonist who’d started to kill?
Now they had a comparable scene, maybe they could ascertain further information about the killer. Perhaps when the fires were ignited the arsonist was unaware someone was actually home but his gut told him different. He believed the arsonist knew they were and that he’d targeted them. After filing the paperwork, he discovered his shift was almost over.
