Celtic music filled the room as patrons filed in and out of the busy Irish pub. Trent’s was a popular spot in downtown Calistoga, a small town a few hours from San Francisco. I walked into the pub and thought of how much life had changed in the past few months. I had moved to the small town when my university roommate, who’d been born and raised here, told me about a need at the fire department. She was a paramedic and told me they needed a second one, so I had moved to Calistoga. 

    In a town that had a population of less than two thousand people, there weren’t too many calls, but there were enough scrapes, burns, and occasional accidental fires to keep us busy. The firehouse consisted of the chief, the captain, a lieutenant, and four or five others who worked as both paramedics and fire fighters. We took turns going on medic calls so that we could keep our skills sharp, and when the odd fire happened we rotated who would be on fire crew and who would be on the ambulance. It kept things interesting and helped build a family atmosphere where we could get to know one another better while on calls. Plus, being in such a small town, it alleviated the boredom on slow shifts. There was also an arson investigator who worked as a detective on non-fire calls, but his office was at the police department. 

    I made my way through the busy pub, filled with mostly cops and firemen enjoying the weekend off, and found the crew at our usual corner table. It was a small group tonight: Tara Cruz, Nick Dexter, and Chris Foster. The others were most likely at home with their families but we were the single ones. I tried to hide my disappointment at the absence of Brad Portland, the arson investigator/detective. Even if his profession as a detective made me uncomfortable, there was something different about him.

    “Well, it’s about time you showed up,” Nick was the first to notice me. He was the typical Greek man whose father ran a restaurant down the street. His Greek accent was thick as he spoke. 

    “How long have you guys been here?” I asked, taking a seat beside Tara. 

    “Only an hour or so,” my best friend gave me a hug. “How was your day?” 

    “It was fun. I wandered around The Nook for most of the day. Was nice to escape into the world of fiction for a while.” 

    Trent Malone, the owner of the pub, came over with a rum and coke for me. “Nice to see you, Kaitlyn,” he greeted me with his thick Irish accent. 

    “Trent, you can call me Kait, like everyone else does,” I chuckled. 

    “Ah, but Kaitlyn sounds more...” 

    “Proper,” Chris finished for him. “More complete.” 

    “Alright, then I’ll call you Christopher and Nicolas from now on,” I sipped my drink with amusement. 

    “Don’t you dare,” Nick cringed. “That’s what my father calls me when I’m in trouble.” 

    “Yeah, only my mother calls me that when she’s upset,” Chris agreed. 

    I laughed along with them, but my heart leapt a bit. My own family situation left many things to be desired. I was an only child and had lost my mother to cancer when I was little. My father was a cop, like my uncle, and most of my spare time growing up was spent at the police department when I wasn’t at school. When he was killed on the job, I’d been put under the care of my uncle and aunt until I’d been old enough to go to medical school in San Francisco. 

    Suddenly, the room went dark and I flinched as hands covered my eyes. “Guess who.” 

    I couldn’t help but chuckle at the voice. “You know, that’d be a whole lot more effective if I didn’t already know your voice,” I smiled and reached up to take Brad Portland’s hands. 

    “Aw come on, you flinched,” he muttered and sat beside me. Every time Brad entered the room, my pulse jumped. He was gorgeous, like he belonged on a calendar, and when he looked into my eyes it was like he was looking into my soul. I wanted him, badly, but I would never admit it. 

    “Are you sure she flinched out of fear?” Chris teased. I may have hidden my feelings verbally, but it seemed to be obvious to everyone else. 

    “Guess you’re not gonna let me buy your drink either, huh Kait?” Brad looked at me. 

    I chuckled as Trent came back over with Brad’s drink and shook my head. “Nope.” 

    “Oh come on, lass. Put the poor boy out of his misery,” Trent gave a look of sympathy to Brad. 

    “He’ll have to do more than that,” I laughed. 

    “A girl’s gotta be pursued,” Tara agreed. “It’s not as easy as just buying a girl a drink.” 

    “It’s worth a try though,” Brad winked at me and I wondered how long I would be able to play ‘hard to get’. 

    “What’d you do all day, Brad? Besides figure out ways to ask Kait out?” Nick asked, making me roll my eyes, though my cheeks started to get red. 

    “I poked around the house and worked in the yard. You guys are still gonna help me with my deck tomorrow, right?” Brad looked over at them both, and they enthusiastically agreed. 

    “I’ll come help supervise from the pool,” Tara grinned. “We’ll be quality control, right Kait?” 

    “Watching hot firemen work on a deck without shirts on while we laze in the pool? I’m in!” I nodded with anticipation. It sounded like the perfect way to spend a Sunday. 

    “You guys are coming to the Halloween carnival this week, right?” Trent asked, looking around the table. I cringed, hating the holiday with every fibre of my being. 

    “You have something against halloween, Kait?” Brad asked with curiosity. 

    “Don’t we have enough scary monsters in the world?” I looked at him. “Why do we need to celebrate them and make more?” 

    “So I guess you won’t be joining us at night when we hand out candy?” Nick frowned. 

    “Right, ‘cause we’re okay with our kids taking candy from strangers every other night of the year,” I muttered. 

    “Not a fan of ghosts and witches, huh?” Chris chimed in. 

    “I have no desire to celebrate ghosts,” I took another sip of my drink. “Some ghosts are better left dead,” I looked down, and the conversation swirled around me as I tried to change the subject, with no avail. I wondered how much it would take to schedule myself off duty for the day of Halloween. I’d been through enough fear in my life and had moved to Calistoga to gain back some control over it. Only time would tell if I would be able to leave the past behind me.

2: Chapter 2: Sat., Oct. 26 2013. Calistoga, California.

    The pub was busy as it usually was on Saturday night. Ash walked through the front door and looked around at all the happy people. He hated that. Ash wasn’t his real name of course. If he played his cards right, no one would find out his real name. He had a plan for revenge and he was going to succeed. 

    Five months ago, his family had been torn apart. His successful ranch had been bullied in the press and his business had gone downhill. The ranch was a popular place for people to learn how to ride, how to jump, how to do tricks. Ash loved horses; he always had. Ever since being a child, he’d dreamed of owning a successful ranch. Now that he was a grown man and had achieved that dream, it was all falling apart. 

    A fire had ripped through one of the barns one dark, June night. Several horses had been lost in the fire as they tried to escape, but that wasn’t the cause for his grief today. His four year old daughter, Laura, had been in the barn when the fire started. She’d been trapped and the paramedics and fire crew hadn’t been there in time to rescue her. 

    Since then, his wife of twenty-seven years had left him. His two sons, ages nineteen and twenty-two, were trying to convince him to sell the ranch, but Ash was reluctant. The ranch had been in his family for generations and he’d been hoping to pass it on to one of them. Now, he wasn’t sure if that was going to be possible. 

    As Ash went up to the bar and got a drink from the girl behind the counter, he looked over at the group of firemen sitting in the corner. These were the people who were supposed to save his daughter’s life. How could they just sit there and laugh when there were people grieving because of their mistakes? It didn’t seem fair. 

    Ash’s eyes locked on the paramedic who’d responded to the call. The one who’d told him that his daughter would be fine. The one who’d administered the shock pads and tried to get his little girl’s heart beat going again. The one who’d barely shed a tear when she told him, “I’m sorry sir, we did everything we could.” If she’d done everything she could, his daughter would still be alive, he muttered to himself. 

    She would pay. They all would. They were too smug for his liking and he wanted to see them all suffer, just a little bit, for the pain they’d caused on his family. He would make her suffer the most though. She would feel the helplessness and fear of knowing that someone she loved was suffering and there was nothing that she could do about it but watch. He would destroy her family like she had destroyed his.

3: Chapter 3: Thursday, October 31

    On Thursday morning Finn Flanagan and his cameraman, Eddie Prescott, drove into the fair grounds and parked the news van. It took them a while to actually find an empty spot, since the carnival seemed to be in full swing already. The town of Calistoga might be small, but they did things big. Celebrations usually lasted all day and everyone got involved. Even the school would close and allow kids to have fun at the festivities. 

    Growing up in the town his whole life, Finn had fallen in love with the place. It didn’t matter where he traveled or visited when he felt the bug to explore the world. Something always pulled him back to the small town. Like the line on Cheers, everyone knew your name in Calistoga.

    Finn had worked for the local news station for the last two years and had been working with Eddie for that entire time. Eddie was not only his coworker, but also his best friend. The two of them were inseparable and they always knew exactly what the other was thinking before it was even verbalized. Finn didn’t have to tell Eddie where to set up the camera for a segment. He just knew and did it without being told. 

    With the camera in Eddie’s hand, Finn and Eddie headed into the carnival. There were rides and food vendors set up all over the fair grounds. Carni music played on the loudspeakers and Finn and Eddie took the camera around to interview various vendor owners. Each vendor represented a local business in town and it was a great way of promotion and advertising for their companies. There wasn’t just food stands, but also clothing, crafts, woodwork, instruments, and other artisans represented. Every vendor was decorated with various costumes and masks to enhance the spirit of halloween. 

    Finn and Eddie wandered over to the Calistoga Fire Department setup closest to the parking lot. Finn felt his heart race as he got closer as he saw the ambulance parked beside the truck, knowing that Kait Fleming would be there. He couldn’t explain it but there was something about her that he just… liked. It drew him to the ambulance like a moth to a flame, and he couldn’t explain why. 

    “You hoping to get a segment with a certain paramedic?” Eddie teased as they neared the truck. 

    “Just once, I’d love it if you couldn’t read my mind,” Finn looked over at him. “I like her, alright?” 

    “Yeah, you like her ‘cause you haven’t been on a date with her yet. One of these days, Finn, you’re going to have to settle down and ask the girl out. You guys have been dancing around the idea for months now. Ever since she moved to town.” 

    “I’m… letting her get settled,” Finn shrugged. The truth was, he could see that there was some flirtatious banter or something between Kait and Brad Portland. Finn had been trying to figure out if he would be getting in the middle of something. 

    “Hey there Finn,” Lieutenant Ford greeted him first. “Working hard today?” 

    “Always, Brent,” Finn smiled at him and looked over at Kait and Tara. “Well, if it isn’t Calistoga’s most gorgeous paramedics. Come over here, Eddie. Let’s get a segment with Kaitlyn teaching me how to do CPR.”

    “You just want any excuse for her mouth to be on yours,” Eddie teased.

    “I’m sure I’d find a way to multitask,” Finn grinned at Kait. 

    “You do know I’m right here, don’t you?” Kait looked at Tara for help. 

    “I think you’re just a fantasy now, Kait,” Tara laughed and Kait joined in the laughter. Finn watched the girls and sighed, knowing he wasn’t going to get anywhere here. Tara had known him for too long and would probably protect Kait from him. The fact that he could see Brad walking over towards them didn’t help matters much, and Finn turned to talk with some of the other firemen, getting Eddie to film a segment with them. Maybe if he could focus on work, he would be able to ignore the fact that Kait kept turning him down.

4: Chapter 4: Thursday, October 31.

    Brad Portland headed towards the firetruck, noticing Finn with his sidekick cameraman. Brad rolled his eyes watching him outwardly flirt with Kait and picked up his pace. From the moment he met her, Brad knew he’d fallen hard for her. They had danced around the idea of dating, but neither had made the first move. Kait was extremely attractive with her long blonde hair and stunning blue eyes that pierced into his soul every time they looked at him. Sooner or later, Brad knew he’d have to make a move. 

    “Someone need a victim?” Brad asked as he walked over to them, offering himself to the cause. He looked over at Kait as she put her phone to her ear and talked with the caller. He could see instantly that something was wrong as her whole expression changed. Brad reached over to put a hand on her shoulder. 

    “Who is this?” Kait asked the caller, making Brad go into cop mode. “What should I call you then?… Well I… not really… What does that mean? What do you want?” Kait asked the caller as she locked eyes with Brad. He saw her panic grow as she looked around nervously. “Where are you?… I uh… didn’t have much time for comics… Well he worked a lot so…” Brad was even more confused now as others started to move closer to listen to the call with worry. Kait reached for his hand and he squeezed it tightly, reassuring her that he was there. When the caller hung up, Kait shakily held the phone in her hand. 

    All of a sudden, tones rang out for a structure fire at Trent’s Pub stand, down the row at the end of the row of vendors. The flames were just now becoming visible and Brad sprung into action, knowing Sergeant Saunders, his partner, was close by. Brad’s main concern was on Kait as she shakily went with Tara to retrieve the stretcher and equipment from the ambulance, in case there was an injury involved. There was no way they could get the ambulance closer, but the fire was within reach that the attack hoses from the truck would be able to be dragged over to put out the flames. That fact alone made Brad think that this was an accident of some sort. No one would be stupid enough to set a fire so close to the fire truck on purpose, would they? Unless… 

    Brad waved Saunders over as he came into view and kept his eyes on Kait as he followed her to the fire. She looked lost and afraid as she kept looking around the carnival. “Kait,” Brad put a hand on her shoulder. “Kait, talk to me.” 

    “Who did this? Why here? Why so close to...?” Kait shook her head, staring at the fire. 

    “Kaitlyn... Let them worry about the fire. Tell me about the call,” Brad stepped between her and the fire so that she couldn’t see it. 

    “Call? What call?” Saunders asked, looking at Brad with interest as Trent ran over in a panic. 

    “How did... I was gone five minutes! I just went to get ice!” Trent looked over at the stand which was now in rubbles, thanks to the quick work of the fire department. 

    “Anyone helping you with the stand, Trent?” Saunders asked as Brad kept a watchful eye on Kait.” 

    “Yeah... Lucy... I... Where is she?” Trent looked around and then saw Lucy Ford talking with her father, Brent, who was watching his men take out the flames. 

    “Trent!” Lucy ran over to them and hugged Trent tightly. “I was talking with a friend at their hot dog stand when the fire started,” she admitted, tears streaming down her face. 

    Brad listened to the dialogue between Trent, Saunders and Lucy, but his concern was more on Kait who was still looking like she’d seen a ghost. He pulled her back towards the ambulance, out of view from the fire. “Tell me about the phone call,” he told her. 

    “He said… he said his name was Ash. It was an electronic sounding voice… like something that had been doctored. It was definitely male though. He told me I didn’t have to be afraid of him and he asked if I was having fun at the carnival. Then he asked me if I’d ever read comic books and he asked if I was into horses moreso as a kid,” she looked at him, the fear evident. “Then he said we could maybe talk about it over a pint and then he hung up. He… He called me Kaitlyn, Brad. He asked if my father was my superhero. He knows me.” 

    “Fire’s out! Ready for you, Portland!” Chief Todd Kirkland called over to Brad. He sighed, knowing that he had two jobs to do and now it was time for the other one. 

    Brad reluctantly left Kait in Suanders’ capable hands as he snapped for his German Shepherd to come to his side. The dog was trained for smelling out accelerants and was a huge asset to him as a detective as well. At first, he’d thought this fire had to be an accident but now, with the phone call to Kait happening minutes before the fire, he wasn’t so sure. 

    He was even less sure when Blackie barked and announced that she’d found something. Brad leaned down to look at her findings and called over to Saunders and Kirkland. “We’ve got pieces of broken glass from a Molotov cocktail bottle at the point of origin,” Brad explained. “Blackie sniffed out residue of tar and kerosine. Definitely arson.” 

    “Kait? You okay?” Captain Megan Chandra had moved over towards Kait when Brad had called Saunders over. She was still within earshot and Brad looked over with concern. 

    “I…” Kait shook her head, looking around as if in a daze. 

    “Did I hear ‘arson’?” Finn bounded over then, with Eddie close behind. 

    “Not now, Finn,” Brad glared at him. 

    “Oh come on... The people have a right to-” 

    “Come by the department in two hours, Finn. I’ll give you a statement,” Chandra snapped at him, and he slinked away like a puppy with his tail between his legs. “Someone want to tell me what I missed?” Chandra looked between Kait and Brad. 

    Brent called over then and said, “You guys are gonna want to see this!” 

    Blackie wandered over towards Brent and sniffed at a tree nearby. Brad sighed when he saw what had caught his dog’s attention. “Yeah, that’s paint,” he confirmed to his dog. In capital letters, painted in red, was the word ‘revenge’. Under the word, the batman symbol was painted on the bark.

5: Chapter 5: Friday, November 1.

    The next day passed quietly enough at the department. I was relieved to have some time to process yesterday’s events. Saunders had taken my phone in the morning and still had it. I was curious if the search had revealed anything in finding the identity of my caller. The frustrating part was that even if we knew the caller, there was nothing that we could do. All he’d done was scare me. Which he had done, successfully. The whole day I had looked over my shoulder. The only solace was that I wouldn’t receive any more phone calls from Ash until Saunders returned. 

    Brad had been at the office working on reports from the day before, looking for the manufacturer of the accelerant used at the fire. The only reason I’d known all this was because Brad had been texting me - through Tara’s phone. 

    Near the end of shift, just before five o’clock, we were gathered around the television to watch Finn’s report. It had become routine to close the day as a group. We were always curious to see how Finn had twisted each story we worked. 

    “Are you going to tell what’s going on with you and Brad?” Tara asked for the hundredth time as she plopped down beside me. 

    “Nothing,” I shrugged, and was met with a chorus of unbelieving laughter. It was true, nothing really was… but the way he’d been so concerned about me at the scene yesterday was something new. It was like he cared more personally about how I was doing, not just because he had to but because he wanted to. 

    “So nothing prompted the hundred texts I’ve received from him, making sure you were okay?” Tara asked skeptically. 

    “Well, he couldn’t text me,” I shrugged. 

    We were hushed as the news started and Finn’s face filled the screen. He was standing near the pub’s stand at the carnival, which was still taped off. People continued to mill about, since the carnival would be on all weekend. 

    “I’m standing at the site of one of the biggest taunts the Calistoga Fire Department has ever seen. It’s true, halloween is usually about haunting, but yesterday was different. Yesterday, CFD was faced with a metaphorical middle finger right in its face.” 

    There were groans of anger around the room, and I wondered which of us would burst first as Finn continued. 

    “While handing out safety toys and teaching people the important skill of CPR, the CFD were oblivious to the fact that a fire was happening right down the path. The stand was owned by local pub owner Trent Malone, who had left his young barista alone while he went to retrieve ice. This of course, was when the stand blew up in flames.” 

    “He’s gonna go up in flames if he doesn’t watch it,” Brent said angrily at the mention of his daughter.

    “As if the fire itself wasn’t enough, Investigator Brad Portland confirmed with CA News that the fire was indeed arson. He reported ample evidence discovered by his competent K9 to confirm the accusation.” 

    “He what?!” I raged. Surely Brad wouldn’t have given Finn information on an active investigation... 

    “Competent... Unlike us...” Nick muttered beside me. 

    “To further add insult to injury...” Finn was now walking towards the tree that was also taped off. “The word ‘revenge’ was printed on a nearby tree, with an even more puzzling symbol of Batman underneath. The meaning of the symbol, and the word, is yet to be discovered.” 

    “I told him not to show that part,” Chandra was fuming now. “I told him - only the fire,” she swore. 

    “The other thing that is a mystery...” Finn started, making me take a deep breath, “Was the mysterious phone call to Paramedic Kaitlyn Fleming, minutes before the fire. The contents of the call are unknown, but one thing was certain - the call made her terrified.” 

    It was my turn to swear and I looked around the room. They all knew about the call by now, but the rest of the world didn’t need to. “Someone give me a phone!” I yelled. I intended to give Finn a piece of my mind. 

    Tara handed me her phone and there was another test from Brad on the home screen: Did you see Finn’s broadcast? Is Kait OK? I shook my head, knowing I had to deal with him later, and dialled Finn’s number. 

    “He’s gonna wish his broadcast were live,” Aaron cringed nearby, as I waited for Finn to answer. 

    “Talk to me,” Finn answered in his own, casual manner. 

    “No, you talk to me!” I yelled, making all eyes turn from the screen towards me. “Who told you?!” 

    “Well, it’s nice to talk to you too, Kait. How was your day?” 

    “You know very well how my day was! Where do you get off sharing all that on air?” 

    “Now, Kait... You know my sources are confidential...” 

    “So are arson investigations! You can’t just tell the public every single detail while we’re still trying to figure out what happened!” 

    “This isn’t your number...” Finn observed randomly. “Where’s your phone?” 

    “Are you even listening?” I fumed, pacing around the room. “Forget about the way you made us look. You had no right talking about Ash’s call like that!” 

    “Ash?” he asked, and I wanted to kick myself, realizing what I’d done. “The caller’s name is Ash?” 

    “Don’t you dare, Finn. I mean it. Stay out of this while we investigate, you hear me?” 

    “Alright, look... not that I need to defend myself but did you ever think that maybe this helped you?” 

    “Helped?!” I gaped, noticing Saunders walk in with my phone in his hand. 

    “I wanted to get a rise out of him. Make him see you had nothing. Maybe he’d think he had one up on you guys sand he’d get stupid and leave more clues.” 

    “So you want him to start another fire? You’re just as bad as him!” I hung up the phone and threw it back to Tara, who caught it as it landed on the couch. 

    “Do I want to know who was on the other end of that?” Saunders looked around the room. 

    “That big-mouth reporter,” I said, still fuming. 

    “Why am I not surprised?” Saunders shook his head. “We traced that number, but it was a dead end. Burner phone.” 

    “Now what?!” I asked, sitting back down between Nick and Tara. 

    “Nothing we can do. Brad’s looking for the store receipts from the accelerants still. He was in the middle of a call when I left him.” 

    “Let’s call it a day before the night shift kicks us out,” Kirkland advised and I took my phone from Saunders before going to the locker room to change.

6: Chapter 6: Saturday, November 2

    Finn walked down the street Saturday morning with his mind swirling in a thousand directions. He wanted to know more about the fire at Trent’s stand at the carnival, but no one was talking to him. Saunders and Brad gave him the usual “It’s an active investigation” and the fire department wasn’t much help either. Finn knew that the only way he was going to get any information was going to be asking around town for witnesses himself, so that’s what he’d been doing since the carnival. The problem with someone setting a fire at a Halloween carnival though was that everyone had been in masks. The list of possible suspects involved The Flash, Superman, witches, clowns, and anything in between. 

    The other thing that was getting frustrating was the way Kait was shutting him out. He’d tried to call her ever since she’d hung up on him yesterday after the broadcast but she wasn’t answering. He hadn’t intended to upset her, really. He’d wanted to give the story like he was supposed to as a reporter. He didn’t understand how she could be so upset about it.

    There was only one place Finn knew where to find Kait on a Saturday morning. The Nook was a popular bookstore downtown which was run by Lieutenant Ford’s wife, Mary. Their daughter Lucy worked there when she wasn’t over at Trent’s Pub in the evenings and weekends. The bookstore was unique in that it only sold classic novels. Each book’s author was no longer living and it had an antiquity about the place that the town loved. Most of Calistoga was trying to get back to the older style of small town charm with western-looking buildings and shops that tried to bring history into the present. 

    Finn pushed open the door to the bookstore and looked around. Kait was indeed there, sitting in her usual chair by the fireplace in the corner with a coffee in her hand. Finn took a deep breath, gathering himself. It wasn’t fair that she was so incredibly gorgeous. True, Finn was known as a ladies man in town, but he just wanted to get to know people and hear their stories. He couldn’t help it if the girls usually wanted more from him. Kait though… she wasn’t like anyone else he’d ever met. 

    “Hey Finn! How’s it going?” Lucy greeted him and made him jump as he’d been so focused on Kait. 

    “Lucy, you scared me. How’s it goin’, kiddo?” he asked, giving the girl a hug. Lucy was nineteen years old and Finn had always seen her as a sort of little sister. Finn was in his mid-twenties and she had, for some reason, always looked up to him. 

    “Oh, I’m alright. I was thinking… Could you maybe talk to your boss at the news station and uh… get me an internship at the paper?” she looked up at him with those ambitious brown eyes.

    “You want to work at the paper?” Finn smiled at her, thinking she would be a good fit there. He knew she was waiting to hear from Napa Valley College, which was about fifteen minutes from Calistoga. 

    “Yeah… I want to be a journalist. I think getting some experience at the paper would be a good idea, right? Get my feet wet a bit?” 

    “Definitely. I can ask my boss and see what we can do for you,” Finn nodded. Since it was a small town, the media office included both the television reporters and the newspaper services. “Listen, there’s… someone I need to talk to. I’ll give you a call, okay?” Finn said to Lucy and she nodded before he made his way over to Kait.

    Kait barely looked up from the book she was reading. “You’re on thin ice with me, Flanagan,” she glared at her novel. 

    “Kait, please. I want to talk and apologize for-” 

    “For what?” her eyes lifted to meet his. “Comparing the CFD to dogs? For divulging information in an ongoing investigation? Or for compromising my safety? Or for ruining my Saturday?” 

    “Well hold on now,” Finn sighed as he perched on an armrest of the closest chair. “Let’s go down that list. First of all, I never compared the CFD to a dog. I said Blackie was helpful in proving arson.” 

    “While the rest of us stood feet away and let the arson happen?” she muttered. 

    “I never said that either. You’re twisting my words now.” 

    “Yeah, like you didn’t twist reality?” 

    “Second...” he went on. “It’s my job to report information. Anything I hear is on the record until stated otherwise. It’s not my fault you all shared details in public.” 

    “That’s not-” 

    “Third,” he continued as if she wasn’t talking. “Your safety is why I mentioned the call. If he wanted your interactions to be his private playground, they aren’t now. He has an audience. He’ll be shaken and maybe he’ll pull back a bit.” 

    “Or maybe he’ll be proud of himself for being successful in scaring me. He’ll be even more confident and will try to scare me more.” 

    “Then maybe he’ll be stupid and give us something we can use.” 

    “Us? We?!” she gaped at him. “You think there’s a ‘we’? You made me and my team look like a group of incompetent scaredy-cats!” 

    “And lastly,” Finn concluded with a smirk. “I knew you would be here. You’re always here. If you want to avoid stalkers, you might want to be less predictable.” Finn looked down at Kait and noticed her gaze had gone towards the door. Finn looked over to see Alan Cartwright, owner of the big ranch over in Napa Valley, walking into the bookstore. He looked back over at Kait who was squirming in her seat. “What’s wrong?” 

    “Nothing,” Kait shrugged, looking back at him. 

    “You just love to hear yourself talk, don’t you, Finn?” Brad’s voice came from behind Finn and he turned to see the cop wearing plain clothes and staring down at him. It didn’t help that Brad was about a foot taller than Finn was. 

    “If you don’t mind, Brad, Kait and I were just-” 

    “Just nothing,” Kait stood with her book under her arm. “You’re a liar and a crook, Finn Flanagan. Brad, can we go?” 

    Finn sighed as he watched Kait walk off with Brad. It wasn’t fair. All Finn was trying to do was help them catch an arsonist and neither of them seemed interested in his involvement. Finn waved to Lucy and headed out of the bookstore, wondering who he should hunt down next for information.

7: Chapter 7: Monday, November 4

    Flames engulfed the building as Ash watched from a secluded location across the street. He was proud of the work that had been done. It would be a shock for the fire lieutenant to discover that his own house and family’s business had become nothing but ashes. All those classic novels and snobby people that read them. As if the fiction world mattered more than the real world where real tragedies happened every day. 

    Ash took out his phone and smiled as he dialled Kaitlyn’s number. He waited until she answered and then her voice came on the receiver. “Hello?” 

    “Hi there, Kaitlyn. How are you doing today?” 

    “I’m... fine, what about you, Ash?”

    “I’m doing just fine, thanks. Hope you had a good weekend?” 

    “Have you been busy?” 

    Ash smirked at the sound of nervousness in his voice. Good, so his plan was working. “You need to relax more, Kait. Curl up with a good book and warm up by the fire. What was your favorite book as a child?”

    “You didn’t…” she started, and he knew she was starting to understand. He knew how much she loved that bookstore and how often she went there. Now, she would have nowhere to hide. 

    “I always liked Shakespeare. He had a way of writing family tragedy that appeals to me for some reason. I’m guessing for you too.”  

    “What do you mean…?” Kait asked and Ash smiled, knowing that his knowledge of who she was before she came to Calistoga would help generate more fear. 

    “Your father… he died while he was doing his duty as an officer… And your mother, she died of cancer. It hurts… losing family, doesn’t it, Kaitlyn?” 

    “How do you…” Kait’s voice was filled with nervousness and confusion. 

    Ash smiled as he heard the tones through the phone as they were alerted about the fire at The Nook. He hung up the phone, satisfied that his mission of creating paranoia and fear had been accomplished, and drove away.

8: Chapter 8: Monday, November 4

    Brad continued to text Kait as Saunders drove to the bookstore downtown. He was worried about her and wanted to know if Ash had called before this fire too, like the last one. Kait never texted back and Brad wondered if she was even going to be at the call at all. As they drove up and parked behind the ambulance, Brad looked around for Lucy and Mary. He could see Brent standing in complete shock beside the firetruck, and then he ran in a panic looking for his wife and daughter. Saunders hopped out of the car first and ran over to Brent to talk to him. 

    Getting out of the car, Brad walked over to the ambulance and knocked on Kait’s door. She opened it slowly and he almost paled at the look on her face. It was one of pure shock and fear. Brad reached for her hand, but Kait was too frozen in her seat to move. 

    “Kait… look at me,” Brad ordered in a soft voice. She wiped away the tears as Tara got out of the ambulance, seeing that Kait was in good hands, and headed over to Mary and Lucy who had joined Brent on the sidewalk to watch their home go up in flames. “Kait... I need to know what he said to you. Can you tell me?” Brad tried again. “I need you to tell me what Ash told you.” 

    “He…” Kait started, but she was too upset. “Mary? Lucy?” 

    Brad looked over at the small family down the sidewalk and then back at Kait. “They’re okay,” he promised. “Tara and Brent are with them across the street. Come on, let me get you out of here.” 

    “But…” 

    “Please, Kait. I just don’t want you here in case...” Brad reached for her hand again and she finally took it, climbing down the seat to get out of the ambulance. Saunders was still talking with the Ford’s, so Brad looked at her and said, “Can I see your phone?” 

    Kait handed him the phone and he looked at her before looking down at the screen. Just before the fire, they had been flirtatiously texting about plans to get together for a drink sometime. Then the texts had stopped and Brad had been filled with worry. Now he knew why. “Ash again?” he looked in her eyes. 

    Captain Chandra and Sergeant Saunders walked over then and Chandra looked between Kait and Brad. “I want Kait away from here. I don’t care where, but she can’t be here right now.” 

    Brad took out his keychain and gave a key to Saunders. “Take her to my place. I’ll meet you both there when I’m done.” 

    “Take her there now, Sergeant. It’s not safe for her here,” Chandra ordered. 

    “Are they... okay?” Kait managed to ask as she reached for Brad’s hand and he pulled her close into his side to hug her tightly. 

    “Lucy got out okay. Mary was running errands down the street. Brent’s just relieved they’re alive,” Chandra looked at Kait. “Work with Saunders. Figure out who’s doing this. Don’t worry about the department.” 

    “You might want to take her by her place to pick up some stuff to stay for a couple of days,” Brad suggested to Saunders with his arm around her waist.

    “Stay?” Kait blinked and looked at Brad, unsure. “But what about…” 

    “You heard me,” Brad held her tighter. “The pub isn’t safe for you anyway. Besides... we’ve got work to do.” 

    “We do?” Kait looked between him, Chandra and Saunders. 

    “That’s right. Captain, could you send over all of Kait’s call reports to Brad’s house?” Saunders requested. 

    “Consider it done,” Chandra nodded and then Brad saw Finn coming towards them as Chandra said, “Go on, before you get bombarded with questions from Finn.” 

    Brad watched as Saunders and Kait walked away from the fire. He sighed, leaning against the ambulance as the fire crew continued to put out the flames. Chandra put a hand on his shoulder then and said, “She’ll be okay.”

    “She has a serial arsonist calling her before each call, trying to scare her,” Brad looked at the captain. 

    “Yeah, and she has a detective and arson investigator who cares deeply about her,” the woman looked in his eyes. “She’s in good hands, Brad.” 

    “Captain, I…” Brad started but then looked over at the flames. He was falling in love with Kait, but he couldn’t admit it yet. “I don’t want anything to happen to her.” 

    “Then focus on your job and let Saunders protect her. Figure out who’s doing this, Brad.” 

    “Yeah… It’s all I can do, I guess.” 

    “You do it well,” Chandra squeezed his shoulder and he leaned his head back against the ambulance. He continued to watch the flames dissipate and hoped he did his job well enough to figure out who was doing this, and why they were trying to scare Kait more than anyone else.

9: Chapter 9: Monday, November 4.

    After a detour to my apartment to pack some clothes and necessities, we drove to Brad’s house to get settled in. I was less than thrilled about being under house arrest, but I knew it was the safest arrangement right now. Brad was always armed, since he had authority to arrest if needed, so I would be better off staying with him. Not to mention, if we were embarking on a new relationship, this would give us a lot more time to talk. 

    Saunders was a calming force while we waited for Brad to come home. He wanted me to call him Pete, since we were off duty, and I tried to oblige him. For as long as I’d grown up, people in authority were called by their last names and coworkers by their first. 

    Pete was in his late thirties and had made his way up the positional ladder quickly. He was highly respected in the town and everyone knew and liked him. We talked about the town as way of distraction while we helped ourselves to Iced Tea from Brad’s fridge. 

    “So you’ve only been here for a few months, Kait? What brought you to Calistoga?” 

    “Tara,” I replied as we went out to the deck that was now mostly completed. “We went to med school together at SFU. That’s where we met.” 

    “Ah, I see. I’ve known Tara since she was born. Her brother Dan and I were good friends. Still are, I guess, but he moved to Sacramento. Couldn’t handle the small town life.” 

    “How come you stayed?” 

    “Margaret,” he winked at me as he mentioned his wife. “She convinced me that I would move up faster as a cop here than in the big city. She was right.” I nodded politely, but my thoughts became distracted by the past and he asked, “Not a fan of us, huh?”

    “My dad was a cop,” I told him. I knew I couldn’t keep my past from him all afternoon. I would have to tell Brad tonight, but maybe I could brace myself better by telling Pete first. 

    “Was?” Pete kept his eyes on me, but I guessed he already knew what I was going to say. 

    “He was killed on the job,” I said quietly. “Shot off his horse by the cowboy he was pursuing.” 

    “I’m sorry,” he nodded. “Where?” 

    “Santa Rosa,” I looked over at him. “My mom was gone when I was little... Dad died when I was a teenager.” 

    “I had no idea,” Pete shook his head. 

    “No one does. Only Tara, because we’ve always been roommates.” 

    “Not even Brad?” 

    “He will tonight,” I sighed. “I was put in the care of my uncle Brian and Aunt Jane. Brian was working Dad’s murder case. Dad had always called me his little Sherlock ‘cause I would deduce details in cases so well. When he died, I helped Uncle Brian as much as I could. I didn’t want to let his killer go free.” 

    “How come you didn’t become a cop?” 

    “It was too close to home... I couldn’t even step foot in the station after the funeral. Brian and I worked at home, when I wasn’t at school. I still wanted to help people though... so I did med school.” 

    “You’ve had a rough life, Kait... and now all this...” 

    “Do you really think the fires are about me?” 

    “You or the department,” he nodded. “Or maybe even Brad, since it’s arson. We’ve brought his case files to go through here as well. It’s a small town... one of you probably knows this guy.” 

    There was the sound of a car in the driveway and we saw Brad’s truck pull in. We brought our empty glasses into the house and went to meet him in the kitchen. 

    “Same accelerant, same red paint word,” Brad sighed, throwing his keys on the counter. “Picture of a book this time.” 

    “Figures,” Pete muttered as he put our cups in the sink. 

    “How are you two doing?” Brad looked between us. 

    “Ready to get to work,” I said and we headed to the kitchen table.

10: Chapter 10: Tuesday, November 5.

    The next night, Brad and Kait relaxed on the newly-finished deck with cold Iced Tea and nachos with salsa. They had spent the day working on the gardens and planting various flowers that would brighten up the yard. They worked well together and Brad knew his feelings for her were growing with every moment he spent with her. As they watched the sun go down in the distance, Brad looked over at Kait and decided it was time to take things to the next level. There were some things he needed to know first, however. He already knew that Kait had gone to school in San Francisco and how she’d moved to Calistoga because of Tara, but he wanted to know her deeper than that. 

    “Things sure have changed from yesterday morning,” Brad said after some silence in the conversation they were having about good restaurants and popular things to do in town.  

    “Yeah… yesterday was not a day I’d want to repeat. When I saw those flames…” 

    “They’re going to have a lot of work to do before they can reopen, but at least they’re alive to do it.” 

    “I know we’ve got a lot more case files to go through, but I really thought something would jump out by now,” Kait sighed and leaned back. They’d been going over case files since Brad had returned home after the fire yesterday and hadn’t come up with anything that might explain why Kait was being targeted for revenge. 

    “It will, Kait... You seemed to know what you were doing today though, and you kept calm through it all.”

    “You helped with the keeping calm part,” she looked over, “but yeah... I’ve had experience searching through old files.”

    “That’s why you hate cops.” 

    “I don’t hate them, just... too many memories.” 

    “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring it up. I was just impressed, is all.” 

    “No, I need to tell you. If this weekend was a sign of things to come...” she blushed and looked away. 

    Brad couldn’t help but smile. They had certainly spent a lot of time together that weekend. “Things to come? Now you’ve got my full attention.” 

    “I just mean that... how we…” she stammered. 

    Brad reached over to take her hand and said, “I know what you meant, Kait... and I hope it is a sign of things to come. Something’s changed, but I like it.” 

    “Well if we’re really gonna go down that road... I need to tell you about my father.” 

    “I’m listening, Kait,” Brad nodded and continued to hold her hand as she talked. 

    “Dad was working as a cop in San Francisco and had been in charge of tracking down a cowboy who’d done some bad stuff… He was in pursuit of him while on a horse since they were out in the country and the cowboy hid in the tree or something I guess ‘cause he got the jump on Dad and… shot him down.” 

    “Kait… I’m sorry,” Brad traced her and with his thumb. 

    “Dad and I… we always used to go riding together and it was our special place to be alone… just the two of us… He’d tell me all about cases that he’d solved and we’d ride for hours, until it got too dark and we went back home. We owned a ranch outside San Francisco… Horses have always been apart of my life but after that happened…” 

    “You could never get on a horse again?” Brad guessed and she nodded. “I was the same way about biking when I lost my big brother in a motorcycle accident… It’s not something you get over easily when you lose a family member.” 

    “Oh Brad…” Kait looked over at him. 

    “What about your mother?” he shook his head, not wanting to think about Ethan. “I think you said once you were an only child?” 

    “Yeah… but Mom had cancer. She died shortly after Dad did. I was fourteen,” Kait looked back out over the yard and Brad rubbed her hand more. 

    “You’ve been through a lot, Kait… It’s no wonder you’re so strong now because of it all.” 

    “I’m strong because I had to be, Brad… I was put under the care of my aunt and uncle when Mom died… Then when I was old enough, I went to San Francisco University and that’s where I met Tara.” 

    Brad smiled and interlaced his fingers with hers. “Yeah, I’ve known Tara pretty much my whole life. Growing up in a small town like this… Everyone kind of feels like family, I guess. So when something happens here… everyone feels it. I think that’s why I stay… if I were to ever leave Calistoga I think I’d feel like a part of me was missing.” 

    “It’s definitely already starting to feel like home…” Kait nodded. “Even though I haven’t been here long.” 

    “You’ve been here long enough to become one of us,” Brad smiled at her. “We’ll figure out who’s setting these fires, and who’s calling you. I promise.” 

    “I just… I don’t understand how he knows about what happened to my parents… I hate the idea that it’s someone from San Francisco who’s…” 

    “Hey…” Brad squeezed her hand. “Don’t start going down that road. He could just be using the information to taunt you and make you more afraid.” 

    “Yeah but… what if….” 

    “Shh…” Brad reached up to caress her cheek. “Don’t think about it. Just take it one day at a time. We will work through this together.” 

    Sometime after midnight, they decided to turn in and Brad showed Kait the way to the guest bedroom. Brad paused at the door and took Kait’s hand. “If you need anything through the night, my room is right next door.” 

    “Thanks Brad. I feel safer with you so close,” Kait looked in his eyes. 

    “Kait?” Brad stepped closer with a bit of hesitation. He really wanted to kiss her but… after all they’d talked about tonight, he wasn’t sure it would be appropriate. He simply wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, kissing her hair. “Thank you... for telling me about your parents,” he said softly. 

    “Thank you for letting me,” Kait whispered back and held him tighter before letting go and heading into the room. Brad wondered for the first time if he was in over his head with her. He sighed heavily and went into his room, closing the door behind him.

11: Chapter 11: Wednesday, November 6

    Horses called out to each other in the dark. I could tell they were scared... Of what I wasn’t sure. I was scared too. I knew Dad would have my hide if he knew where I was. Thunder boomed. Flashes of lightning lit up the sky, then it boomed again. The horses got louder. I should have gone back to the house but I’d wanted to ride Velvet. That was before it started to rain and then I had nowhere to go. Thunder boomed again and now the rain was coming down harder. It was almost dinnertime. He’d be looking for me soon. I trembled and slid back into the hay further, and started to cry. 

 

    I woke up crying, startled by the recurring dream. Unsure where I was, I looked around in a panic. I saw the time on the clock: 3:41 a.m. It had just been a dream. I was safe. At Brad’s.     Once my heart calmed down, I stood and reached for my sweater before walking out into the dark hallway. Brad’s door was right there, as he’d told me before going to sleep. It was just a dream, and I was a big girl. All I had to do was separate myself from the room, get some water, and I would be okay. 

    I walked downstairs towards the kitchen. The moon shone brightly in the windows and I could see clear enough to open the cupboard and find a glass. I heard movement on the stairs and froze. The glass was in my hand and I was fully prepared to throw it at the intruder, though how the intruder had got past the guard outside, I didn’t know. Whatever the case, I had to be ready for anything. 

    “Freeze!” Brad’s voice made me jump and I dropped the glass on the floor, making it break in a thousand scattering pieces. Tears fell again. 

    “It’s just me,” I cried, trying to regain my composure. 

    Brad turned on a light and I saw the gun in his hand returning to its holster. “Good gosh, Kait... you scared the crap out of me.” He came over and saw the broken glass and looked back up at me. “Are you okay?” 

    I was in too much shock to speak and was afraid to move because of the glass on the floor. Brad reached for a broom and swept a path to me, then took me in his arms. 

    “Shh... you’re okay. Shh...” he rubbed my back soothingly as I cried. 

    “I thought... you were...” I muttered against him. He was wearing nothing but boxers. 

    “Shh... I know. I did too...” he kissed my forehead and tilted my face up to him. “Why were you up?” 

    “I had a bad dream,” I nuzzled into him again, my tears subsiding. In his arms again, I felt safe. 

    “Come on, let me get you some water,” he reached up for two glasses and filled them, then nodded to the couch where I joined him. Ignoring the water I cuddled into him and he smirked, “Not gonna let me go, huh?” 

    “I wasn’t planning on it,” I traced a finger around his stomach. “You’re mine now.” 

    “Hmm... I don’t think I’ll argue that one. I like the sound of it,” he smiled and kissed my forehead. 

    “Can I tell you a secret?” I looked up at him. 

    “Seems like it’s the night for that.” 

    “When you said goodnight earlier... I really wanted you to kiss me goodnight.” 

    “Oh really?” he traced his finger around my ear and looked in my eyes. “And now?” 

    “After you held a gun at me? Even more so.” 

    He chuckled and slid his fingers to my chin, drawing me close. When our lips met, it was like time stopped. He kissed me deeply, longing for more, but savoring enough to show me he was not going anywhere. I wanted to give in, to go deeper, to explore. He broke the kiss first and rested his forehead against mine, caressing my cheek with his thumb. 

    “I’ve been waiting a long time for that,” he said softly. 

    “So have I.” I felt like I was floating on air. Nothing was going to bring me down.

12: Chapter 12: Wednesday, November 6.

    After a restless night’s sleep, Brad and Kait met in the kitchen for breakfast. They had bacon and eggs and talked about how it was definitely safer for Kait to stay at his place instead of going to work at the department. 

    Sergeant Saunders arrived around mid-morning and the group set to work on sifting through case reports again. They had been working with the most recent and moving backwards and were almost near the beginning of Kait’s time in Calistoga. Brad watched Kait with concern as he knew that it was hard for her to go over the files. He knew how much she cared for every patient she treated. She felt each pain as her own and it was what made her a great paramedic. 

    All of a sudden, Kait leaned back and stared at the pile in front of her. Brad looked over and asked, “Kait…?” 

    “The Cartwright stable fire...” Pete nodded with understanding. “That was a rough one.”

    “Your first death,” Brad sighed and Kait nodded. Laura Cartwright had been only four years old. 

    “We couldn’t save her in time. She’d been playing with the horses when the stable caught fire,” she said shakily. “The kerosine...” 

    “The kerosine lamp fell over in the wind...” Brad reached for her hand as he said, “It’s what started the fire.” 

    “Like the cause of the two fires so far,” Pete sighed. “Losing a four year old kid is a good enough motive for revenge on a paramedic.” 

    “The questions...” she stared blankly at the table. “He keeps asking about my childhood. He knows about Mom and Dad… He talked about them in the last call before the fire at The Nook.” 

    “Like I said, Kait… Probably looked it up to scare you more. I really doubt he’s connected to what happened to your dad.” 

    “Why doesn’t… What if…?” she started and Brad could see the tears falling. 

    “Hey… It’s an answer and more than we had this morning.” 

    “There’s something else,” she shook her head and reached for more files.

    The phone rang then and Saunders reached for it without answering it. “Put it on speaker phone so we can hear it, Kait. Ask him about his ranch… and keep calm.” 

    Kait answered the phone and put it on speaker, leaving the phone on the table. “Hello?” Kait started and Brad could tell she was trying hard to keep her voice steady. 

    “Hi Kaitlyn. It’s another gorgeous day out there.” 

    “Good day to be on a horse,” Kait said. 

    “Oh, you want to talk about horses? That’s funny, so do I.” 

    “Really? Well that’s quite a coincidence. I’ve been thinking a lot about them lately.” 

    “I’ll bet you have. I’m sure you’ve been doing a lot of reflecting.” 

    Taking a chance, I gripped Brad’s hand tighter and asked, “Did you know him?” 

    “Did I know who, Kaitlyn?” 

    “My father. You seemed to know about my family tragedy in your last call.” 

    “Ah, you’ve been listening. Yes Kait, I knew him,” Ash said and the room went silent as Brad gripped Kait’s hand tighter as they all inhaled sharply. “Weren’t expecting that, were you?” Ash asked in his electronic voice. “He let me down... just like you.” 

    Ash hung up the phone then, making them collectively stare in shock. It wasn’t long before tones were dispatched on the radios they all still wore. “Structure fire. 42 Rancho Drive.” They sat in shock as Nick’s address was called. Neither of them dared to move.

13: Chapter 13: Wednesday, November 6.

    Finn and Eddie rode over to Rancho Drive at high speed, not caring at all about the possibility of getting pulled over. Finn knew that this was Nick Dexter was another fireman who’d been targeted. Things were escalating too… it had started with a carnival stand, then a bookstore/apartment, now a full house. Ash was gaining confidence and Finn didn’t want to know what he would do next or how it would stop. 

    As soon as they got out of the car, someone ran over to them excitedly. Finn recognized Stacey Hudson, who worked at the coffee shop down the street. “Finn! I need to talk to you!” she exclaimed. Stacey was in her mid-thirties; she had blonde hair and blue eyes that had at one point in his life made Finn fall in love with her. They’d gone out a couple of times but she had always been more focused on her job. 

    “What’s up, Stacey?” Finn asked, keeping an eye on the fire crew putting out the fire and on her. He noticed that Kait was nowhere to be seen and thought to himself that was probably a good idea. 

    “I saw someone… a guy that was hanging around the coffee shop before the fire,” Stacey said excitedly. “He looked kinda like Landon Cartwright… But he had a ski cap on which I thought was weird. But then… I saw him run over here to Nick’s place and… And I saw him set the fire!” 

    “Wait… Landon Cartwright?” Finn blinked and looked between her and Eddie. “Are you sure? I mean with the mask it would be hard to…” 

    “I’m positive it was him, Finn. I don’t get it.. Why would he…” 

    “You should talk to the cops, Stacey. I think you’re the first actual witness they’ve had in this whole thing. No one seems to see the fires being started.” 

    “Yeah, they have no idea who’s doing this. Maybe this is the break they’ve been looking for,” Eddie put in. 

    “Okay… I just… I thought you… Might like to know.” 

    Finn smiled at her and reached out to put a hand on her arm. “I appreciate it, Stacey.” 

    She nodded but was off and running towards the officers and Finn shook his head, looking back at Eddie. “Landon Cartwright,” Finn stated. “If only they had proof… A witness seeing a guy in a mask isn’t gonna help much.” 

    “Yeah, I know. Come on.. let’s look around the trees for another symbol,” Eddie suggested. 

    “My money’s on a horse or a horseshoe or something,” Finn muttered and they walked around the yard as the fire crew continued to put out the fire. It wasn’t long before they found a tree with the word ‘revenge’ painted in red and a symbol of a horse underneath. “I knew it,” he sighed. 

    “Okay but… why would Landon be upset with the fire department, or with Kaitlyn specifically? I mean… That ranch fire months ago is the only thing I can think about and…” 

    “The ranch fire!” Finn exclaimed. “Eddie, you’re a genius! That has to be it!” 

    “So wait… Landon is Ash?” he looked at him. 

    “I don’t know… but I think we need to go over to the ranch this weekend and look around when there’s more people there. We can get lost in the crowd and pretend we’re filming a training lesson or something. No one will think otherwise.” 

    “Yeah, that’s a good idea. I want to poke around there too. This is all just… I don’t know. I hate the idea of Landon doing something like this. I went to school with the guy.” 

    “We all did, Eddie. Doesn’t mean things don’t change.” Finn and Eddie got in position and started filming a segment for the news report that night. Finn couldn’t help but feel excited that they were finally starting to figure out this mystery.

14: Chapter 14: Thursday, November 7.

    That night, instead of gathering at Trent’s, we joined for Poker at Chris’ apartment. I’d needed to get out of the house and be with family so we’d organized an impromptu Poker night. It was the perfect solution to distract me from the shock of the day. 

    Chris had made Brochette and pizza which we enjoyed during the game. “You’ve outdone yourself tonight, Chris,” I munched on a slice and threw some Poker chips in the middle of the table to match Nick’s call. 

    “What, Brad doesn’t cook for you?” Nick teased. He had moved in with Chris while renovations were done on his house since the fire. He seemed okay, all things considered, but then none of us were really okay. We just needed each other. 

    “Oh he does... but now that he’s got me, he doesn’t have to try so hard,” I winked at Brad, who was sitting beside me. 

    “Oh really now? That’s how it’s gonna be?” he smirked and gripped my thigh, making me squirm. 

    “Wait... he’s what?” Tara gaped at us. 

    “Well it’s about time!” Brent grinned as he matched my call. “We needed some good news!” 

    “How’s that good news for you?” I chuckled as Brad tickled my thigh. 

    “Cause we don’t have to listen to him complain about not succeeding in winning your affection,” Brent explained. 

    “Oh come on, I haven’t been that bad,” Brad replied. 

    “You’ve been pining for Kait since the day she moved to Calistoga,” Aaron shook his head. 

    “Well, I guess good things come to those who wait after all,” Brad slid his hand higher up my thigh, making me blush more. 

    “That’s what they say,” I winked at him as the game continued. 

    “You’re still coming to work again, right?” Tara pleaded. 

    “That’s up to the armed guards outside, I guess,” I sighed. “And my new bodyguard,” I looked over at Brad. 

    “When you’re ready, Kait we’ve got some more work to do,” Brad looked at me. 

    “Did you guys find anything in the files?” Brent asked, looking between us. “If you want to talk about it, I mean...” 

    “I think it’s safe for this room,” Brad nodded to me. 

    “One file stood out. The Cartwright stable fire.” 

    “Laura Cartwright,” Tara nodded, remembering. “Not an easy call.” 

    “I’d say that’s enough for revenge,” Chris nodded. 

    “We couldn’t save her,” I sighed. “She was so little. What was drawn under the word in paint this time?” I looked at Nick. 

    “A horse,” he said grimly. 

    “Why doesn’t that surprise me?” I threw my cards in. The game wasn’t over, but I was done playing. “What do you guys know about the Cartwright’s? Maybe more information will help me feel better.” 

    “They’ve owned a ranch out in the west end since I can remember,” Aaron started. “Alan’s divorced... shortly after Laura was born.” 

    “Why did his wife leave him?” I asked curiously. 

    “She didn’t want another kid. Landon and Jesse were already in their teens. Laura was an accident,” Nick said. 

    “Scary family,” Brent nodded. “There’s a cemetery by the ranch. We were always told the stables were haunted by ghosts from the graveyard.” 

    “It was always a dare with us,” Brad put in. “Around halloween... we dared each other to go to the ranch for candy. No one was brave enough.” 

    “Speak for yourself,” Tara looked at him. “We girls would go there to ride horses with Jesse and Landon. We always thought they were cute.” 

    “Was Alan born in Calistoga?” I asked, wanting to get at the heart of my questioning. 

    “Born and raised. Three generations back,” Chris replied. 

    That made me raise an eyebrow and I looked over at Brad, who just nodded to me, as if he knew what I was thinking. 

    We spent the rest of the night playing and talking about anything but work. We’d gotten together to relax and have fun. As the night progressed, however, my confusion grew. If Alan was born and raised here in Calistoga... How did he know my father? 

    When the crew left, I helped Brad clean up the kitchen. As he put the last cup in the dishwasher, he looked over at me. “Are you okay?” 

    I shrugged and leaned back against the counter. “I can’t stop thinking about what Chris had said about Alan.” 

    “You mean how he lived here his whole life? Yeah, he sure did. We weren’t kidding when we said that ranch was scary.” Brad closed the dishwasher and came to stand in front of me. 

    I took a deep breath, looking into his eyes. “Did you know my father?” I finally asked. 

    Brad blinked at that and put his hands on my waist. “Kait... no. I never met your father. If I had, don’t you think I would have told you?” 

    I suddenly felt ashamed of my accusation and looked down, nodding. 

    Brad tipped my chin up and caressed it with his thumb. “I’m not mad, Kait. I would probably think the same thing if I were in your shoes. I know all this is confusing.” 

    I felt the tears threaten and rested my hands on his sides. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. 

    “Shh...” he leaned his forehead against mine. “I think Ash... Alan... is just using the information to scare you. I don’t think he really knew your father.” 

    “Well it worked,” I muttered and Brad caressed my cheek more before leaning in to kiss me. I gave into the kiss, feeling alive in his arms. I leaned back from the kiss and looked into his eyes. “What was that for?” 

    He breathed deeply and ran a hand down my back, sliding it around my waist under my shirt. It sent shivers through me like a shockwave. “I know the circumstances aren’t the best for why you’re here but...” he slid his hand higher, making me press into him. “I’m really glad you’re here.” 

    I smiled and inhaled deeply, resting my hands on his hips. “I am too,” I whispered and kissed him again.

15: Chapter 15: Friday, November 8.

    The cemetery was cold and wet as Ash knelt in front of the gravestone of his four year old daughter. He put some flowers down in front of her name, shaking his head at the grief he still felt over losing her. The girl had brought so much joy and laughter to their home and now it was just… gone. It wasn’t fair. No parent should have to bury their child. Ash remembered the funeral and he remembered his wife’s tears and his sons’ expressions of frozen anger. That anger had been reflected in Ash’s own eyes, and he had promised on his daughter’s grave that he would get revenge for her death.

    He had achieved his goal for the most part… He’d targeted the bar where the crew hung out, the bookstore where the lieutenant’s family lived and ran their business, and he’d had one of their firemen’s houses burned down to ashes. He’d also successfully scared  His mission was almost complete, but he still had work to do. 

    At least he’d convinced his sons to work alongside him in his acts of revenge. He knew they were grieving just as much as he was. His three children had been close… The two older boys had protected their little sister and would fight off anyone who had come close to her. Ever since the fire, they had both blamed themselves for what had happened. Ash knew that if they were focused on revenge, they would be less focused on trying to convince him to close the ranch. They were making too much money now; they couldn’t close now. 

    Ash heard movement coming up the hill and turned to see two figures approaching. He reached for his gun, not appreciating trespassers. As the figures got closer, he recognized Finn Flanagan and his sidekick, Eddie. “Get off my ranch!” Ash yelled. 

    “We just want to get a quick segment, then we’ll be on our way,” Finn insisted, as if he was entitled to get whatever he wanted. 

    “You…” Ash pointed his gun at Finn. “Get you and your sidekick off my ranch or I’ll force you off.” 

    “Now Alan, you don’t have to go quite that far,” Finn looked right into his eyes. “We’re just trying to help you… People have the right to know the truth.” 

    “The truth? You want to know the truth? You know nothing about the truth!” Ash growled and continued to point the gun on him. “You exposed my family’s pain and hurt and made everything worse!” 

    “Sir… We’re just doing our job. We just…” 

    Ash’s patience was wearing thin and he put his finger on the trigger of his gun, aiming at Finn’s leg. “You’ve got three seconds to get out or you’ll be limping from here. Stay out of my family’s business.” 

    “Well sir, the ranch is a public business, if you want to put it in those terms and…” Finn’s sentence was turned into screams of pain as the bullet went off, hitting his right leg. Eddie ran off to get help as Ash reached for his phone.

16: Chapter 16: Friday, November 8.

    Brad sat beside Kait in the lounge as Tara continued asking them what it was like living together. Blackie sat obediently at his feet, keeping a watchful eye on everything going on. Brad hadn’t been thrilled with Kait going back to work, but he knew she would go crazy if she had to spend another day doing nothing but yard work. All things considered, he had actually enjoyed spending so much time with her. The chemistry between them was undeniable and he knew that they would only be stronger together because they would overcome this with each other. 

    A cell phone rang amidst the bantering laughter in the lounge and everyone checked to see who’s phone it was. Kait put the phone to her ear, taking a deep breath, and Brad reached for her other hand as she put the phone on ‘silent’ and Brad indicated for everyone to quiet down. 

    “Fleming,” Kait said into the phone.

    “I see you’ve sent your minion after me. Not smart, my dear,” Ash’s voice made everyone sit frozen in anticipation. 

    “What minion would that be, Ash?” 

    “Your reporter thinks he knows everything. He doesn’t, Kait, but you do, don’t you?” 

    “I what?” she squeezed Brad’s hand. 

    “You know what it’s like... to lose someone close to you. No matter how old they are, don’t you?” 

    Kait started to cry and Brad pulled her close as she shakily held the phone and told Ash, “Go away.” 

    “I wish it would, Kaitlyn. I wish the pain would go away. But those ghost riders... they haunt us forever.”

    The line went dead and another call came in. Brad recognized the caller ID when he read Finn’s name and he looked at Kait with concern. She threw her phone across the room and they all watched as the phone broke into a million pieces. 

    Tones broke the silence: “Ambulance needed. Gunshot wound. St. John’s Cemetery.”

    Brad put a hand firmly on Kait’s leg and said, “You’re not going.” 

    “I’m not letting Tara go by herself,” Kait looked at him. “I’m the one he wants. Let’s just end this.” 

    “Yeah, end it with you getting hurt. Not happening, Kait.” 

    “I have to do my job, Brad. What if...” 

    “Kait and Tara, get going,” Kirkland ordered. “Brad, follow in your car and cal Saunders to meet you all at the cemetery. Now.” 

    Brad sighed and reached for his phone to call Saunders as he followed the girls out to the garage. Tara and Kait got into the ambulance and Brad opened the passenger door as Blackie climbed into the front seat. She seemed excited to go for a ride but he knew she could also sense the seriousness of his expression and tone enough to know that they were still on duty. 

    The rain started to pour as the convoy entered the cemetery. Saunders was occupied with something else but was going to be en route, he promised. The ranch, with the renovated stables where little Laura had died, were visible in the distance. It was a glaring reminder of why they were there. 

    When they parked near the cemetery, they saw a man laying on the ground in pain. Tara and Kait stepped out of the ambulance and Brad stepped out of the car, opening the door for Blackie to jump out and follow. Kait and Tara took the stretcher over to Finn as the rain continued to fall heavily. 

    “What were you thinking?” Kait looked in Finn’s eyes and checked his vitals as Tara stabilized the leg. Brad continued to watch the grounds, making sure they wouldn’t be interrupted. “Are you alone or is Eddie around laying in pain?” 

    “He went to get help,” Finn groaned. “I wanted to get a shot with the gravestone... of Laura…” 

    “We told you not to interfere,” Kait glared at him and held an umbrella over his face. She looked at Tara and asked, “Can we move him yet?” 

    Brad opened his own umbrella to cover him and Blackie and looked at Finn. “Was it Cartwright?” 

    “One of them. I don’t know which one.” 

    “Great. We’re probably up against a small army,” Brad muttered, scanning the horizon for movement. 

    “Let’s lift him onto the stretcher,” Tara instructed. “There’s no way we can bandage him out here. Brad, we’ll need your help.” 

    They worked together to lift Finn onto the stretcher. Brad kept watch as we moved Finn onto the ambulance. Tara got to work cleaning the wound and Kait reached for the bandages. Then, all of a sudden, Brad felt a bullet rip through his left leg and he fell to the ground in pain. 

    Kait ran over to him and Brad called out, “Kait, no! Go back!” 

    All of a sudden, Brad watched as Kait was grabbed from behind and dragged away from him. He recognized the man as Alan Cartwright himself, and as Brad lay on the ground in pain he knew there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.

17: Chapter 17: Friday, November 8.

    The man dragging me over to a tree and worked quickly, roughly wrapping my arms around the trunk of the tree. My mouth was covered and I couldn’t even cry. There wasn’t time. He took the radio off my belt and turned up the volume. He attached it to my belt roughly and pushed me up against the tree with his whole body weight. Through the rain, I recognized Alan Cartwright himself. 

    “It hurts, doesn’t it, Kaitlyn?” his voice was deep and intense. He pushed me into the tree more firmly, as if the ropes around my arms weren’t enough to keep me in place. “It hurts to know your family is in trouble and you can’t do anything about it.” All I could do was breathe deeply and try to avoid crying. I wasn’t going to give him that satisfaction. “I lost my little girl because of you. She was only four.” His voice was filled with anger and I was filled with another emotion. Empathy. 

    “I’m... I’m sorry,” I managed, looking into his eyes. “You don’t have to do this. Let me go... You’ve already shot two.” 

    “Oh, I’m not done yet,” Alan shoved into me again, making me catch my breath. “This time it’s your turn, Kaitlyn. You get to stand here and do nothing while they fight for their lives.” 

    Alan shoved me one more time and then ran off through the cemetery. Tears fell as I looked down at the stone in front of me that said Laura’s name and date of death. On the radio, tones rang out about a structure fire at the address of Chief Todd Kirkland. 

    Rain continued to pour as I stared through the tears at the young girl’s name in front of me. I mourned for her again like I had on that awful day. It had been the hardest moment of my career thus far. I just had to watch her die. We hadn’t been able to rescue her in time because of the flames and the scared horses. As if I didn’t hate horses enough. I stared out at the ranch in the distance and remembered the past. 

    When Dad had been killed on his horse that tragic day, all my security had disappeared. The man who had loved me and shown me who I could become was taken away from me. The reminders from Ash, now revealed to me as Alan, in each call as he’d asked about my father had brought the grief all back. He’d definitely succeeded in making me feel overwhelm with emotion. I understood the pain of loss he felt from losing his daughter because I had lost my father. 

    My mind went back to the present as my tears fell. My hair and clothes were soaked through. I was tied tightly to the tree and couldn’t move a muscle. I had no idea how far away I was from Brad and the others. The shock of being dragged and pulled against my will had made me disoriented, and the rain hadn’t helped matters. All I could do now was wait and listen to the chatter on the radio. 

    Brad’s voice was now speaking: “Primary search of first floor done.” 

    “A-7 from Dear Park on scene,” reported an unknown voice. I tried to think of where the town was and remembered it was a fifteen-minute drive from Calistoga. 

    Nick: “Heading to second floor. Where are Fleming and Cruz?” 

    Chandra: “Cemetery injury. No reports yet. Cruz, Fleming. Check in!” I cried more as I knew I couldn’t report.

     Tara: “Need help at the cemetery. Brad and Finn down. Kait taken.” 

    Kirkland: “Taken? What do you mean, taken? By whom?” 

    Tara: “Don’t know. Two Cart’s somewhere, at least. One shot Brad and Finn. The others took Kait.” 

    Saunders: “En route to cemetery with backup. ETA ten minutes.” My heart leapt with relief at that. At least he was on his way. 

    Tara: “Make it faster. Need med help.” 

    Aaron: “Second floor clear. Coming out to attack.” 

    Kirkland: “Thank God. This’ll be a nightmare to clean up.” 

    Nick: “At least you’re not rebuilding alone.” 

    Kirkland: “Thanks for that reminder, Dexter.” 

    Saunders: “Backup is pursuing a black Sudan. Registered license belongs to Al Cartwright. We’re five minutes from the ranch.” 

    Tara: “Is Kait with them?” 

    Saunders: “That’s a negative. Al and Jesse.” 

    Tara: “Who set the fire then?” 

    Chandra: “That’d be Landon Cartwright, the moron cuffed to a tree beside me.” 

    Kirkland: “Watching his handiwork, huh? Let me at him!” 

    As I continued to listen, relieved that the arsonist had been caught, my mind raced as I tried to put the pieces together. Jesse and Alan, Ash as I knew him, had shot Finn and Brad. Landon had been the one to set the fire at Kirkland’s place. It all made sense, even the fact that Alan had used each fire to get revenge on the fire department. He’d saved the worst revenge for last - me. I’d been the one who was supposed to have saved his daughter. As the minutes passed, I continued to beat myself up in my mind as I tried to squirm free. Tears washed down my face with the rain. 

    “Kait! Easy, you’re okay now. You’ll be free soon,” Saunders’ voice broke through the rain as he rushed over to me. Another officer I didn’t recognize came over to untie the ropes holding me to the tree. 

    “Brad... Finn...” I cried as I was let free. 

    “Shh...” Saunders wrapped a blanket around my shivering body and held me close. “They’re okay. Did he hurt you?” 

    I continued to cry, my whole body shaking from the cold and shivering. I was still too scared and feeling guilty to realize I was safe now. 

    “Come on, let’s get you out of here,” Saunders rubbed my back as the other officer talked on the radio. 

    I nodded and started to walk away with them but then I stopped and knelt down by the gravestone in front of me. I put my hand on Laura’s name shakily. The stone was cold to touch. “I’m sorry, kiddo,” I whispered with shattering teeth. 

    “Let’s go, Kait,” Saunders reached for my hand and pulled me up. I was still crying as we walked back to the ambulance.”

18: Chapter 18: Saturday, December 21.

    A month later I sat with Brad and the team at our usual table at Trent’s. Even Kirkland and Chandra were there. We were there to celebrate the end of a long trial against the Cartwright family. After the whole crew had testified against Alan, Landon and Jesse for multiple counts of arson, harassment and conspiracy. Evidence against all of them had been discovered at each fire scene by Brad and his k9 companion. The phone calls to Kait by Alan had been traced to burner phones purchased by Jesse. Security cameras had captured him buying the phones. Once both Jesse and Landon had confessed to their parts in it all, the case against all three of them had been a lock. With the shooting and abduction charges from the cemetery added on, the three men would be spending the rest of their days behind bars. 

    It had taken me a few weeks to regroup after the shock I’d been through. During the trial, it had been revealed that Alan had looked up my past and used it as leverage to make me more afraid. It had clearly worked. Not only did I spend the next few days feeling guilty over Laura’s death, I was also forced to relive the grief of losing my father. 

    Brad had been my rock through it all. I had moved back into the apartment with Tara, but he spent all his free time with me, either at our place or at his. I was quickly falling in love with him and felt like we had been together for longer than just one month. 

    “You okay, hon?” he now asked as his hand on mine brought me back to the present. 

    “Just thinking,” I said evasively. 

    “So are you all coming to my place for Christmas dinner next week?” Chris asked. 

    “Of course!” Tara grinned. “We can’t miss you cooking a turkey!” 

    “I just hope we don’t forget the pumpkin pie like at Thanksgiving,” Nick gave Brent a look. 

    “In my defence...” Brent started. 

    “You have no defence!” Aaron glared at him. “You brought every kind but that one!” 

    “The worst part is my wife didn’t make any either,” Kirkland complained. “I didn’t get any at all since last Christmas.” 

    “At least Chris won’t be burning the firehouse down like last year,” Chandra chuckled. 

    “Okay, what is this? Pick on Chris night?” Chris muttered. “Can’t live anything down around here.” 

    “A true family, huh Chris?” I chuckled. It felt so good to laugh and joke with the team again. It really was starting to feel like we were a family. Our shared experiences over the past month had brought us closer together. 

    Finn walked over with crutches to the bar counter and clinked a glass, gaining our attention. “I’d like to make a toast!” 

    “What is this, a wedding?” Trent laughed. 

    “No really, serious moment here!” Finn insisted. “Over the past month, a notorious family was brought to their knees. The family thought they could bring down our firehouse family. They were wrong. Today they face the rest of their lives in jail.” 

    “Here here!” Pete Saunders cheered from the other side of the pub. 

    “Thanks to the courage of our firehouse and out police department, mine and other lives were spared. I’d like to order drinks on the house in honor of our men and women in uniform, who fight or our safety every day!” 

    Applause and cheers filled the room as more drinks were poured. In the midst of the joy and celebration, I leaned over and kissed Brad. I realized that I had finally found a place to belong. I was apart of a family that was there for each other in the good times and the bad. After years of drifting and being haunted by past regrets, I could move forward. I was finally home.