Free Oh Say Can You Fudge by Nancy CoCo Page B

one now.”
    “I don’t like the sound of that.” I looked back at the barely visible roof of the McMurphy. “Too many people’s livelihoods would be ruined. Not to mention over a century of historical buildings and such.”
    “Whoever is setting the fires isn’t thinking about history,” Rex said, his expression stern.
    “No, arsonists that escalate like that are usually addicted to seeing the fire burn,” Liz said. “Some describe fire as an animal and arsonists tend to have a love-hate relationship with it.”
    “How do you know this?” I asked.
    Liz smiled. “I watch television.”
    “Life is not like television,” Rex said carefully.
    “Okay. So, there have been random fires over the last three months and they may or may not have been arson with a consistent accelerant of lighter fluid,” Liz said. “That’s all on the record.”
    “What about Rodney Rivers?” I asked. “Was his death caused by arson or was the arson used to cover up his death?”
    “We’re still investigating,” Rex said, his expression like a stone wall.
    “Okay.” I raised both hands in innocence. “I’m not investigating. I was coming to see you, actually.”
    Rex put his hands on his hips and scowled. “Why?”
    “I remembered something about the day of the explosion.”
    He glanced at Liz’s eager expression and Ed’s curious looks. “Let’s take this into my office.”
    “You don’t have to keep it secret,” Liz said. “She already told me it has to do with where her bike was parked.”
    “Liz,” I said and sent her a look of dismay.
    She shrugged. “I’m an investigative journalist.” Rex tilted his head, lowered his shoulders, and sent me a look of disappointment. “Allie, I thought I asked you to let me know first if you remembered anything.”
    I winced. “I know. I’m sorry. All I told her was that it had to do with my bike.”
    “Fine.” Rex pulled out his notebook. “Since you’ve already told the press, who can’t print this because it may hinder my investigation—”
    Liz held up her hands in an innocent gesture.
    “Tell me what you remembered.”
    “It really might not be anything important,” I said. “But when I arrived at the warehouse, I parked my bike at the bike rack outside the door.”
    He frowned. “Yes, I know. I helped dig out your bike so you could ride it back home.”
    “Well, when I parked it, there were two bikes in the slots beside it.”
    “I remember you telling me about the bikes when you were on the phone.” Rex narrowed his eyes. “Wait—yours was the only bike left after the fire.”
    “Exactly.”
    “Did you see anyone ride away from the warehouse?”
    “No.” I frowned. “I’ve been trying to remember. Once you forced me out, I sat on the curb and watched the firemen come and then waited for the bomb squad. There were a lot of guys coming and going.”
    “That’s true,” Ed said as his dark brown eyes narrowed. “I don’t remember seeing anyone on a bike, but I was concentrating on the potential hazards.”
    “I’ll ask around,” Rex said. “A lot of people were there. Someone might have seen something. I’m glad you remembered that, Allie.”
    I smiled. “I’m happy to be of help. By the way, the cat ran back out the door.”
    “What?” Liz cocked her head. “Is that code for something?”
    I laughed. “No, Rex let a stray cat into the McMurphy the other night. We spent hours trying to find it but finally gave up. Rex went home and I went to bed. Then I spotted it once or twice before Mal got involved and chased it for a while until someone walked in and it went out the door.”
    “Mal didn’t follow, did she?” Liz looked horrified.
    “No, I caught her before she could. Trent went out looking for the cat, but it was long gone.”
    “Weird.”
    “Right.” I said. “It was a very pretty black and orange and white calico. So if you see it or hear of one missing . . .”
    “I’ll keep my eyes and ears open,” Liz