Free Wedding Bell Blues by Ellie Ferguson Page B

to hold it together so far. No way was I going to break down
now.
    At least I hoped not.
    "I was hoping you might be able to help me figure that out,"
she
replied, her voice a soft soprano that surprised me. What I'd expected,
I'm not sure, but it certainly wasn't that melodious voice.
    "I don't know how. I wasn't here. Detective Dougherty can
tell you
that." I looked up at Colton, all but daring him to deny it. "He's the
one who called and told me I needed to get home."
    "I understand, and all I meant was that I hoped you might be
able to help me narrow down the cause of the fire."
    I blew out a breath and throttled back my emotions. "I'll
try."
    For half an hour or more, we talked. No, I hadn't left any
appliances on when I left that morning. No, no candles had been lit, no
fire in the fireplace. My computer had been turned off and so had the
televisions. The furnace had been checked just a month ago and no
problems had been found. No, I hadn't smelled gas and nothing had
seemed out of the ordinary.
    Finally, she paused and made a few notes in her notebook and
I
seized the opportunity to ask a question of my own. The only question
that really mattered as far as I was concerned.
    "Detective, did someone set the fire?" I'm not sure where the
question came from, but it seemed the right one to ask, especially in
light of the questions Davalos had been asking.
    "I told you she was sharp, Davalos," Colton said when she
looked up
at him, a flash of irritation crossing her expression. "I didn't say
anything to her. I didn't have to. Your questions were enough for her
to make the connection."
    Well, that wasn't exactly true. He
had said he thought someone had started the fire. But, he was right
about her questions. They would have put the thought in my mind even if
he hadn't said anything.
    Davalos frowned, obviously not happy. Well too bad. I'd asked
the
question and now I wanted an answer. I waited, my eyes never leaving
her face. Finally, she sighed and slumped against the side of her car.
    "All right. This is preliminary and might change after all
the
evidence is examined. But, right now, everything I saw inside and,
every instinct I have says that this was arson. So, Ms. Jones, who
hates you enough to try to burn your house down around you?"
    Even though I'd expected the question, or at least some
version of
it, hearing Davalos voice it hit me like a two by four to the face.
Blood roared in my ears and my lungs closed, making it even more
difficult to breathe than before. Fear ran through me, cold as ice, and
I struggled against it. I couldn't give in. Not if I was going to help
the cops determine what happened.
    "No one." My voice was soft, barely above a whisper. Part of
me
registered Colton taking a step closer to me, only to be waved off by
Davalos. A quick glance at him surprised me. Anger and frustration
flashed across his expression before he noticed me watching him. Then
that mask of professionalism slid back into place.
    "Detective, I'm a teacher at a private school. No gang
problems, no
students upset enough with me to do anything. Even if they were, they'd
more likely paper the house or shave cream my car. Not this." I waved
at the smoldering ruins of my house.
"Any former boyfriends or anything who might want to do this?"
    I felt a blush creep up my neck. The last thing I wanted to
talk
about in front of Colton was my love life - not that there'd been much
of one the last couple of months or so. Taking the coward's way out, I
simply shook my head, praying she'd let the matter drop.
    "There is one thing," Colton said, and I spun to stare at him
in
surprise. Then the explanation hit me and I staggered back a step, my
hand flying to my throat even as a strangled cry of disbelief escaped
my lips.
    "What?" Davalos' voice was sharp, her eyes sharper as she
looked from me to Colton and back again.
    "You heard about what happened at Manny's yesterday?" It was
more a
statement than a question and Davalos nodded slowly in