Light Me Up

“Could be. We’ll try to find out more when we have DNA results. Miller is going to send out notice to the PD in Concord, where it was mailed from.”

“Gosh. I don’t know what to think.”

Theo came around his desk and closed the blinds to the windows overlooking the hallway. He turned, scooping me up out of the chair and onto his desk. Then he stepped in between my legs and wrapped his arms around me.

I buried my face into his chest, inhaling his scent, letting it calm me.

“I’m so sorry this is happening,” he said as he laid kisses on the top of my head.

“You’re sorry?” I laughed without humor. “This is happening to me, yeah, but it’s also happening because of me. It has to be Devil’s Rain. I brought danger here to Moon Harbor. I should be the one apologizing.”

Theo grabbed my shoulders in a tight grip and leaned down to look me in the eyes.

“Sara, you have nothing to apologize for.” He gave me a gentle shake as if to emphasize his point. “It wasn’t your fault back then and it’s not your fault now. I need you to understand that.”

I shrugged, unable to lie to him. I couldn’t help but feel responsible for this. If I hadn’t run all those years ago, they wouldn’t have come after me here. The people I love wouldn’t be in the crosshairs of a dangerous gang.

Theo’s hand cupped my cheek and he used his thumb under my chin to tilt my head up. His eyes pierced through mine and I felt his energy zap through me to my core.

“This is not your fault, Sara. And we’re going to get through it. I promise you, I’m going to keep you safe.”

“It’s not me I’m worried about though.”

His eyes softened.

“They’re not going to hurt me. They won’t get to the people you love. This town is my responsibility and I’m not about to let some assholes come here and go after my people.”

He kissed me then, still holding my face in his hand, still tethering us together with a firm grasp.

“I’m going to protect you, Sara. And I promise I will find who’s doing this, and end them.”

He pulled me closer again, hugging me to him and I let myself relax against him. His strong arms were a safety I’d never known, or even let myself yearn for. I thought I could stay there all night like that, wrapped up in Theo. But a knock at the door interrupted us.

Theo groaned and then straightened.

“Come in,” he called.

Miller opened the door, doing a double take at me sitting on the sheriff’s desk. He looked to Theo who just lifted his hands, palms up, and shrugged.

“What is it, Miller?”

“Uh, right. Sorry. Can I see you for a minute?”

“Yeah I’ll be right there.” Theo turned to me. “I’ll be back. Can I get you anything?”

“No, I’m good. Are you sure I shouldn’t just go home? Or have Ellie pick me up or something?”

He practically growled at me and shook his head.

“I’m taking you home, woman. Just relax for a bit and we’ll leave soon.”

“O-kay,” I said, my mouth exaggerating the syllables. He sneered at me and then left the room.

I used my time to look around his office. It was a blank canvas. You’d think he just moved in from the lack of, well everything. But he’d been sheriff since the end of last summer. Aside from the paper coffee cup, the only things on his desk were his work computer, telephone, and a box of tissues. The walls were bare, and the shelf behind him had exactly one item on it: a decorative shield that had two miniature flags sticking out of it, the United States flag and the Maine state flag.

I didn’t expect him to decorate the whole place like I might have, but to not have a single personal object, something with meaning outside of his work, seemed peculiar to me.

To an outsider, it might have looked like he was some rolling stone afraid of setting down roots, but I knew better. He loved this town and the people in it with all his heart. He wouldn’t ever leave them. But I thought it might be telling in another way.

Theo wasn’t the type to settle down. He might not ever leave Moon Harbor, but I couldn’t picture him sticking to one woman forever or starting a family. I’d known him for years and he’d always been upfront and honest with everyone about his lifestyle.

Was it stupid to expect him to change all of that for me? Probably. Was that what I wanted? I didn’t know. It was all so confusing. Maybe this thing with Theo was helping to distract me from these threats. Maybe it was just a temporary fling I’d remember fondly one day. But my heart sank at that thought.

He strode back into the room and shut the door. He paced for a minute, then sat in the chair next to me, rather than at his desk.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“I need to ask you some things.”

“Okay.”

“I’ve been trying to avoid it, honestly, but I can’t anymore.”

“All right,” I said, nervous at what he was getting at.

“It’s not about your situation, but about the fires… The arsons.”

That was strange. I felt my eyebrows draw together in question.

“Umm, all right. What about them?”

He leaned forward and let out a sigh of frustration.

“We have reason to believe the arsons are connected to someone in the Coastal League. It’s the only connection we’ve been able to make in all of them.”

“The only connection? Moon Harbor is a small place, as you know.”