Ashes (Dark in You 3)

“Knox called me,” lied Harper, gently tapping her temple – a temple that still ached like a bitch. “He wants to see me. I shouldn’t be more than twenty minutes.”

“Take as long as you need,” said Raini.

With a nod, Harper cleared her throat. Pretty much in a daze, she grabbed her purse, and slipped on her jacket. Ignoring Khloë’s intense scrutiny, she walked out of the studio with Tanner close behind.

Sidling up to her as they walked along the loud, busy strip, he said, “Where are we going?”

“Knox wants to see me.” If the hellhound detected the lie, he didn’t show it. He simply stayed at her side, protective as ever, guarding her from pedestrians.

It didn’t take long to reach the office that was located above the combat circle. Heading behind the dome, she jogged up the flight of stairs and over to the door where Levi stood like a sentry.

Surprise briefly flashed in Levi’s eyes, but he stepped aside and knocked on the door. “Harper’s here to see you.”

“I could have done that myself,” she grumbled at the reaper, but he just smiled.

At Knox’s “Come in!” she turned the metal knob and pushed the door open, feeling a little like she was walking to her doom. Leaving Tanner with Levi, she then closed the door behind her.

Mouth curved, Knox rose from his leather chair, rounded the desk, and crossed to her. “Hey, baby.” He slid his arms around her waist and kissed her long and hard. “This is a surprise.”

Harper almost laughed. If he thought this was a surprise, he was going to find her news one hell of a shock. “How are you?” Yes, she was procrastinating – go judge her.

“Better now that you’re here.” He nipped her lower lip and then laved the mark. “Not that I’m not happy to see you, but what brings you here in the middle of a work day?”

“Um… well, we kind of need to talk about something.”

“We kind of need to do it?”

“Yeah. See, I just… Well, the thing is… I mean, you need to… God, there’s really no easy way to —”

The office door burst open, and Levi declared, “Knox, we got a problem.”

Knox went rigid. “What sort of problem?”

“Talia’s apartment is on fire. That kind of problem.”

Harper’s mouth fairly dropped open. Well, shit.

In no time at all, Harper found herself standing outside Talia’s apartment building for the second time in the space of a week. Nobody was sitting on the old couch outside this time. Nu-uh. Everybody simply stood across the street, staring at the blackened section of the building and watching as dark smoke drifted into the sky.

A fireman walked over to Harper and Knox, covered in soot and sweat; she recognized him from their lair. He nodded respectfully. “Mr. Thorne, Ms. Wallis.”

Knox inclined his head at him. “What happened here, Blaine?”

“The fire didn’t spread beyond Talia’s apartment. Oddly enough, it was easing off before we even arrived… as if it was under the control of someone.”

“Hellfire,” said Knox quietly.

Blaine nodded. “That would be my guess.”

“I’m hoping you’re going to tell me that Talia’s at work.”

“I wish I could. The neighbors heard her screaming. My guess is that it was her dealer. Apparently he paid her regular visits, threatening her with violence if she didn’t pay what she owed him. I’m guessing this was about money that she simply didn’t have to give.” Blaine shrugged. “I can’t think of any other reason why she would have been screaming apologies at someone.”

“Apologies?” Harper echoed.

“Yes, ma’am. Her closest neighbor claimed that Talia kept screaming that she was sorry over and over.” Hearing someone call his name, Blaine gave Knox and Harper an apologetic look. “Excuse me.”

Just as Blaine walked away, Tanner appeared and said, “I talked to her closest neighbors. They said they heard her —”

“Screaming apologies,” Knox finished. “Blaine mentioned it.”

“Did he also mention that she kept begging for forgiveness, promising that if they stopped the fire and let her out she’d make it right – whatever ‘it’ is?”

Knox rubbed his jaw. “No, he didn’t mention that.”

Tanner gestured to a curvy, dark-skinned female standing near an ambulance, her face blank, eyes wet. “Rosa just arrived. She’s Talia’s partner. Want me to talk to her?”

“I’d like to ask her some questions myself.” Keeping possession of Harper’s hand, Knox headed to the she-demon. “Rosa?”

She blinked up at the three of them, looking dazed and numb. “I don’t understand how this could have happened.” Her voice was low, soft, defeated. “I just spoke to Talia an hour ago. She was fine.”

Harper’s chest tightened. “I’m not good in these situations,” she admitted. “I don’t know what to say, except that I’m sorry.”

Rosa swallowed and gave a weak nod of thanks. “Why would someone do this?”

“The police said she’s been having trouble with her dealer,” said Knox.

“Raymond?” Rosa’s brow pinched. “He’s a lot of things, but he’s no killer. He hasn’t got the stomach for it.”

“Is there anyone else who might have been upset with her?” Harper asked. “One of the neighbors said they heard her shouting apologies to someone.”

Confused, Rosa shook her head. “She didn’t have enemies. Outside of work, Talia kept a low profile.” Silent tears began streaming down her face. “I just don’t understand.”

Knox gave her a pointed look. “If there’s anything we can do, you let us know, Rosa.”

“I will. Thank you, Mr. Thorne.” She swiped at her wet cheeks. “Maybe she’ll find some peace now. She was never really at peace with life.”

“I’d like to think that she will.” Harper gave her shoulder a sympathetic squeeze, feeling so fucking bad for Rosa. The female was doing a hell of a lot better than Harper would have done in her position. Losing Knox would destroy her. Wanting to give the grieving female some space, Harper clasped Knox’s hand. Let’s leave her in peace.

“Thank you for speaking with us, Rosa,” said Knox. “Remember to come to us if you need anything.” He turned to Harper. “Let’s go, baby.”

As they walked to the Bentley with Tanner, she looked up at Knox. You think it was McCauley, don’t you?

So do you.

Harper didn’t deny it. Couldn’t deny it.

Once the three of them were back inside the Bentley with Levi, she said, “If McCauley can teleport, it wouldn’t have been hard for him to go there, set the fire, watch her burn, and then ease the hellfire before getting away again without being seen.” Hellfire wouldn’t burn the demon who conjured it, which meant that McCauley would have gotten away unharmed.

Levi caught Harper’s gaze in the rearview mirror, his expression one of disbelief. “You think the kid did this?”

“Talia wasn’t alone when she burned to death,” Knox told him. “She was apologizing to someone, promising that she’d make it right.”

Levi cursed. “That doesn’t mean it was him.”

“No, it doesn’t,” agreed Knox. “But it does mean I need to speak with him. Make a pit stop at the Sanders’s house.”

Levi switched on the engine. “You got it.”

When they finally pulled up outside the house, Harper looked at Knox. “Did you give Wyatt a telepathic heads-up that we were coming?”

“No. I want to see their reactions to the news.”

Levi opened the rear door for them. “You’ve got me real curious about this kid. I’ll come inside with you this time. There are no teens lurking about, eyeing up the Bentley.”

Knox led the way up the path, and Harper then pressed the doorbell.

Wyatt opened the door after a few moments. His eyes narrowed as he took in the four of them. “Something’s happened.”