Fire of Your Soul Teaser

Charlie came out, his face was covered in soot and his lips were pressed into a grim line. “You’re both here. Excellent. They’re almost done,” he said tersely. “I was walking to this place when it exploded. It fucking exploded. Nearly everyone was outside. The owner was inside, trying to get some of the building’s information.”

“He’s okay, right?” Rose asked.

“Smoke inhalation and second degree burns on his arms and hands,” Charlie grunted. “I just want to start the investigation. I know we can’t do much because of the heat, but something about this fire is rubbing me the wrong way.”

“Well, perhaps it was the fact that you were almost inside it would rub me the wrong way,” Rose snorted.

“It’s not like I was the target or anything,” Charlie snapped. “Grab your shit. Let’s check it out, take some photos and head back to the lab.”

“It’s still smoking, Chief,” Edward argued.

“Cullen, so help me, I do not want to put you on report,” Charlie snarled, glowering at Edward. He held up his hands in surrender. Charlie spun on his heel and went inside, wearing a helmet and carrying a Halligan. Edward picked up a helmet, following Charlie with Rose coming up the rear.

The barbershop was still unbearably hot. It smelled of burnt rubber, smoke and toxic chemicals. Edward turned on a flashlight as he carefully walked through the debris. The front of the shop was not the flashpoint of the blaze. The fire patterns clearly indicated that it traveled from somewhere deeper in the shop. “Is there a basement?” he asked. He took some pictures of the flame patterns, along with snapshots of the damage to the chairs.

“I’m not sure if there’s a basement. Backroom, maybe?” Charlie said. “I only hung out in the front getting my hair cut and my treat of a shave once a month. It was your father who turned me onto this place. Carlisle goes to the one closer to city hall, but I liked it here because it was on the way to the station and close to home.” He coughed, wrinkling his nose. “We probably can’t stay much longer. The smoke is aggravating my lungs.”

“Agreed,” Rose said. Her mouth and nose were covered by a mask and she wore a pair of goggles. “Chief, go outside. Edward and I will get the photos in the back of the barbershop. We’ll come back tomorrow once this place has had a chance to cool down.”