Chapter Twenty-Five

Nate

I saw the police leaving after they talked with Jenna, and they brought home the ugly reality of the night’s events. This was not an accident.

With Sam at my heels, I rushed to see her and felt an overwhelming relief when I saw Jenna sitting there, looking about as well as anyone would in this situation.

Sam was first to rush over to Carla and wrap his arms around her. It was the first time he’d seen her since the fire broke out. As soon as she saw him, Carla’s eyes filled up with tears. She stood up and threw her arms around his neck, finally breaking down in sobs on his shoulder.

“Come on, babe,” Sam said softly. “Let’s get you back to my place. You’re staying with me until this gets sorted out.”

Sam punched me softly on the shoulder and gave me a nod. “Good work tonight, buddy. See you tomorrow.” He turned to Jenna and gave her a nod too. “Stay safe, Jenna. If you two need anything, just give us a call. I’m gonna get Carla back now if that’s all right. I’m sorry for what’s happened.”

Jenna smiled softly. “Thank you, Sam.”

I gave Sam a nod. “Thanks, buddy. See you soon.”

It had been a hell of a night. The fire had been fierce and unyielding. We’d fought it for four hours before we finally defeated it. The fifth floor of the apartment building was a shell, and none of the residents would be returning for a while, but nobody had been seriously hurt. I counted that as a win.

With Sam and Carla gone, I sat beside Jenna on her bed and pulled her into a hug. “Are you all right?”

“Me? You’re the one who’s been fighting fires. I’ve been worried about you.” Jenna lifted her face to kiss me, and then rested her head against my shoulder, holding onto my arm. “I’m so glad you’re here and safe.”

“I’m glad you’re safe. It’s been one intense night, huh?”

Jenna let out a long breath and shut her eyes like she was letting the night sink in. She nodded. “I knew what Victor was like, but even I didn’t expect him to go this far.”

“I saw the police leaving as I came in. Did you tell them everything?”

“As much as I could. I showed them a picture.”

“Can I see?”

Jenna picked up her cell from beside her on the mattress and ran her thumb over the screen until she found what she was looking for. She passed her cell to me, and I looked at the face of the man terrorizing Jenna.

Even in a photograph, there was something sinister about him. He had dark eyes that seemed to glisten with malice. His smile was more of a smirk. He had dark hair that had a slight curl to it.

I frowned at his picture and handed the cell back to Jenna. “At least now I know who I’m looking for.”

“If you see him, Nate, you should just turn and walk the other way, and let the police do their jobs. I don’t know what his end game is, but I want you and Harriet clear away from it all. If you see Victor following you, I want you to go to the police.”

I didn’t reply. Honestly, I didn’t know what I’d do if I ever came face to face with this monster who’d put Jenna’s life on the line. What kind of sick psychopath sets someone’s home on fire? This guy was twisted and sadistic, and if I ever crossed paths with him, I felt like I might not be able to hold back from doing what I had to do to protect Jenna.

“What happened with the fire?” Jenna asked me. Her grip tightened on my arm. “Please tell me everyone got out okay.”

“Nobody was hurt.”

Jenna let out a long, slow sigh of relief, closing her eyes. “Thank God.”

“The fifth floor is in ruins. Nobody will be able to go back there until it’s repaired. The whole building’s been evacuated for now.”

“I can’t believe it. So much mayhem, all because of me.”

“This isn’t your fault.”

“That’s what Carla said too, but it doesn’t change the way I feel.” She stood up from the bed, crossed her arms over her chest, and began to pace as she spoke. “I should have known. I should have guessed what he was capable of. I knew that things were escalating. I knew that he was getting more aggressive. That’s why I moved so far away. I didn’t feel safe anywhere near him. Not in the same town, not in the same state. I knew that he would do something extreme if he found me…I just hoped that he wouldn’t find me.”

“He’s the only one to blame for this, Jenna, and he’ll face the consequences in the end. Eventually, everything he’s done will catch up with him.”

“And until then? What do I do? The people around me are in danger.” I heard a tear catch in her throat, and she turned away from me. Her voice became soft and full of fear and regret. “Carla can’t go home tonight because of me. God knows what damage has been done to her apartment, or what she’s lost… I can’t stand to think of how much everybody has lost. I don’t know what I’m going to do, Nate. Running away just doesn’t work. He always finds me.”

“Then don’t run. Stand your ground.”

“He’ll find me, Nate. And God knows what he’ll do next.”

“You can’t keep running.”

“Carla tried so hard to be strong for me tonight, but as soon as she saw Sam, you could see her breaking down. She was in danger too, tonight. She’s also lost her home. What kind of person am I if I stick around to let him strike again?”

“You just said yourself: he strikes wherever you go.”

“So, what do I do, Nate?” The pitch of her voice rose a little in desperation, and she finally turned back to me, tears streaking down her face.

I stood to stand in front of her and took her hands in mine. “You take it one day at a time. You watch your back. You keep your eyes open. And the second he slips up, we’ve got him.”

“I’m scared that he’ll get me before we get him.”

I nodded, and pulled her towards me, wrapping my arms around her as she let her tears silently stream against my chest. I wanted to promise her that everything would be all right, but I understood that this Victor was a type of evil that I’d not encountered before. If I had my way, I’d stand vigil beside Jenna every hour of every day. If I didn’t have Harriet to think about, I’d drop everything to watch Jenna’s every movement until Victor showed his face and we could call the police to swoop in.

“Everything’s going to be okay, Jenna. He’ll be caught. This is a small town, and unfamiliar faces stand out. After word gets out that this was arson, he’ll be a man on the run. We’ll show everyone we know his picture. We’ll get the whole town watching your back.”

Jenna smiled at me with gratitude but shook her head. “Tell the whole town that my deranged ex is out to get me? I’m not sure what I think about that. I just want it to go away quietly.”

“He’ll make a mistake soon, Jenna.”

“Will he? He’s a cop, Nate. He knows how people get caught. He knows how to cover himself.”

“He’s reckless,” I told her. “Gasoline? He didn’t even try to make it seem like an accident, and who’s going to be the prime suspect in a crime like that? Probably the spurned ex who’s been sending unsettling messages in the mail. Probably the guy with the restraining order against him. This time the odds are stacked against him, Jenna. This time, it’s not like all he’s doing is standing outside your house making a scene. He’s crossed a line. He’s destroyed a building. He can’t hide anymore. His true nature is out in the open for everyone to see. It’s just a matter of time before he gets caught.”

Jenna sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose like she was holding back a headache. She nodded. “Let’s hope.”

“Will you stay with me tonight?”

I didn’t even think before extending the invite. Jenna didn’t have a home to go back to and was still new to town. Her only other friend, Carla, had also lost her apartment. I knew that Jenna had nobody else to turn to. So, I was surprised when she turned down my offer.

“No, Nate. I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“What? Why not?”

“You just said it: it’s not like Victor is just making a scene. He’s out for blood. He’s dangerous. I would never put you in harm’s way.”

“You know I’d do anything to protect you.”

Jenna’s eyes softened. She smiled, and spoke softly, laying her hand on top of mine. “You need to protect Harriet. She’s your priority.”

As soon as Jenna said the words, I knew she was right. I felt torn. I wanted more than anything to protect her. I’d do anything to keep her safe. I wasn’t afraid of Victor, and I was more than willing to face up to him for Jenna’s sake. But...Jenna was right. Harriet needed to be protected, too, and right now, she was safest far away from Jenna and the ex who was always on her tail.

I clenched my jaw. “I want to be there for you.”

Jenna gave my hand a squeeze. “I know.”

For a moment, we said nothing more. We both knew that I had to balance my desire to protect Jenna against my duty as a father. We both knew that Harriet would always come first.

“I’m not letting you go anywhere alone.”

She forced a smile. “I know there’s a motel just outside of Brayford.”

“A motel? No way, Jenna. That’s the first place Victor would go looking for you after burning your apartment.”

Jenna winced at my words. I could see the fleeting pain in her expression as she was hit again with the reality that her home was gone. “The second place he’d look. I think the first place he’d look would be at your place.”

I felt the hair on the back of my arms prickle. It was a mixture of fury and dread. My hands instinctively curled into fists. I was seething at the idea of a stranger I’d never met daring to step foot anywhere near my home and my daughter; anywhere near the woman I loved. Dread came from the possibility that he might hurt Harriet.

“I’m going to send Harriet to my parents for a few days.”

“I think that’s a good idea.”

“So, you’ll stay with me?”

“No, Nate. I think he knows where you live. I think my only chance at slipping past him is to go somewhere he doesn’t know.”

“How would he know where I live, Jenna?”

“How does he know where I live, Nate?” She paused a second before answering her own question. “He’s been following me. We already know that he was there the night we went to the bar. We went back to yours that night. Remember?”

“You’ll be safe with me, Jenna. Just for a few days.”

“We need to be apart for a while, Nate. Victor is pissed off, and after what just happened, I think it’s fair to say he’s come unhinged. Who’s to say he won’t target you next because you’re the guy I’ve been seeing? I already think that the fire was his idea of a sick joke.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I think Victor knows who you are and what you do, and I think he saw some kind of evil irony in setting a fire at my door, knowing that my boyfriend is a firefighter. It’s his idea of some kind of vile, poetic justice.”

My skin was burning with rage now. I hadn’t considered that the fire had anything to do with me, but maybe Jenna was right. Maybe Victor was playing games. Maybe he was making a point to Jenna about how he felt about her seeing someone new. Maybe he thought a fire would send the message best.

“I’m not afraid.”

Jenna leaned into me, her hands pressed against my chest. When she looked up at me, her eyes were full of despair. She grasped at my shirt. “I’m scared for you.”

I took her hands in both of mine and stroked her hair. “I can take care of myself.”

“I won’t let you get hurt.”

She said the words with such determination as if she had the power to protect me. We both knew that she couldn’t control Victor’s actions. He was unpredictable.

“I can handle myself in a crisis, Jenna. You don’t need to be scared for me.”

Her eyelids fluttered in quick blinks as she tried to hold back tears. I could hear the tremor in her voice when she spoke. “I’m scared for Harriet, too.”

Those words hit home.

I was a grown man, and I had faced danger a thousand times before. I’d been in emergency situations more times than I could count. I wasn’t afraid of Victor or what he might do to me. I would face him if I had to.

But Harriet…

Jenna continued, her voice grave and pleading. “What if he burns your place down, huh? What will Harriet do without her home? We’ve got to think about her in all of this, Nate. I adore that girl.”

Every time Jenna said Harriet’s name, she hit a nerve, and I knew I couldn’t protest anymore.

The house I lived in with Harriet had been mine and Marie’s first home together. It had been the house we’d brought Harriet home to the day she was born. It was where I’d cared for Marie when she’d gotten sick. It was the only real place that Harriet had left that held memories of her mother. Could I really risk letting some maniac burn it down? Even if it was a risk, I was willing to take because I loved Jenna, was it fair to my daughter?

“I want to help you through this more than anything. I want to protect you.”

Even through her fear and desperation, I could see Jenna’s love for me shining in her eyes, and she smiled. “You’re a good father, and Harriet comes first.”

“I know somewhere else you can stay. I won’t let you be alone in some motel.”

Jenna nodded. “I trust you.”