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purposes, Alexis Pruett is dead; I’m not her. I’m not that scared little girl anymore. I’m here to do this job, and once it’s done, I’ll go back to Frisco where I belong. You sent for me because of what I do; let me do it.”
    She began to pace, unable to stand still.
    â€œIt’s true that I’ve done my best to bury Alexis Pruett, and I really thought I wouldn’t be recognized, and do you know why I was? Because I apparently look like my mother, a woman I barely remember; I don’t even have a picture of my parents to remind me. While I didn’t expect to be recognized, it’s happened and I’ll deal with it. So what if the arsonist is someone I knew sixteen years ago? Knew is the operative word. I’ve investigated fires in San Francisco; there is always a possibility that a perp is someone I or one of the other investigators knows; it goes with the territory. We don’t live in a bubble, a ‘fire or arson investigators only’ community. Some of us have families; we’re neighbors, citizens, volunteers. We shop, we go to the movies — we’re just as likely to rub elbows with criminals as anyone else.”
    She picked up her bottle of beer and took a mouthful, her fingers nervously picking at the label as they always did when she was upset. Slowly, her breathing returned to normal.
    â€œI could apologize from now until Doomsday for hurting you and anyone else you think might have been concerned about me, but it wouldn’t change anything. I left, and I’m glad I did.”
    Let’s talk about the elephant in the room,
she sighed.
    â€œDid I know my uncle was still around? No, I didn’t, not for sure; in fact, I’d wished him to Hell so many times that I’d hoped he’d somehow gotten the memo. But it wouldn’t have mattered; I would have come anyway. He isn’t relevant to this assignment unless he’s the arsonist. That monster may be a lot of things, but even I don’t see him doing this. Skulking around in the dark isn’t his style. He’s too big a coward for that; he hides his sins behind his ‘I’m Mr. Perfect, the guy everyone wants for a friend’ façade and everyone loves him. I suppose I’ll have to see him while I’m here, but it’s only to put this all behind me. He and I have nothing to say to one another beyond that. What happened sixteen years ago may have impacted me and changed me, but it doesn’t define me. I do what I do, and I do it well. No one, not some maniac, not my uncle, and not you will chase me away. Get that through your head, Jake McKenzie. I’m here to do a job, this job, and I intend to finish it.”
    â€œAlexis, forgive me; it wasn’t my intention to belittle you or your abilities in any way. I’m sorry. You’re right; you have a job to do. I’ll be the last one to stand in your way. I shouldn’t have said anything.” He ran his hand through his hair.
    â€œI guess it’s the shock of seeing you after all these years. I’m doing this badly, but I simply want you safe. Whether you believe it or not, you were important to me then, and now that I see you again, I feel responsible. I’m the one who’s put you in this maniac’s sights.” He hung his head. “Can you ignore my tirade, so we can at least be friends and partners?”

Chapter Five
    Staying angry with Jake would not help the situation, and it certainly would not change things. He had a right to his anger; when she’d left, she hadn’t thought that her leaving would hurt anyone else. She’d been wrong, and had to accept the responsibility for that. Now, they had to work together, and that was going to be hard enough as it was. She probably owed him an apology and an explanation as well.
    It was not his fault that things suddenly had become more complicated. She would have to call Peters first thing in the