She looked up at Drew. “How bad was it?”
He tucked his hands in the front pockets of his trousers. “The damage wasn’t to the school this time.” He let out a sigh. “I wish I had better news, but the garage is gone. The crew responding managed to extinguish the flames before they spread to the house or school, sothe damage has been contained to one structure. They weren’t able to save the car, but arrived in time to prevent an explosion.”
“Do you…” Grandy’s voice cracked as she struggled to hold back tears. “Do you know how it happened?”
“I’m sure it’s intentional, but I’ll know more once I inspect the scene.”
Grandy lay back against the stark white bed linens, looking frail and every second of her age. “I don’t understand why this is happening,” she whispered.
Neither did Emily, but she was determined to find the rat bastard and take whatever steps were necessary to ensure he spent the rest of his life behind bars.
“Grandy, is there anyone you suspect could be responsible?” She concentrated on keeping her voice gentle and soothing, a difficult task considering the dangerous combination of tension, fear and anger simmering inside her. “Someone with an ax to grind.”
“Or a match to strike.” Grandy bit out the words, her voice uncharacteristically hard. She winced, then let out a sigh. “No. Not that I can think of.”
Drew moved from the foot of the bed. He settled his hand briefly over Grandy’s shoulder, careful to avoid her injured arm and hand, in an unmistakable gesture of comfort. “I will stop whoever is doing this to you. You have my word.”
Emily admired his determination, even if she hadn’t a clue how he’d accomplish such a feat. Unless…
“I realize it’s ridiculous even to say this,” he continued as he pulled the chair up to the side of the bed andsat. “But try not to worry. Concentrate on getting well.”
The slight curve of Grandy’s brief smile was halfhearted at best. “Thank you.”
Even Drew’s promise to bring justice to the individual responsible failed to chase the worry from Emily’s grandmother’s eyes completely. Now, on top of some lunatic trying to destroy everything Grandy’d worked for over the past fifty years, the academy’s best instructor would be laid up for who knew how long. Emily didn’t mind assuming command, especially in such an emergency, but she wasn’t about to stand idly by and let her grandmother be ruined by some wacko with a penchant for flames.
She thought about hiring a rent-a-cop to patrol the area, then quickly discarded the idea. Twenty-four-hour security didn’t come cheap. Grandy’s vehement refusal to cancel so much as two classes until she could teach them herself probably meant funding was an issue. While round-the-clock security might prevent another attack, scaring off the arsonist wouldn’t lead to his or her capture.
The most logical plan of action would be to cancel all classes until Drew apprehended the culprit, but Emily had a feeling they’d be playing right into the arsonist’s hands by doing so. No, what she needed was…
“Drew.”
He’d think she’d finally lost it. Quite frankly, she thought so, too, but she refused to let that little detail stop her now that she’d latched onto her idea, and, she hoped, a solution.
“Yeah?”
“You need to catch this guy, right?”
“That’s the idea.”
She ignored the hint of sarcasm in his voice and plunged ahead before she lost her nerve. “I know how you can do it.”
He leaned back in the chair, a patronizing expression on his face. “Oh? And how is that?”
“Substitute teaching.”
“I’m not following you.”
“By taking over Grandy’s classes. They’re in the evening so it wouldn’t interfere with your other investigations. And, it’d give you an opportunity to observe some of the students and staff.”
“Emily…” Grandy started.
“No,” she interrupted. “He’d be perfect. He’s a
He tucked his hands in the front pockets of his trousers. “The damage wasn’t to the school this time.” He let out a sigh. “I wish I had better news, but the garage is gone. The crew responding managed to extinguish the flames before they spread to the house or school, sothe damage has been contained to one structure. They weren’t able to save the car, but arrived in time to prevent an explosion.”
“Do you…” Grandy’s voice cracked as she struggled to hold back tears. “Do you know how it happened?”
“I’m sure it’s intentional, but I’ll know more once I inspect the scene.”
Grandy lay back against the stark white bed linens, looking frail and every second of her age. “I don’t understand why this is happening,” she whispered.
Neither did Emily, but she was determined to find the rat bastard and take whatever steps were necessary to ensure he spent the rest of his life behind bars.
“Grandy, is there anyone you suspect could be responsible?” She concentrated on keeping her voice gentle and soothing, a difficult task considering the dangerous combination of tension, fear and anger simmering inside her. “Someone with an ax to grind.”
“Or a match to strike.” Grandy bit out the words, her voice uncharacteristically hard. She winced, then let out a sigh. “No. Not that I can think of.”
Drew moved from the foot of the bed. He settled his hand briefly over Grandy’s shoulder, careful to avoid her injured arm and hand, in an unmistakable gesture of comfort. “I will stop whoever is doing this to you. You have my word.”
Emily admired his determination, even if she hadn’t a clue how he’d accomplish such a feat. Unless…
“I realize it’s ridiculous even to say this,” he continued as he pulled the chair up to the side of the bed andsat. “But try not to worry. Concentrate on getting well.”
The slight curve of Grandy’s brief smile was halfhearted at best. “Thank you.”
Even Drew’s promise to bring justice to the individual responsible failed to chase the worry from Emily’s grandmother’s eyes completely. Now, on top of some lunatic trying to destroy everything Grandy’d worked for over the past fifty years, the academy’s best instructor would be laid up for who knew how long. Emily didn’t mind assuming command, especially in such an emergency, but she wasn’t about to stand idly by and let her grandmother be ruined by some wacko with a penchant for flames.
She thought about hiring a rent-a-cop to patrol the area, then quickly discarded the idea. Twenty-four-hour security didn’t come cheap. Grandy’s vehement refusal to cancel so much as two classes until she could teach them herself probably meant funding was an issue. While round-the-clock security might prevent another attack, scaring off the arsonist wouldn’t lead to his or her capture.
The most logical plan of action would be to cancel all classes until Drew apprehended the culprit, but Emily had a feeling they’d be playing right into the arsonist’s hands by doing so. No, what she needed was…
“Drew.”
He’d think she’d finally lost it. Quite frankly, she thought so, too, but she refused to let that little detail stop her now that she’d latched onto her idea, and, she hoped, a solution.
“Yeah?”
“You need to catch this guy, right?”
“That’s the idea.”
She ignored the hint of sarcasm in his voice and plunged ahead before she lost her nerve. “I know how you can do it.”
He leaned back in the chair, a patronizing expression on his face. “Oh? And how is that?”
“Substitute teaching.”
“I’m not following you.”
“By taking over Grandy’s classes. They’re in the evening so it wouldn’t interfere with your other investigations. And, it’d give you an opportunity to observe some of the students and staff.”
“Emily…” Grandy started.
“No,” she interrupted. “He’d be perfect. He’s a
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