Read Online Outback Blaze by Rachael Johns - Free Book Online Page A

his hands together. ‘Did you notice anyone suspicious at the scene last night?’
    Ruby thought for a moment, pushing aside the memory of the familiar face, and then shook her head. That had been her brain playing nasty tricks. ‘No. I’d guess half the town was there, but they’re all just concerned.’
    He nodded. ‘What about this fiancé of yours? Any reason he might want to harm your family?’
    â€˜ Ex -fiancé,’ she said quickly and then paused to think. Had his image been an illusion last night? Could Jonas have set fire to her parents’ shop? He’d recently been released from prison due to expert lawyers getting him out on a suspended sentence… ‘No, I don’t think so. This is not his style.’ Reluctantly she explained the circumstances surrounding her and Jonas’s break-up. She hated reliving that horror but felt certain he wanted to put it behind him as much as she did. She simply couldn’t see how doing something like this would benefit him.
    â€˜Hmm…’ The investigator seemed to be thinking over her information. ‘What was his name?’
    â€˜Jonas Vanderbrek.’ She tried not to shiver as she said his name, not wanting the investigator to pick up on her discomfort. She convinced herself he wouldn’t do something like this – his anger issues were more spur-of-the-moment – and he was too smart to do something this serious, something that would threaten to bring bad publicity to his family’s horse stud again. The last thing she needed was policemen showing up at his place, refreshing his anger towards her.
    â€˜Okay, I think we’re done for now. But we may need to speak to you again after we’ve been through the building. You’re not planning on going away in the next few days?’
    â€˜No.’ Ruby tried to withhold the sigh of relief but she desperately needed to exhale.
    Once dismissed she went out into the waiting room at the police station. Her parents had been interviewed and were waiting with their arms wide open. She collapsed into her mum’s embrace and felt her dad’s big strong arms close around the two of them. ‘Are you okay?’ she sniffed, knowing how trying their interviews must have been.
    â€˜We’re fine,’ her father replied, ‘but your mother is very tired. Do you mind going home with her? I want to go to the shop.’
    â€˜Of course.’ While she hated the thought of not being there for both her parents, she could do with a shower, another coffee and something to eat. And then there were her horses. If her mother napped, she could go check on them. It was the first morning she could remember where they hadn’t been her first point of call after breakfast.
    Mike drove them to the site of the fire where the investigators had just returned and were suiting up to go inside the building with Ryan, O’Leary and another local firefighter. Ruby prayed they would find evidence that would help find the culprit quickly – or better still realise it was all a big accident so that they could all begin to get on with the process of rebuilding the shop.
    Not sure her father was doing any good hanging around waiting, but failing in convincing him to return home with them to try to rest, she eventually succeeded in drawing her mum away. They arrived home to a doorstep covered in casserole dishes, notes of commiseration and an answering machine overflowing with messages offering support and assistance. As she helped her mum pile the fridge up with the offerings, her heart felt like bursting at the love shown from the local community. Later, Ruby told herself, she’d have to make a list of all these people so they could thank them properly, but that task would have to wait. She made her mother a cup of English Breakfast, herself a strong coffee and then sat down at the kitchen table.
    â€˜I can’t believe all this,’ Lyn