Page 78 of Burn With Me

“I’m sorry, Mitch, but I won’t believe it until I see it. I want to see everything that the cops have,” I said, my mind going through the evidence I had found or the lack of it. It seemed strange that this guy would get caught leaving behind a handprint.

“Vi, it’s over. Trust me. I saw what they have. The cases are closed.” Mitch tried for the ‘I’m the boss’ tone he would use when he really wanted me to drop something, but there was no way that was happening.

My hand balled the soft duvet up, and I met his tone with my authoritative voice.

“Mitch, I’ve done nothing but pour over these files again and again, and you know what they all have in common? Other than fire before you decide to be a smart ass.”

A chuckle from the other end of the line told me he would’ve gone there. “What do they all have in common, Vi?”

“No evidence. The cameras I found watching the fires are a dead end. They lead nowhere other than to a million routers with no end in sight. The accelerant and C4 can’t be traced. Fingerprints? Nope. Hair or anything at all? Nada. Cameras from around the area never picked up anything unusual. This arsonist always manages to get in and out of any building, home, or industrial area like a ghost. A ghost, Mitch. And you’re telling me he suddenly left behind a handprint? Sorry, I don’t believe it.”

Asher was nodding beside me, and it felt oddly comforting to know that he had my back.

“You’re not going to take me at my word, are you?” Mitch said.

“Not a chance in hell. I want to see this supposed evidence,” I said, and Mitch sighed loudly from the other end of the line.

I could almost see his furrowed brow as he pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. Sometimes, Mitch really reminded me of my father. They’d been best friends, but it was like Mitch had taken on the father figure role when I came to work for him. It was a bad habit that I’d been trying to break from the moment that I arrived.

“Fine, take a look, but Vi, let me be perfectly clear here. The mayor wants this case wrapped up. He is done with the fear spreading across the city and does not want to answer any more questions about why the police are so incompetent at finding this guy. So, unless you’re a hundred percent positive this is not our guy, not ninety-nine percent, a whole hundred, this case remains closed. Do you understand me?”

I rolled my eyes and shook my head at the ridiculous statement. “So what you’re saying is that the mayor would rather sweep the potentially real arsonist under the rug to save political face? What about catching the killer that is actually terrorizing his citizens?”

“Vi—”

I cut Mitch off. “Fine, I hear you—one hundred percent sure or nothing. Check. What precinct am I going to?”

Tossing the duvet off, I swung my legs over the side of the bed, but before I could stand up, Asher wrapped his arm around my waist and hauled me back into his body. His chest was pressing into my back. Right then, all I could picture was flopping over and going back to sleep, wrapped up in his arms.

“Whatever they have can wait a few more hours, you need to rest,” he whispered into my ear.

We’d been up until like an hour ago, so I knew his concern was genuine. But it still seemed strange to have him telling me what I needed. Turning my head, I looked over my shoulder at Asher, and he lifted an eyebrow in challenge. He was daring me to say that he was wrong. Man, I hated that he wasn’t.

“I’ll bring everything to headquarters in a few hours for you to see. Meet me there at ten. Oh, and Vi? You only have the day to look it over. The mayor is planning on calling a press conference tomorrow about the arsonist’s capture.”

Man, this felt like the scene from Jaws where everyone in power at the town told all the citizens they could go back in the water because it was safe when they knew it wasn’t. People ended up dying in the movie because of that decision, and this seemed just as dangerous.

“Alright, I’ll see you then.” Hitting end, I set the new time on my alarm and placed the phone back on the night table. I gave Asher a mocking glare. “What did I tell you about ordering me around outside of the bedroom?”

He kissed the side of my neck. “Technically, we’re still in the bedroom. Besides, it’s for your own good.”

Asher kissed my neck once more, and I shivered, tilting my head to give him better access. He wasn’t playing fair. I could feel myself weakening. Not that my resolve was all that strong to start with.

“You work too hard and push yourself to be the best all the time,” he said and then nipped at my earlobe, making me moan. “You’re running yourself ragged.”

It was horrible that he already saw what Beck had been saying for months. “If you want to solve all those cases you’re so passionate about, then you need to take care of yourself, too.”

Asher pulled gently on me until I relented and laid down. He leaned casually on his elbow, looking down at me and even that casual pose oozed self assurance.

How did someone do that?

Staying so confident and assertive all the time must be exhausting, right? Lifting my hand, I brushed my fingertips over the rough, five o’clock shadow, and a devilish grin spread across his face.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I asked as he lifted the covers and slipped underneath. “I thought I was supposed to be resting?”

Even as I said the words, I couldn’t have stopped the smile that spread across my face.

“This is taking care of yourself.” He shifted, so he was lying between my legs, and he kissed his way up my stomach until his head poked out from under the blankets. “It is a fact that this is as good as any spa treatment.”