A Shot Of Blood

Chapter-9

The fire was everywhere, burning with great intensity, sparing nothing. It looked like a fire- breathing dragon was inside puffing away, vicariously. The mixture of deep red and amber flames swallowed everything in its catch.

The flames were immeasurable and excruciatingly hot, roaring high and turned the surrounding into dark ashes.

The warehouse became a victim.

Nothing inside was likely to survive the fire, although it was just stacks of wooden crates which were once used for storage. The blustery winds on the cold, desolate and dark evening didn't help either, just raging the fire more.

The brown wooden walls of the warehouse turned into charcoal black. The fire, coming out from the broken glass windows, whose one touch could burn everything.

The blazing sirens of various fire engines could be heard from a distance. Nobody knows how the fire started, everyone's focus on getting it under control.

An anonymous passer-by called the fire department telling them the news that he saw smoke and sparkling phantom flames emitting from the warehouse.

Till the fire engines reached the outskirts, the fire took a turn, for the worst. Now, not only the warehouse but also the surrounding hay grass was burning with it.

It was dubious. A fire all of a sudden started, in a stark and barren region, in contrast to the city.

With the hose continuously spraying water, held by the firefighters wearing gears, it took a little more than an hour to get it under control.

When the fire subsided, all left was a burned, abandoned house with dying embers and cinders.

The police cars stood outside to investigate the matter. With Officer Dave, not present in the office, the responsibility landed on the shoulders of Cooper to find out whether it was a casualty or a pre- engineered mishap, made to look like an accident.

The forensic team were working on finding out how the fire started. The warehouse had been closed down 7 years ago, so the chances of short-circuit were null.

Sophie, Cooper along with James volunteering were probing the area with the workload of the Office rolled over to Preston.

"No signs of short- circuit. The wires are all dead," James said, raising his eyebrows and moving onto.

"Traces of petrol have been found, but still, we need the exact reports." Sophie said diligently.

"Firstly, the murders and now this. What's happening?" Cooper said rubbing his temple. "Also, do check the surrounding area as well."

"Yeah, we're on it." The brown-eyed replied.

"Cooper, come in here," James yelled, his voice echoing around.

Cooper and Sophie looked at each other, and the next second their padded footsteps, while running on the cemented floor were heard.

"Wha-" Cooper was about to question, but was left speechless at the sight in front of him.They all looked at each other, their eyes dark with unutterable sorrow and rankling remorse.

Sophie went away to call her forensic experts, while Cooper and James just stood there, dumbfounded at the scene.

On the darkest and stinkiest side of the warehouse, a difficult place to find, behind the stacks, which were now burned lied someone.

A burnt body.
__________________________________

He woke up with his eyebrows deeply knitted, mouth open in agony, as he felt an immense amount of pain, as he took in the surroundings. The pale white walls, with a bunch of machineries he was attached too.

It was a hospital!

He was in a hospital, having no idea who brought me here. Even after feeling dizzy from the medication given, he tried to get up, but failed as a middle-aged, stout nurse came in, wearing a light blue scrub, her hair tied back in a bun.

"Don't even try to get up. You're still weak." She warned, pointing her index finger.

She changed the IV and the bandages, injected him with some medications, and took his blood samples for a test and left.

A few minutes later, the door swung open, and two people entered. A tall, brown haired woman wearing semi formal clothes followed with a man, stepped into the room.

"Glad you're alright, we were starting to fear the worst," The woman, he recognised as Sophie spoke up, sitting on the blue couch in the corner.

"What happened? Where's everyone else?" he inquired

"Cooper is investigating the accidental fire in the warehouse, whereas Preston is in the office," James said.

"Fire? When did that happen?"

"Sir, a long story short, after you went away, almost an hour later, we got a call saying a small fire had erupted in the Holmes warehouse. We came to know that you were there as well, so you were rescued. It was a little less than a minute later, when the fire started getting out of control."

"How did it start?"

"Nobody knows, we think someone did that on purpose, it wasn't an accidental fire for sure."

"How did you trace me? I never told you where I was?"

"Preston traced your phone. After you left, we tried calling you multiple times but you wouldn't pick up, so we had too."

"Thank you so much. I can't even keep count how many times you have saved me," Dave said through glassy eyes.

"Oh, no worries at all. It's our duty. You should take rest, we'll be outside." Sophie said, as they got up to leave.

"I don't mind staying here, it's too hot outside in the hallway." James whispered, or tried to, nevertheless Dave heard every bit of that.

Sophie elbowed him, resulting in him making a groaning sound as he coughed his side. Before, they could reach the silver metal handle, the door was pushed open by another person, Cooper.

"Oh, nice seeing you. Hope you are alright," he said, entering inside, "I think they did tell you about that accident."he continued after getting a nod from the patient lying on the bed.

"Did you guys find anything there?" Dave questioned

"Nothing much, but I wanted to tell you that- " he was stopped mid-sentenced by James phone ringing all of sudden.

He picked up the call, and was walking outside, so as not to disturb their conversation but  retracted.

"It's for you," James said, handing the phone to Dave. He searched for his own phone, but couldn't find it, probably it didn't survive the fire.

"Hello, Who's this?"

"This time you survived, next time you surely won't." With that the call ended, as Dave frowned at the blank screen.

"Who was that?" James asked, as he was being returned his phone.

"Oh, no one in particular."

He very well knew that voice. He can't forget a voice he had talked with a few hours ago.

Greg.

It was Greg. Did he invite him there, just so he could kill him off? Questions ran through his mind. Also, he didn't tell anyone because he didn't want them to stress over it.

"You were saying something, weren't you? Before the call?" Dave started talking, looking at Cooper with curious eyes.

"Yeah. We found a burnt body, the reports are yet to come, but still on identification on basis of the data that we have, it matches with someone."

"Matches with whom?"

"Greg"

A/N
Happy birthday Harry Styles, our sweet creature, who gives us golden songs. We love and adore you❤️

I know that I was supposed to publish this yesterday, but I had to make some last minute changes, so I apologize.

Also, I planned on posting this in the morning, but due to poor WiFi I couldn't :(