Memphis May Fire (#1 of the Harleigh Lynn series)

Chapter Six: Threats

The entire bus went in a whoosh of flame, and smoke and sparks shot into the sky as the rest of the band appeared in the parking lot, staring in shock.

"Don't get close!" Gene warned as Wilma dialed 911.

Firefighters pulled up in the next few minutes, sirens blaring, and started asking questions. Once they'd put the blaze out, Ari headed straight for the remains of the bus. Everyone trailed after him, running to keep up.

"Mullins, what was in here?" Ari demanded.

"Not much, just some extra stage stuff. Everything else is in the hotel and the auditorium. Maybe some extra clothes?"

"Any personal items?" Ari asked, glancing at the rest of the band.

The drummer, Jake, rubbed the back of his neck and shook his head. Harleigh noticed he had dark hair and wore a baseball cap backwards. His arms were colored with bright tattoos. Matty looked thoughtful.

"No, I'm pretty sure we cleaned it out. The driver will be mad, though. We were renting."

"Pereira," one of the firefighters, interrupted, "Turner said you would want to see this?"

Harleigh followed him around the smoking frame of the bus and saw Gene and Wilma crouching over a smoking mannequin. Their eyes were wide with worry. Ari stalked towards the mannequin and bent down. Harleigh was too shocked to move.

The mannequin was whole and had been dressed in black. An ashy wig sat atop the head, but Harleigh could tell it had once been hot pink.

Gene cursed.

"Well someone's after Harleigh."

"What?" one of the band members asked.

Harleigh thought he was the bassist, but she couldn't remember. Ari jumped up and began to pace.

"Will you excuse us?" he asked, turning to Matty.

"Yeah, no problem, officer."

"It's someone in the department," Ari insisted as soon as the band was out of earshot.

"Don't be like that," Wilma chided, "You don't know that."

"Oh yes I do. Haleigh's brand new. No one would know about her outside the department. No one."

"Maybe they saw her on the street and stopped to stare," Gene pointed out, "She doesn't exactly blend in."

Ari shook his head, waved the band back over, and took out his notepad.

"Look I'm really sorry guys," Matty put in, "I feel like this is all my fault."

"It's not," Wilma assured him, "It's an attack on the department and you."

"Where are you staying?" Ari asked.

"A hotel like five minutes away," Mullins answered, "I can get the address if you want."

"We'll be staying there too."

"Ari!" Gene said, "You can't be serious."

"It's connected," Ari said, bending down and examining the burnt pink wig, "And I am staying here."

Harleigh expected Gene to go off, but he shut his mouth and nodded.

"Should we run back and grab some personal things?"