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

Chapter Eleven: Smoke and Sirens

"Where's Ari? I think I figured something out," Harleigh explained.

Gene didn't seem convinced.

"Like what?"

"The killer is in the hotel," Harleigh admitted.

"You don't know that."

"Observation, necessity, anonymity, closeness," Harleigh said, "Staying at the hotel gives him everything he needs. He probably passed us in his car yesterday and we would have never known."

Gene frowned.

He's getting it. I'm close.

"I think you're crazy," he said finally.

He's lying. Exaggerating his facial expressions.

"No you don't," Harleigh said, "Please stop. This is important."

He heaved a sigh.

"Can I put some clothes on first?"

"Please."

He returned to the hallway with a t-shirt on over his pajama pants, yawing.

"I think Ari is down this way," he said.

For once he's not angry. He's not pleasant, but he's not angry. Thank God.

"He's probably not even in his room, though. He doesn't sleep much on a case."

Harleigh stopped in the hallway.

"Gene?" she asked, trying not to panic.

"What?"

"Do you smell smoke?"

He frowned.

"Maybe it's just somebody burning incense."

"This late?"

"Look, you just need to calm down, ok? Smoke's a thing. Just stop freaking out about it," Gene snapped.

He knocked on a door.

"Ari?" he called, "You burning incense, bro?"

No one answered. Harleigh shifted from foot to foot.

"Gene, it's getting worse."

He frowned.

"Maybe they're burning a lot of incense. Let's check Markov's room."

He headed to the next door and banged.

"Markov?"

Harleigh's heart pounded.

"Gene, there's no way they're burning incense—," she began.

The door rocketed off its hinges as something exploded within. Fire and smoke billowed into the hallway. Harleigh screamed and covered her head as Gene yelped. Harleigh felt her lungs lock as she looked down at the carpet.

"Oh my gosh!" she screamed, "There's gasoline on the carpet!"

The fire rushed towards them, and Gene and Harleigh retreated down the hallway, stumbling backwards.

"Get to the fire escape!" Harleigh said, seizing his arm and dragging him backwards. The fire had almost reached her room, and she felt a small pang of sadness as she realized her laptop would be lost in the wreckage.

Gene fought her off as the fire alarms blared.

"No!" he screamed, "I have to go back!"

Harleigh clung to his arm.

"No! You can't!"

"There's something in my room that's really important!"

"More important than your life?" Harleigh demanded.

"Yes!"

Gene broke free from her grasp and dashed into the flames. Terror froze Harleigh to the spot, but a single thought entered her mind.

Can't equals won't.

She ran after Gene. The flames stung her skin and Harleigh tried to keep moving. Fear made her steps shaky and erratic as she plunged through smoke.

"Gene!" she howled, pushing her way into her room.

She saw him rifling through the dresser and seized his t-shirt, pulling him away.

"Let's go!" she bellowed.

Gene followed her this time, but as Harleigh reached the stairway, he froze.

"The fire escape is blocked off!" he yelped, "So is the elevator! What do we do?"

"Stairs!" Harleigh explained.

"What stairs?" Gene demanded.

Harleigh dragged him further along and screamed as she crashed into someone.

"Ari!" Gene yelled, "What are you doing?"

Harleigh jumped to her feet and saw Ari staring at them in confusion. Half of her mind wanted to drag them all downstairs and ask for answers later. The other half was keenly aware that he was wearing a T-shirt and shorts, and had a necklace shaped like a six-pointed star. Her stomach gave a weak flutter.

Definitely Jewish, Harleigh thought, pushing the sensation away.

"Where's Wilma?" he bellowed.

"I don't know!" Gene returned, "Markov?"

"Downstairs! Go!" Ari ordered, shoving Gene forward before charging into the flames and disappearing.

"What stairs?" Gene howled.

Harleigh dragged him to the end of the hallway and flung the stairwell door open.

"How did you know about the stairs?" Gene demanded, running after her as she descended, "Wait! It's because you never take the elevator—in case there's a fire!"

"Let's just get out!"

"What about Ari?"

Harleigh frowned but kept running down the stairs, passing frantic, sleepy people.

"He has plan."

"How do you know?"

"I can tell," Harleigh yelled, pulling Gene into the lobby.

Terrified people poured out the large doors, and sirens howled. Once Harleigh made it into the parking lot, she realized her legs shook and she felt close to going into shock. She sat down on the pavement and focused on her breathing.

Gene plopped down next to her, panting, as firefighters and terrified people swarmed around them. Harleigh didn't have the energy to assess his mood, and she didn't care. Gene got to his feet as Markov came toward them.

"What's going on? Have you seen Wilma?"

"Where's Ari?" Markov returned.

"I don't know! He went back in the building, the idiot," Gene responded, "Where were you? The bomb came from your room."

Harleigh got to her feet, limbs aching.

"I think I figured out where that murder happened," she ventured.