Beautiful Scars

Kohl

When we get to my bakery. I almost don't recognize the building. Katniss, Haymitch and I walk through what my parents worked so hard to sustain. Now it's been reduced to ashes and charcoal.

"Peeta, I'm so sorry this happened." Katniss says sadly, holding my hand, as Haymitch suggested.

"It's okay. We had insurance. Really it's just a building, things. They can be replaced. At least you and Mel are safe and no one was inside. I just wish I could've grabbed a few things beforehand." I reassure her.

"The fire guys are saying that they are pretty sure the cause was an oven left on?" Haymitch tells us.

"Haymitch, I made sure nothing was on when I left." I clarify.

"I figured as much. They also said that even though the upstairs is pretty charred, it looked very messy and disorganized. I happen to know you are very organized. So I'm thinking someone tossed the place, then left the oven on, with something inside." Haymitch theorizes.

"You think this was on purpose to cover up a theft?" Katniss asks.

"Maybe, cause now, it'll be damned hard to figure out what's been stolen. Can you think of anything someone would want to steal? Especially, pertaining to Katniss or Melody?" Haymitch poses.

"No. I mean, I didn't even have anything valuable. Except a computer maybe." I answer.

We ask the firemen to check the scorched wreckage for my Mac. They didn't find anything even resembling it.

"So someone took it. That doesn't make sense. I only had old school work and plans for the new restaurant on it." I say.

"I don't know. But there wasn't a sign of a break in either. So unfortunately, I'm gonna have to do some more checking into your ex. I'm assuming she had a key to your apartment." Haymitch states.

"More checking into?" Katniss asks.

"Yeah. I was looking into her, she seemed a little iffy. Anyway, the private detail I had tailing her said that she had a pretty regular routine. Yoga class, shopping, bank, getting nails done, shopping, yoga class, home." Haymitch listed.

"That sounds about right. She didn't have a ton of friends. And she wasn't very adventurous." I tell him.

"She only ever changed her routine on... Wednesday afternoon? She would go to a parking garage about a block away from a mall she shopped in. It seemed a little weird but, the reasoning was maybe she was worried her Beamer would get scratched in the parking lot. She walked to the mall. The detail watched her go inside. They would go wait until she came back to the car with her bags. " Haymitch said.

"Wait Wednesday afternoon was her day to volunteer at the animal shelter. So she always went to the same garage? Where is it?" I ask confused as to why she would lie.

"I don't know but we-"

"Excuse me. Mr. Mellark? There was something in the oven that the fire started in. We wanted to show it to you in case you have to make an insurance claim." A fireman interrupts to tell me.

They hand me a slightly burnt, but familiar looking box. Inside it is the pen, tie clip and cufflinks Cass gave me. And her engagement ring.

"Haymitch? You were right. It was Cass. She did this. This was my graduation gift, from her, in the oven. I just don't know why." I tell him.

"Maybe she's pissed at you." Haymitch states.

"But then why steal his computer?" Katniss inquires.

"I'm going to call some people and get back to you. Why don't you two head home." He suggests.