𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗠𝗘 𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥 ► 𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗚𝗢

[ 074 ] CFD: ambush predator

𝐈 𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐋𝐘 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔

chapter seventy-four ; ambush predator
[ season three, episode twelve ]

ATWATER SHOWED up at the storage locker to help out. "What's up? What do we got?"

"We got chlorine powder, bags of cat litter, brake fluid, vegetable oil," Kelly listed.

"All in bulk," Melisa stated.

Atwater was taking notes. "Yeah, homie definitely had peculiar taste when he hit the Sam's Club."

"These are accelerants every arsonist knows about," Kelly told Atwater. They were checking in to see if the person owning the storage locker was an arsonist. "At least the slick ones."

"Then there's these." Melisa showed Atwater to the table where she had found the news article. "All about Shay's death."

"What can you tell us about the person who leased this unit?" Atwater asked the boss, who had walked in a few moments ago.

"Paid cash. Two years in advance. I pulled the paperwork."

"Man or woman?"

"Man."

"Remember what he looked like?"

The man shrugged. "I don't weigh 'em and measure 'em. I just take the money."

"We'll check that paperwork in your office when we get time. Will you just give us a minute? Thanks, sir." The boss left the storage locker. "Think is, it's not exactly a crime scene," he told the firefighters. "It's gonna be real hard to pull forensics in on this."

Melisa nodded in understanding. "We know it's a long shot, and arson's almost impossible to prove, but even if it just rules it out, we'd sleep better."

"Can't make any promises, but I'll see what I can do. I know it means a lot to y'all."

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"SO, WHAT DO you guys think?" Cruz asked with a big smile on his face.

Gabby glanced at it, confused. "What is it?"

"It's my dad's old footlocker from the Navy." Brett was checking it out. "Melisa mentioned you guys needed a coffee table. I thought this would be perfect."

Melisa nodded, matching Cruz's smile. "It's great." She wasn't even sure if she liked it yet.

"Right?" Cruz sat down and admired their new coffee table.

"Beer, anyone?" Gabby clapped her hands together.

"Ah, yes, please. Hermann wore me out."

"Oh, he will do that to you." Melisa then turned to Gabby. "I don't have any beer."

Gabby smiled. "Yes, you do." Melisa and Brett followed the Latina into the kitchen. Gabby grabbed two beers, handing one to Brett. She got the wine bottle for Melisa, knowing she didn't like the taste of beer. "The perks of having me as a roommate."

Melisa poured herself a glass of wine. Brett leaned against the kitchen counter with her, and Gabby sat at the table.

Brett let out a slight chuckle. "When my brother turned three, my parents made us share a room," she started. "I remember he came running in and yelled, Sylvie, we're mermaids." Melisa and Gabby laughed at the thought. "He meant to say roomies."

"That's adorable."

"Yes, it was."

"Left something in the truck!" Cruz yelled out to them. "Be right back."

Melisa turned to look at Brett with a teasing smile. "He's certainly enthusiastic, huh?"

Brett nodded slowly. "I'm ways you can't even imagine."

Melisa and Gabby stopped drinking, taken aback by what Brett said. "For real?" Gabby asked.

"Yep. Yeah."

"Wow. Good for you."

"What about you, Gabs?" Melisa asked. "How are you holding up?"

Gabby sighed, letting out a small chuckle. "I'm just trying to keep the chaplain off my mind, you know."

Brett gave her a sympathetic look. "You two were close, huh?"

Gabby looked passed them, thinking back to her talks with the chaplain. "He was there for me when I needed him."

Melisa smiled at her friends. "I'm glad you guys are here."

"Me too," Brett and Gabby said.

Gabby held out her beer. "Mermaid."

"Mermaids," Melisa and Brett repeated. Melisa clinked her glass to their bottles. She was thrilled to have them both there.

꧁ ꧂

MELISA AND KELLY went back to the building where Shay died once again the following day. They hadn't found much the first time, so they figured a second trip wouldn't hurt. The documents they got from Lynette were what prompted it.

"The trailer would have carried the flames from over there to the propane tanks right here," Kelly pointed out. They were crouching down.

They had their flashlights on. Melisa sighed. "It's just hard to tell what's what. Everything's so badly burned. Forget about looking for shredded newspaper." She turned to Kelly. "What do we look for?"

"I don't know," Kelly admitted, shaking his head. "Something else." They got up and went in opposite directions.

Melisa used the flashlight to see better as she looked around. She picked up stuff from the ground to see if anything useful was hidden underneath. Nothing.

Being in the building was hard, especially the first time. All the memories came rushing back when she first stepped in. The wedding, the kiss, Shay.

The second visit was somewhat easier, but Melisa still felt that weight on her.

"Hey, Mel!" Kelly called out. "Come here." Melisa made her way over and saw him pick something up using his knife- the blade, to be more specific.

"What is it?"

"You see this?" Melisa crouched down to have a closer look. "See the staple?"

Melisa pointed her flashlight at it. "Matchbook?"

"Yeah. Bailing wire would have been used to hold a cigarette in place. Which would then burn down slowly until it lit all the matches."

"Like a slow-burning fuse."

"Yeah."

Melisa could feel her heart starting to race when she puzzled everything together. "You were right," she breathed out.

"Which would mean that Shay was murdered," Kelly's voice wavered slightly.

Melisa looked up, her eyes meeting his. "And whoever did it is still out there."

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