The blood guns

Fire or Feud

I have no idea why I started this thing of mine. I am a police officer I remind myself but the things I do at night tell me otherwise. It was all for her I tell myself. But what good is revenge if she is dead.

I sat at my desk for two hours thinking what I was doing with my life. I have been feeling out of it lately and I don't know why. Cain Quel, he escaped from me and I couldn't forgive myself for it.

"Claire, the chief is calling you" says my co worker breaking me out of my trance.
"Yes coming I say"
I go into his office unsure of what was going on. I knocked twice.
"Come in Claire"
"Yes"
"Sit down please"
"Yes sir"
"I am assigning you to a new case. A case of serial arson.you up for it?"
"Yep"
"Alright here are the files. Don't mess this up it's an order from the top"
"understood"
And with that I leave out of my office when suddenly my phone rings. Its my dad. I answer
"Hello"
"Hello dear"
"Yes"
"Did you eat"
"No"
"I see"
"Why did you call. You know I'm on duty"
"You seemed a bit out of it this morni-"
"I'm fine dad" I cut him off. I could understand that he was concerned but it was annoying. It was not like the world was ending. It was just a bad day.
I grab my coat and walk out to my car and drive to the sight of the fire
I pull into the driveway and I see it, a house with nothing left. It was a beautiful house too bad it's burnt down to a crisp

"Any survivors?" I ask my co worker and best friend Jean. She is totally distracted.
"Jean?"
"Oh yea you called?"
I sigh "Yes I did. Was there any survivors"
"Well if you open your big eyes and look into that file you'll see there was a survivor"
"Your sarcasm isn't helping"

She laughs and leads me into the house

"You see this Claire? Gasoline all around the house. And they lit it up. It's a miracle he escaped"

I see it the entire perimeter of the house covered by Gasoline. It didn't look like an accident.
"We should go see the witness"
"Yes let's go" says Jean

And with that we are off to see this one Mr Ashton Carter. We drove to a house and knocked on the door
The door opened and a tall man opened it smiling pleasantlyat us. He must have been at least 25 years old. He had black wavy hair that looked messy and he had a gorgeous feature. His deep blue yes. The moment I saw him I immediately thought how handsome he was. Glad the fire didn't kill him

"Mr Carter,we are from the police here to ask about...your house burning down"
"Ah yes please come in" he said in a pretty deep voice
"Damn what a hottie" Jean whispered to me. i smiled at that

We were led into his living room where he asked us to take a seat. The living room was modernly furnished with a touch of nature in between. It had big glass windows overlooking the backyard.
"May I know your name? Officers"
"My name is Claire and this is officer Jean Matts" I reply
"Officers need some tea" he asked cheerfully
"Sure"
"Yep"

While he went to prepare tea, I looked around the room at photos of Mr Carter. Some were with his friends,some with an older woman, probably his mom and some by himself.

"I see you're looking at my photos huh?"
"I didn't mean to snoop,sorry"
"No problem, here" he said placing the tea tray in front of us. Jane and I took our cups

"So Mr Carter-"
"Call me Ashton please"
"Alright Ashton, will you explain what happened that night"
"Well yea"
"..."
" so I was sleeping because it was late when I heard footsteps outside-"
" but you sleep on the second floor so how did you hear it"
"Well it wasn't clear...i don't know how I heard it but I did. And then the house caught on fire. There was a bright light and bam" he says animating the scene with his hands

I look down at my notepad noting down what he says
"Go on"
" Yes and then I went downstairs and the front doors were of fire so I climbed out the window"
"Wasn't the windowsill on fire as well" I ask
"There was a place without fire so I stepped into there and I escaped" he replies.

Something about this is off. I feel like he was lying but why would he burn his house down, the house according to reports he spent years on building and perfecting. Ashton Carter was a prominent businessman, he owned several businesses. Some small some big and there was also a rumour he was linked with the mafia
But if he was why would he come to the police for help? Also the man infront of me smiles and beams like a child. I can't understand if he is sad or shaken by the fire.

"After you escaped did you see anyone?"
"No"
"Now the most important question, do you think you know who did it?"
"I have someone in mind"