If You Play With Fire

There's always someone else to blame

Chapter 4 - There's always someone else to blame

Matt moaned annoyed, grabbed his things and hurried to the headquarters of the CFD. He just got a call. His son was 'arrested' by the police and is charged with arson. Gabby accompanied him.

They entered the building and were escorted to the meeting room.

Liam sat next to Antonio, opposite the investigators of the CFD and the Commissioner.

"Captain Casey! Good thing you could come so quickly," the Commissioner said.

"May I ask what happened?" Matt asked confused and sat down next to Liam.

"Five fires, five arson, five times your son was there," he said.

"Um, I don't quite understand what you're getting at," Gabby said, confused.

"Liam Casey is suspected of arson," the investigator said.

"Ha! That's absurd! Liam would never play with fire!" Gabby said.

"Unfortunately, the evidence against it," the Commissioner said, "We've found a detonator in his backpack," and put it on the table, "With such parts, the fire is ignited at the desired time."

"Liam, please tell me it's not yours!" Casey said, looking angrily at his boy, who had been quiet until now.

"I found it," Liam explained. "It belonged to the man who set the fire."

"Oh, you have contact with the arsonist?", The investigator asked.

Liam nodded, "Contact is too much said, we had a short meeting," the 13-year-old said.

"We will charge your son," the Commissioner explained.

Stunned, Matt looked at him. Criminal charges against Liam?, "He's not punishable!" Matt said, looking to Antonio for help.

"A special situation needs special exceptions," Antonio mumbled, "You can charge Liam. It'll noted in a file."

"Now tell them you haven't done anything!" Matt said a little stricter and looked at the silent boy.

"As I said, that was the man," Liam said.

"Oh, stop blaming others!" the Commissioner said, "Fortunately no one has ever been hurt by your actions!"

"No one can hurt by my actions if I didn't do anything!" Liam said.

"We found the time fuse in your backpack! You are well informed about the fires!" He hissed.

"I wasn't!" Liam roared.

"We'll keep an eye on you, Liam Casey!" the Commissioner said and left the room.

CFDCFDCFDCFDCFD

"And how is it possible that you were present at five fires?" Gabby asked curiously as they arrived at 51 and stood in Boden's office.

"I get messages where the fires are," Liam said. Carefully, he looked to his father, who was silent the entire journey and now stood arms crossed in front of the door.

"What messages?" Matt asked curiously, "And by whom?"

"By the arsonists," Liam answered.

"Can I see the message?" Chief Boden asked with interest.

"Yes. No. It doesn't work," Liam hesitated, "At least not anymore."

"What does that mean 'no more' ?" Matt asked tense.

"The message was in the jeans pocket Gabby washed," Liam explained.

"Oh, now I'm to blame?", She stared perplexed at her stepson.

"No, only I can't show you the message," Liam said, "But the guy's gonna call again and then ...", before Liam could finish his sentence, his father cut him off, "What then?" Matt asked, "We were in your school the other day and told you something about fire safety. You haven't even listen to me! At home, you're asking Gabby about everything! Couple days later you ask how to convict an arsonist! That can't be a coincidence!"

Liam stood in the middle of the room and looked at the carpet. He had nothing more to say in his defense. They did not believe him anyway. Why did he have to be caught three times by Truck 66?

"I'll ask you one question, Liam Gregory Casey, and don't dare to lie to me," Chief Boden said, "Did you start the fires?"

"No! It wasn't me!" Liam yelled. Do not they understand what he said? Did not they hear him correctly? It was the one man who give him the note. Liam considered. Meanwhile, the messages came via SMS. That was the solution.

"I'm getting sms from the arsonist now," Liam explained, pulling his smartphone out of his pocket. He quickly opened the mailbox and held it out to the adults.

"There's nothing," Gabby said, staring at a blank display. Amazed, Liam stared at his mailbox. No new or existing SMS. The message has been deleted. He once saw a report on television about self-destructive and encrypted one-way messages.These can be sent quickly and easily over the Internet and as soon as the recipient opens the message, the SMS destroys itself within a few minutes.

Liam sighed. His evidence, which asserted his innocence, is destroyed.

"Liam, you still have the opportunity to tell us the truth," Chief Boden said.

"I wasn't!" Liam yelled. Gabby put her hand on Liam's back, "I believe you, Liam," she said.

Meanwhile, many of the firefighters gathered in the break room. Originally they wanted to have lunch, but they heard from afar a discussion.

"What's going on?", Hermann wondered and looked around the table. Severide was almost hiding behind a newspaper. Mouch looked at the television with interest and the others just shrugged their shoulders.

"Severide? What's going on?" Hermann asked.

Kelly sighed, "According to rumors Liam should start the fires."

"Ha! The joke was good ... "Hermann broke off his sentence and looked into the worried face of Severide.

"No joke?" Hermann asked surprised.

"Casey has already been ordered to headquarters. They'll charge Liam," he explained.

"Why should Liam set a fire?" Otis wondered. "His mom died in a fire years ago."

"Well, Boden and Casey are trying to figure that out," Kelly said and quickly fell silent as he heard a door slam shut. Kelly saw Liam angrily run away and Casey opened the door to Boden's office and hurried after his son.

"Liam, stop!" Casey called after him. In the garage, Casey caught up with his son and grabbed Liam's shoulder. "Running away isn't a solution!" Casey said, watching him closely.

"Why don't you believe me?" Liam asked.

"Because the evidence is clear," said Casey.

"You believe the CFD headquarters more than your own son?" Liam wondered. Of course you can not lead a private conversation on the 51 without anyone listening.

"Look, I'd like to believe you, but we're talking about a very serious topic here. People can die by such a fire. I do not think you understand the implications of a fire," Matt tried to explain. Liam was not listening to him, but got his bike.

"Liam!" Matt called and wanted to stop him when Gabby grabbed his arm, "Matt, give him time."