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Three hours later, after he’d finished a workout and some hazmat training online, Zack gathered his things and headed for his car.
Zack
Omw to Bridgewater. Do you need a ride?
He shot off the text to Naya. He wasn’t sure if she’d gotten around to picking up her car from the trail after the string of events yesterday.
Naya
I’ll meet you there. Ingram got my car and my phone for me.
He sent her a thumbs-up and pulled out of his drive.
The café was already packed by the time he arrived, and he stood in the entryway, scanning the tables for Naya.
“Mom, see, see!” A young boy jumped up and pointed to the New Blooms Spring Festival flier stapled to the community bulletin board inside the doorway. “We’re gonna get front row seats, right? I wanna see the fire truck.Beep. Wee-oo.” The boy mimicked the sound.
Zack smiled. The kid’s enthusiasm was what would make the event worthwhile. He couldn’t wait to finish planning the truck run with the boys that the Kirbys were fostering.
Zack spotted Amelia first, who sat in a corner booth, and he headed her way. “How’s Ridge this morning?” The doctor had kept Ridge overnight for observation.
“How should I know?” She blinked. “Last I heard he was fine and discharged.” She shoved a few napkins in her bag, and the motion sent some of her drink spilling over onto her hand.
He was glad his partner was on the mend. Mickey’s death a couple of years ago had been devastating. A lump lodged in his throat at the possibility of losing another friend. “Thanks for the update. Enjoy your day off.”
“I’ve got plenty of work to do today.” She wiped the liquid off her wrist and made a beeline for the exit.
Odd.
Zack wouldn’t bother trying to understand what just happened. Sometimes women had their own secret code that he was better off not deciphering.
Instead, he scanned the menu, then stepped up to the cashier. “I’ll take a large dark roast with a pump of caramel.”
Zack snapped a lid on his cup, then turned and spotted Naya sitting hunched over in a booth, writing. She flipped the page of her notebook, and her pen continued to fly across the blank space.
He cleared his throat so as not to alarm her. “I hope I’m not interrupting your work.” He slid into the seat across from her.
Naya lifted her gaze and shook her head. “Not at all. I was writing out my Scripture memory verse I’ve been working on.” She replaced the blue notebook with a black-and-white marble one from her purse. “But you’re not here to talk about that.”
Zack smiled. Actually, he was interested in what she was learning. Her brown eyes sparkled, and Zack couldn’t help the excitement that built in him. “What part of the Bible were you reading?” He propped his elbows on the table. The other stuff could wait.
“First Peter chapter one. It’s been a good reminder that the trials we face are testing our faith.” She scrunched her forehead. “Although I don’t always like walking through them.”
“You and me both.” Zack laughed. “Just when I think I’ve learned to trust God in one area, He has a way of showing me my need for Him all over again.” The nightmare reemerged in Zack’s mind. He sighed. “Like with my parents.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to dredge up any memories.”
“Don’t be. It’s a good reminder I needed today.” He traced the cup sleeve with his thumb. “My boss gave me a cold case to investigate as part of my hazmat training.”
Naya popped the cap on the highlighter but didn’t say anything.
“It’s my parents’ case. Their deaths weren’t an accident.” Zack gripped his cup, and his thumb made an indent in the side. “They were murdered.”
Naya’s eyes widened. “Zack,” she whispered.
Tears pooled in her eyes, and Zack broke eye contact. He couldn’t go to that place right now.
“Someone trapped my parents inside their own house and set accelerant around the perimeter to make sure the fire did its job. They had no way out, so they died of smoke inhalation before the fire burned them.” Zack took a sip of his coffee, but the caramel didn’t leave a sweet taste anymore. More like a clump of clay that took every effort to swallow. His hand shook, but he managed to set the cup down without spilling.