Page 31 of Wildfire (Owl Creek #1)

I ran my idea past the Sheriff, and honestly, I think this guy is tired of leading an underfunded department because he agreed to let me do the legwork instead of his deputies.

So I drive to Port Stratton to meet up with him to get a photo of the evidence and then to try to find Jensen, Georgia's ex-boyfriend.

She had mentioned that he works at a barbershop doing an apprenticeship, but I didn't get the name. I cruise around to the three shops in town and find him at the last one.

I don't know him well, but I can recognize the guy anywhere. He has tattoos down both arms and a shaggy hipster-style haircut. He definitely fits in better in Port Stratton. It is a small city, but the only college in our county is here, so it attracts young people.

He agrees to a quick talk across the street at the coffee shop when he finishes with his client, so I walk over and order a large coffee and some pie. No harm in enjoying the local offerings while I'm here.

I'm finishing the pie when he saunters in. He greets the barista and then slides into the seat across from me.

"Hey, Chief. Surprised to see you. What's going on?"

"I know this sounds strange, but I want to show you something, and I'd like you to tell me if you recognize it."

"That's it?"

"Yeah. That's it."

"Okay. What is it?"

I slide my phone over with the photo of the burnt piece of paper my brother Cody had found at the old miner's shack. The one that was thick like a card with some handwriting on it.

"Do you recognize this?"

"Uh…yeah. Can you…uh…why do you have this?" He scratches his shaggy head.

"Jensen, can you tell me what this is?"

"That's part of a card I gave Georgia when I was breaking up with her."

"So this is your handwriting?"

"Yeah."

"You're absolutely positive."

"Yeah. See the shape of the 'h' in that word? That's how I write them. I know it's a little thing, but it's just something that tells me that's my handwriting. Plus, I remember that card. I remember when I broke it off and what I said. But why do you have a picture of it?"

"That's part of an investigation I'm helping out with. Listen, if the Sheriff needed you to go on record saying this is your handwriting, and you know this was a card you gave to Georgia, would you do it?"

He shifts in his chair and fidgets with the napkin holder. "Is Georgia in some kind of trouble?"

"That's not for me to say, but she was hurt in a fire. She's at the local hospital if you want to see her."

"I don't think she'd want to see me. I was kind of a dick when I ended it, and now I'm engaged to someone else. Is she going to be alright?"

"I think so. She's on the mend. When did you get engaged?"

"A couple of months ago. She found out about it and went ape shit." He shifts again. "Is that all you wanted to talk about?"

"That's it. Thank you."

"Alright." He gets up and starts to walk away, and then it hits me to ask another question.

"Wait! One more thing."

He turns and looks at me, hands balled up deep in his pockets. "Yeah?"

"Do the old miner's shacks in the forest above Owl Creek mean anything to you?"

He looks at his feet and blushes. "Georgia and I snuck into a couple of them, and uh…I hope this isn't illegal, but…we had sex in them. Her idea, man."

"And the abandoned house on Smith Lane?"

He blushes some more. "Same deal."

"Any campsites around town play host to your uh… activities?"

He chuckles. "Yeah. She was into doing it in some funny places."

"Okay. Thanks. I appreciate it."

I pay my bill and hurry out to my truck.

I want to meet up with the Sheriff before he leaves for the day.

I drive to the city's edge, where the police department is, but I am too late.

I leave him the same message on his office and cell phone.

"I was right about the card. Jensen told me other interesting things and agreed to go on record. "

Driving back to Owl Creek, I am awash with mixed feelings.

I think I just solved the mystery of who was lighting the fires, but if I did, Georgia would be in a lot of trouble.

I know pyromania is something people can get some treatment for, but there's not likely anyone who knows how to deal with it out here in the sticks.

So even if I make the town safer, I alter her life forever.

That's a hard pill to swallow when you know and like someone.

It also means Renée is impacted—the band might ask her to stay on as lead singer. Because this is an investigation, I can't talk about it with anyone—not even the one person in the world I want to share this with.