Hello everyone! I am back after a very long time... with another story. Lol. I will finish the ones I have started hopefully new chapters of everything will be out for next weekend because that's when all my crazy stuff at school is finished. Anyways enjoy this chapter!
Serena Riley was the best in her field. She was younger, energetic and almost always caught the bad guy. She had a ninety-three percent rate on solving crimes and she wasn't about to let it drop anytime soon. Today her shift began as any other would; they all meet in the conference room for their assignments. Our boss Artemis knew the five of us were a force to be challenged. The five of us, my coworkers were also my best friends. There was Amy Andrews, Lita Kino, Raye Daniels and Mina Woods. Mina is also my first cousin. They had gotten their assignments and went on their way.
"Where is mine?" I asked rather impatiently.
"I have something special for you. They need you up in Willow Creek." Artemis said.
"They don't need me up in the middle of nowhere. I am the best and you are sending me up there? Alone?" Usually I wasn't one to be picky but we are talking a three hour drive to a small town that probably had a burglary. I was more for the excitement, working against the clock not the slow pace of a small town.
"They need you up there. There have been 4 murders due to arson. You are the only one besides Raye with a background and we cannot send her out there when she is four months pregnant. I don't want her husband coming after me." He answered.
"So, when do I leave? Who do I report to up there?" I knew it was a losing battle. They pregnant friend ploy was a cheap one but it worked; there was no way I would let Raye to there.
"You leave tomorrow morning. Take the rest of the day to gather what you will need. They don't have too much in the means of forensics up there. You will work with a firefighter up there Sergeant Shields; he will help you with anything you need."
"Okay, well I guess I will head out then. I will see you when this is all over" I finished, I still couldn't believe this was happening to me.
"Stay in touch, please. You will be back before you know it. You can't stay mad forever."
Later that evening I had the girls over for our weekly dinner. We always did this no matter how much time we spent together at work it wasn't the same as all of us being together.
"I cannot believe you got this assignment. Are you sure you have to go alone?" Lita asked. She always worried the most about me. I was the youngest and therefore the one they always felt the need to protect.
"It's not a big deal. I'm sure it's the local business owner upset about the name chain store opening there. It was be just as cliché as all the out of town work we do is. I will be back before you can miss me" I said.
"I'm sure we won't miss you" Raye laughed. Raye always picked on me; it had carried on since we had met in junior high.
"Well, Raye. I will have you know that I only took this mission to spare you from having to travel during your pregnancy. You should appreciate me, instead of poke fun." I said, sticking my tongue out. I had forgot that Raye could was a bit emotional during her first pregnancy. She started to cry and came over to hug me.
"I am so grateful that you are my best friend. I am so grateful for all of you." She continued to cry and we all held her. Two seconds later she was shovelling down more food. The pregnant woman could eat. We said our goodbyes and now the only one left was Mina. She was always the last to leave.
"If you need me up there for any reason I am only a call away." Mine said as she hugged me goodbye.
"I know. I will call as soon as I get there." I closed the door behind her. I knew they were worried for me. They didn't have to. But considering my history with fire that would no matter what I said. My entire family had died in the fire leaving me alone when I was only eleven years old. I then lived with Mina and her family until we left for college. I guess that was what made me take those speciality courses, if I had understood fire I could explain why it happened to my family. But there was no way to explain the fire that destroyed my family. My father had been a target of a very angry and confused young man. My father had worked his entire life for the district attorney's office and knew that his high profile job left him somewhat exposed to those who believed he was a bad man. The young man had drenched our house in gasoline and then lit the match. It didn't take a genius to work out that equation, accelerant plus match equalled unstoppable.
That night I had the nightmare again. The one I had every so often since I was eleven. The colours of the flames were so bright and so strong and I could feel the heat radiate as I stood outside wrapped in a blanket. I believed that it would plague forever. I woke up the next morning only semi-refreshed. I packed up some final things into my black SUV and hit the road.
Darien Shields was going over the files again. He just couldn't piece together anything from these cases. There were was way too many connections between them in a small town of 1300 everyone knew everyone else. It made it hard to distinguish, what information was important and what wasn't. He hoped that this Riley guy was good. He needed this case solved yesterday. He noticed his men that were at the station gathered around the window.
"Did everyone forget about why we are working overtime? What is everyone looking at?" He yelled. He walked over to the window and saw the most beautiful woman. She was petite, with long golden wavy hair and a figure to kill. She was dressed in form-fitting jeans that hugged her body and a plain white tee. She looked to kill. His mouth was dry and his palms were sweaty.
"Pretty little thing, isn't she? You should go see what she wants Darien. It's been a while since you've talked to a nice girl." His partner Andrew said, coming up behind him.
"It hasn't been that long." Darien paid no attention to what Andrew was saying next as he walked out of the fire station and out to the pretty blond.
"May I help you miss? Are you lost?" he asked, hoping that she wasn't.
"I could only wish I was" he heard her mutter. Then she looked up at him and he saw the gorgeous blue of her eyes. Then, she stuck out her hand to him.
"I am CSI Agent Riley. Do you have any idea where I can find Sergeant Shields?" She asked.
"You are agent Riley? I thought she was a he." He managed to sputter out.
"Sorry to disappoint but last time I checked I am indeed a she. And you are Sergeant Shields" She smiled at him.
"I am, how did you know that?" He asked only half paying attention, seeming that the girl was drawing away any intelligence he could muster up at the moment.
"That would be your name tag, Sergeant." She answered laughingly. "Care to fill me in? I read over the report but I assume your notes are much more detailed"
"Yes, right this way."Darien groaned thinking about his stupidity. This was going to be the beginning of a long week.
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