I do not own the characters from The Closer. I was inspired by the 4th season opener Controlled Burn and I wanted to create some drama of my own. Thanks for reading!
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Uncontrolled Wildfire
"I said get out! Leave! Or so help me god, I will take you down!" Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson said through a tight jaw. She could hear her heart beating in her ears and it nearly drowned out her own words. –How did he get in here? How did he find this address? - Brenda's mind manically wondered and she fought with each muscle not to let the trembling start, which was very real in her mind. Her eyes narrowed and she steadied her gun. Brenda hated that no matter what happened to her, she was still felt at times, vulnerable and with the recent health scare and now an impending marriage, she was just not sure how much more she could physically and mentally deal with.
Croelick did not miss a beat. He could see right through her cool exterior and knew he had scared the hell out of her…well was scaring the hell out of her and he smiled with pristine white teeth. Brenda heard the laugh come from his throat…a taunting, fully pleased laugh and she snarled.
"Did you hear me Croelick? I said get out!"
Brenda took a step forward and edged around the dinning room table upon which two of her own white candles had been neatly placed side by side. She had noted there placement, which only hours ago, the candles had still been packed. Her gripped tightened over the gun and her finger danced along the trigger.
Still he laughed and kept on smiling.
-Damn him! - Brenda's mind said and he still did not move. Brenda's heart was now clearly in her throat and her cool exterior was slightly cracking. What she could not figure out…was why. Why had he come to her…again, after so many months and after she had just closed the case to which Croelick had obliviously not been a part of. Croelick stood, unmoved by her act of courage to get closer. His arms rested lightly at his sides and it was clear to Brenda that he had no weapon. However, it was what she could not see that would be her undoing. In the loose, un-tucked part of his dress shirt was a plastic jar filled with gasoline.
It was just for her…for 'Just plain Brenda…'
"MOVE! That is my last warning," she said, stopped at the table's edge and did not move any closer. She wanted to, but her better judgment warned her against it. Brenda glared at him, slightly squinted. She was not wearing her glasses and although she could see well enough to shoot and surely injury him, she could not make out the difference from a white jar against his white dress shirt. She had no way of knowing what he had planned for her. It was just how Bill Croelick had wanted it and it could not have worked out more perfectly.
"Fine fine," he finally said and lifted up his hands to prove to her that he carried no weapon. Brenda tensed, but did not take a step back. Croelick watched the barrel of her gun follow his movements. He laughed again and continued. "But can I tell you just one more thing…just one tiny piece of information. I really need you to know this, just plain Brenda," his eyes sparkled when he said her name, "I lied…"
Brenda blinked her right eyebrow arched, confused and interested. It was the "Closer" part of her. Facts were facts and all evidence, no matter how small was just as important. She licked her lips, steadied her gun again. He saw the muscle under her left eye twitch.
-I got you- The words hummed in his mind.
"What? Lied about what, Croelick?" She said.
"Why, about you Brenda," he said, still smiling and still having that damn sparkle of pure enjoyment in his eyes. Brenda growled deep in her throat. This was getting to her and not just scared shitless…damn irritation.
"Ok. What about me?"
"Well, when we first met, I said that you were not my type. That there was nothing more to you and I. That you were just way too bossy for my liking. Well, I lied." He slowly began to lower his hands just enough to taunt her. Brenda now took a step and a half back from him. "It seems that my tastes have changed," he took two steps forward to her one step back. "…and I have 'just plain Brenda,' to thank for it" He laughed an airy smile.
"Don't come any closer!" Brenda said, her words firm, but her exterior was now on full alert of breaking down. She felt all the control that she had recently had, slip right out from under her. Her knees began to tremble, then her legs, then her arms, and finally the very fingers that held the gun, aimed directly at him. "I mean it! I will shoot you down!"
"Oh, I don't doubt it. I would be very disappointed if you tried anything less," he said and took two more steps forward. Brenda was struggling for control. –Fritz…where are you? -
"Good, then I won't disappoint," Brenda said and just as her finger began to press down on the trigger, he reached inside his leather jacket and flung the contents of the jar at her. Brenda was instantly taken by surprise. She started coughing. She could not see. All the gasoline had gone directly into her face and her eyes stung and her throat burned. She stumbled backwards and Croelick lunged at her. His fingers surrounded her small throat and he slammed her against the wall. Brenda coughed harder, both from the feelings of drowning in gasoline and lack of a clear wind pipe from his fingers wrapped around her neck. Brenda heard a picture fall and glass breaking. She brought her hand up to grab his wrist and with the other hand, still holding her gun, jammed it right into his stomach. Had she not heard the sound she heard next, she would have shot him…not even caring that she was covered in enough gasoline to also catch herself on fire.
The sound caused her to freeze still and her gun dropped as if in slow motion to the floor at her feet.
Croelick smiled madly and opened and closed a silver lighter in front of her face. At one point, she saw the deadly flame very close to her nose.
Brenda nearly stopped breathing and she forgot all about the self-control that would have stopped her from shaking. She shook like a new born kitten and was just about as blind as one.
"You see?" He said, "you see what happens when you act stupid? You are not stupid, Brenda. You are not stupid at all…" He opened and closed the lighter again and was blissfully pleased to see her jerk hard. Brenda was sure she saw him smiling and she heard him laugh. He leaned in close and took a long intake of air, smelling her. "I can only imagine how good you would smell all a blaze in hot flames…"
Brenda's jaw dropped and although she was clearly scared out of her mind, she had not lost herself…yet. She forced out every last bit of courage with her words. "Much better than you…hell would even kick you out from your pitiful stench," she said. To her surprise, he laughed and she stared at him in disbelief. Then he got mad and back handed her across her left cheek. Her head violently jerked right and she cried out in pain. A small trickle of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth from the blow and she felt his grip tighten around her throat.
"One more stupid remark, one more stupid action and I will blow you up," he hissed and closed his fingers so tight around her throat that she would soon go unconscious. Brenda fought, fought through the fear, fought through the pain, and fought for life…and for Fritz even as her world closed in around her.
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The front door shut and Fritz set down the bag of food he had brought back for dinner. He smiled and moved into the dinning area.
"Brenda?" He said, setting his keys down on the table and saw the two candles, side by side. "Brenda?" He said again, grinning from ear to ear. He came around the table.
"Bren…"
Fritz caught a whiff of something metal, of something not normal in a house setting. He knew instantly what it was…gasoline. He stuttered to a stop and coughed, waving his hand in the air. "What the heck…Brenda, why does it smell like gasoline in here?"
Kitty hissed when he took another step. Fritz looked down and reached for her, but she hissed again and darted away. "Brenda?" He said repeated and turned around. It was then that he saw what was on the wall…something that should not be there at all. There was a spatter of oil on the white walls…and when he got closer, he saw the faint hint of blood. His eyes widened. "Brenda!! Answer me!!" She was no where to be found…
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Any comments or opinions are welcome. Thanks.