"Mrs. West," Nathan greeted, not waiting to be invited inside before stepping over the threshold "Haven P.D – I need to talk to you about your son, Matt West."
"Wha – my son?" the middle-aged woman spluttered "My son has been dead for three years – you told me yourself, remember? You came round with that woman and told me that my baby boy had burned to death." Her voice had already gone thick with anger and grief.
"None the less, there was a mysterious fire at the police station last night, in which many people were hurt," and the most important one is dying "and I want to know why and if there is anything I can do to stop it happening again." Nathan shot back.
"What does a random fire have to do with Matt? Can't you just let him rest in peace?" she snapped.
"Matt was a convicted arsonist. No one else in Haven would have motive to burn the Police Station,"
"Yeah, except every other criminal you've ever put away!" she cried "And they're all alive!"
"Mrs. West, your son was not what he seemed," said Nathan in a low voice "You've heard of the Troubles?"
"What, those freaks that destroyed the church tower? What about them?" Nathan led Mrs. West to the living room and sat her down on the sofa.
"Your son was Troubled – he had the ability to control fire with his emotions. Well, I suppose control is a bit strong, but. . ."
"Wait, no, that couldn't be right," Mrs. West laughed shakily "if he was Troubled, when why wouldn't we know?"
"Mrs. West, Matt had problems – he was bullied and picked on at school and outside of school he was always getting into fights. Is it really so hard to believe that Matt was keeping secrets from you?"
Before Mrs. West could reply, a girl thundered down the stairs moodily. Nathan could tell she was a relative; her dirty blonde hair was in the same tight curls as Matt's had been, and she had the same round face as Mrs. West.
"Mum?" she said with a scowl "Who is this? What's he doing here?" she narrowed her eyes at Nathan. He stood.
"He," Mrs. West said, her voice quavering with threat "is leaving." She stood up. Nathan inclined his head and let himself out.
Well, that was pointless – Nathan had learned nothing other than Matt's mother still believed him to be dead and she was avoiding giving him proper answers. He clambered into the truck, very aware that time was ticking away, from him and for Audrey.
"Nathan," a call came through the radio "there's been another fire, and it's pretty bad."
"Where?" Nathan's sirens were already on and he was roaring down the empty road.
"Haven High." Nathan nodded his head silently and urged his old truck faster. Looks like he was on the right track.