Chapter Fourteen

It wasn't here.

It just wasn't here.

Kyle had torn the bitch's place apart. He'd overturned every bookshelf, flipped the bed, and ripped up floorboards. He'd searched everywhere he could possibly think of that someone would hide something of importance to no avail.

He didn't even get a hint as to where it could be. He just knew that it wasn't here. After what he'd done to the place, he didn't want to risk leaving any fingerprints that would lead the police to him. He was still a criminal, after all. Still blinded with rage, he went outside to get his gasoline and spilled it meticulously throughout the house, knowing that it would engulf the entire house in flames and consume everything.

Even the evidence he was looking for, just in case the whore had stashed it somewhere in there and he just didn't know where.

As he retrieved the matches from his pocket, he was filled with a sudden satisfaction. That little whore wasn't going to get away from killing his cousin. With a flick of his wrist, the match started and with a satisfied chuckle, threw it at the last spot he'd dumped gas on and watched as the flames spread quickly. As the flames slowly got stronger, and bigger, Kyle gave the place one last glance before walking out the front door and putting his hood up and walking down the street. He was about two blocks away when he took out his prepaid phone and dialed a number.

"Hello?" The deep voice asked from the other side.

"I tore the bitch's place apart, Scorpion." Kyle began without preamble. "There was no hidden floorboard or safe or anything in there." Kyle paused; knowing what he said next might cause the other person to erupt. "I think Jake might have been wrong."

There was a long, pregnant silence following that proclamation. Kyle was almost tempted to chew on his bottom lips nervously when he finally heard Scorpion clear his throat and speak again. "He was not wrong. Did you torch the place in case you might have missed something?"

"Yes, sir." Kyle replied softly, turning into an alley. He had finally heard sirens of the firefighters and the police. "That was quick." Kyle murmured into the phone unintentionally.

"What was?"

"The police and the fire department." Kyle replied automatically. He wasn't allowed to keep anything from Scorpion. And if he did, there would be dire consequences. He'd learned his lesson after the first time.

"That must mean that one of the family was going to check on her. Once enough of a crowd has built, go back and scout it out."

"Go back to the scene of the crime?" Kyle couldn't keep the shock from his voice. "But, sir, I think I should be checking to see if there was any other places."

A short silence followed by a cough. "I'm on my way to the author's place now. You stay there and wait until she arrives."

Click.

"Damn it." Kyle cursed. He had no desire to go back to the vicinity of the place he just lit on fire. There was a chance, albeit small, that they might suspect him in the crowd. He couldn't afford to be running away from the cops.

Or to be seen by any member of the Edwards-Martin family.

In order to keep their silence; he'd promised them that he was leaving once he had gotten what he came into town to collect. They wouldn't hear from him again. Surely one they saw that Clare's home was in flames, they knew he would have gotten what he came for. They would not be expecting him to still be here. He couldn't promise their silence if they were to see him.

He could already hear what Scorpion would tell him if he expressed these fears.

Inhaling sharply, Kyle emerged from the shadow of the alley and followed a small group of people that were slowly approaching the engulfed building. The fire department and the police had already formed a perimeter, not allowing any of the onlookers' close. Kyle managed to merge with the small group and into the much larger group. Taking a chance, he cleared his throat. "Anyone know what happened here?"

"The police haven't said much." The guy to Kyle's right said first. "They said they thought they might have smelled gasoline, but they're not sure."

"They managed to get a hold of the owner of the house. A sweet young girl who swore on her life that everything had been turned off upon her departure of the house." The guy in front of Kyle informed them, looking to Kyle and the guy who had spoken first.

"How do you know that?" Kyle inquired, tilting his head. "We're kind of far away to hear anything."

"I'm good at reading lips." The guy replied with a chuckle.

Kyle nodded, accepting that that would be all he was getting out of the man and decided not to push his luck. He looked between the police officers and the fire fighters to the smoke that was now pouring out of the house. The satisfaction was still there, but he still felt weary. Were Glen or Helen anywhere nearby? Had they alerted the authorities to his suspected involvement? Was the police looking for him right now?

Not being able to deal with the growing paranoia, Kyle slowly maneuvered out of the group of people when he heard the screeching of tires and turned back just in time to see a car pull up and Clare Edwards, the woman whom he loathed absolutely, get out of the car. Even from this distance, Kyle could see her blue eyes wide with horror and disbelief as she saw her home being slowly consumed by fire. Kyle smirked as he saw what he assumed were tears flowing from her eyes. He was mesmerized by it for a moment before realizing that he really should be getting back to his "apartment."

As a police officer approached Clare, Kyle nodded to himself and slowly slithered away from the inferno.