“Well, the girls that were in the bathroom vaping are part of that group. They spun some sob story about the leader, Sabrina, needing to sneak out of school to say goodbye to her boyfriend before he left for six months of basic training.”
He was talking, but all she could do was watch his lips move. Ugh. Why now? This was about Isabella being a dumb teenager, not Sam and her dumb teenage crush on their marshal.
“Which brings me to today.” He pulled his phone out, swiped a few times, then turned the phone to her.
A photo of a threatening text message filled his screen. Sam tried to swallow the lump in her throat.
“This is why Isabella snuck away from the fire station and ended up at my house with Sophia. This is the result of them ignoring the text message about where they went.”
Sam closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “We might have bigger problems.” She opened them and met his solemn expression with one of her own. “There was graffiti near all the arsons. I think these kids are arsonists.”
Liam knew there were so many ways this could get worse, but he didn’t know if he was prepared to hear it. “What’s that?”
“Greer told me that spray-painted graffiti had been located in the vicinity of each of the first four commercial fires. There was another commercial arson today. Greer said this was number five. The fourth one was at a store, the same day my house burned.”
Liam blew out a breath. “Okay.”
He stood up and paced the kitchen. Definitely didn’t look good for the girls.
He ran the entire conversation with the teens through his mind.
Finally, he turned and rested his hands on the back of the chair he’d just vacated. “I don’t think the girls were involved inthe fires. They’re scared. This text”—he tapped the cell phone on the table—“was an eye-opener for them.”
“I think we need to tell them this new information and see what they have to say.”
“I agree.” He went to the kitchen door. “Sophia. Isabella. Can you come in here please?”
The girls shuffled into the kitchen. Their smiles faltered when they saw Sam.
Isabella wrapped her arms around her middle.
“Have a seat, please.” Sam pulled out the chair to her right.
Isabella took a seat and stared at her hands in her lap.
“Sophia, you too.” Liam eyed his niece.
Sophia took the seat on the opposite side of Isabella, while Liam took the chair to Sam’s left.
“Isabella. You’ve been lying for almost a week,” Sam told her.
“I know. I’m sorry,” Bella said to her lap.
“Look at me, please.” Sam kept her voice calm and neutral.
Her sister obeyed, eyes shining with tears.
“We can get through that. Okay?”
Bella nodded.
“It’s time to be completely honest.”
“Yes, ma’am. I will.”
“Sophia, that goes for you too.” Liam looked pointedly at his niece.
“Yes, sir. We will.” She reached over and grabbed Isabella’s hand.
