Page 18

“No.” Sonny shook his head.

“Probably not.” Jethro nodded.

“Good. Just checking.”

The jokes were no longer meant to be funny. They were small proofs of voice, identity, breath.

Aurora moved among her crew without speeches, touching a shoulder here, checking an air bottle there. She stopped beside Wilder.

“You saw the first location,” she said. Wilder’s face was colorless beneath the soot.

“I saw something.”

“You reported it.”

“Too late.”

“You reported it while entry would have killed you and anyone who followed.” He stared at the ground.

“They were already gone, weren’t they?” Aurora did not soften the truth.

“Based on conditions, yes.” Wilder’s jaw worked once.

“That doesn’t feel better.”

“It isn’t supposed to.”

By midmorning the fire was officially under control, a phrase that meant only the danger had been narrowed into recognizable forms. Steam rose from the wreckage in slow veils.

Investigators placed yellow markers near the fuel cans and along the blackened trails in the yard. Naomi found an unburned patch beneath a collapsed panel and sealed scraps of soil and wood into evidence containers.

“Strong odor,” she said. “More than one product, possibly.” Aurora looked toward the dumpster, now a warped shell full of gray water.

“Three fires, three nights.”

“The first two may have been rehearsals,” Naomi replied. “Or attempts that didn’t travel. There was no wind until early this morning. Maybe it helped to accelerate the fire.”

The idea passed through those close enough to hear and left them colder than the river wind. Someone had returned. Someone had learned. Jethro imagined a figure standing in the alley on the previous nights, watching small flames fail against damp weeds, making adjustments. He forced the image away and checked the entry roster again.

Rocco came from the pump panel, moving stiffly after hours on his feet.

“Water department says the pressure drop was a half-closed valve two blocks over.”

“Of course,” Jethro said. “Wouldn’t want the city or parish to spoil us.”

Sonny joined them, carrying three cups of station coffee delivered by a relief crew. He passed one to Jethro. Jethro smelled it and recoiled.

“Is this coffee or a sample Naomi forgot to bag?”

“If it burns, we can close the case,” Sonny said. Kai raised his cup in mock salute.

“To municipal accelerants.” Aurora heard them from several yards away.

“Do not put that near the evidence table.” For one fragile second, all four laughed. The sound stopped when Eloise’s voice came over the radio from the interior team.

“Command, we have another possible victim at the rear office threshold.” Aurora’s face emptied.

“Copy. Hold position. Confirm stability and request recovery lead.”