What Burns Within (56 page)

“Tain came by, said they got enough evidence to seal the case against Rob Kearns.”

Craig nodded. “That’s good. I, uh…” He scratched his head. “I didn’t think you’d be here.”

Her smile lingered despite a shadow that had passed behind her eyes, her relief at seeing him giving way to uncertainty as she tried to explain why she was still in his house. “Guess they were too busy with the inquisition to worry about moving me out.”

“I’m just sorry you had to handle things without me. I guess they were keeping me sealed off to make sure they could set the record straight.”

“They’ve been interviewing you?”

“Relentlessly for the past week. How do you think I got my strength back?”

She gave him a thin smile. “Not strictly motivated by hospital food?”

His gaze drifted over her form, her pale skin, recalling the hollow cheeks that had stood out starkly before she set eyes on him and smiled. “You look like you haven’t eaten at all.”

She shrugged, only the ghost of a smile remaining on her face as she turned away from him.

He moved toward her, standing just behind her and slightly to her left side, brushing his fingers against her arm. “Ashlyn…”

The images were cloudy, like a fog had been over his brain when it was happening so he couldn’t pull the memory into focus, but he could hear her words, hear her telling him to hold on, telling him she’d be right there.

There were fleeting seconds where he could remember her face, the look in her eyes that made him think he wouldn’t be foolish to hope.

Or was it all just jumbled impressions that had been distorted through the mix of fear and painkillers?

She’d started to cry again, her shoulders trembling, her hands covering her face.

“Hey, everything is going to be okay.”

“I know,” she said as she wiped her cheeks again. “I’m just so relieved. The more time passed…”

He tilted her chin up with his fingers. “What happened wasn’t your fault.”

She turned, reached up and put her arms around his neck gently, kissing his cheek. He felt her silky hair brush against his skin. “I was so worried, Craig.”

Ashlyn held him for a moment, and then he felt her slipping away as his heart pounded against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her.

“All they would tell me was that another officer had died. When nobody would tell me how you were…” he said.

“Don’t you remember anything?”

“Hazy images that I wasn’t sure I hadn’t dreamed.”

They stood looking at each other for a moment, Craig’s grip on her loosening.

“Here you are, worrying about me when you’ve just been released from the hospital. I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“If I’d known you were being released, I would have gone home.”

“I’m glad you’re here.”

“Why? So you can enjoy the comfort of your own home and still get breakfast in bed?”

He smiled back at her, running his fingers across her cheek. “That would be a first.” He took a deep breath. “Do you know what the worst thing about this case was? Lying beside you and knowing you could be so close, but I couldn’t really be with you.”

Ashlyn’s eyes expanded for a second, and then she shook her head. “You’re unbelievable. All this time, and I could never figure out…”

“I didn’t know you were investing a lot of energy into that.”

“Be serious.”

His expression sobered. “I am, Ashlyn.”

They stood for a moment, both staring at each other. Craig finally gave her a wry smile. He released his hold on her and turned away, moving toward the bed as he unbuttoned his shirt and started to maneuver his arm out of his sleeve, struggling to pull it around with his one arm, avoiding the use of his injured shoulder.

He almost cursed as he stretched a bit beyond what was comfortable, and then he felt her hands, guiding his arm to relax as she pulled the shirt back carefully, avoiding the ban dages as she pushed it down his arms and to the floor.

Craig turned as she moved to face him. His skin tingled as she touched his arm. Her eyes glistened as she reached up, pushed his hair back and kissed him, hesitantly at first, her lips lingering a few millimeters from his own before they pressed against his with intensity as she moved to close the gap between their bodies. As he reached to tighten his hold on her, she moved her arm, bumping his shoulder, and he groaned.

She pulled back. “I guess I should go easy on you.”

He shook his head, reached down, tugged on the cord that held her robe in place and slid it off her shoulders, his breath catching as he felt her smooth skin against his own. He bent down and with his good arm lifted her up and put her down on the bed as he felt her arms reach around him, her lips pressing against his own.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody are the Tri- Cities, and do share many services, such as a fire department. However, Port Moody does have its own police department. For the purposes of this series, I have given the RCMP (who police Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam) joint jurisdiction in Port Moody.

The Lower Mainland of British Columbia is a challenging setting, because it is comprised of several cities that exist side by side. The actual city of Vancouver has Vancouver Police. The Vancouver Airport is actually located in the city of Richmond, which has RCMP. Jurisdictional issues have, in the past, hindered investigations and still present challenges.

Once married to a firefighter and trained arson investigator, I’m aware arson investigations are often misrepresented on television and in works of fiction. People do not go traipsing through burned-out buildings hours later. Hot spots can produce flare-ups hours after the fire is technically considered “out” (and I have been on scene to witness this myself) and whoever has authority in the jurisdiction has to consult a structural engineer regarding the safety of the building. Where I live in Canada, the RCMP do not have final authority on an arson scene. That rests with the arson investigator, who can order them off the premises and have the building destroyed, regardless of the status of any criminal investigation.

This is a work of fiction. Not all places referred to within the book are actual places. School names, recreation centers and some of the fairs referred to do not actually exist.

For more information about how I try to balance realism and believability in a work of fiction, visit my Web site at www.sandraruttan.com.

RAVE REVIEWS FOR
WHAT BURNS WITHIN
:

“One absolute wallop of a novel. Not only does it make you want to know when Sandra Ruttan’s next book is due, but when’s the next flight to Canada.…A totally mesmerizing narrative and a plot that literally burns off the page.”

—Ken Bruen, Shamus Award–Winning

Author of
The Guards

“A taut, crackling read with switch-blade pacing.”

—Rick Mofina, Bestselling Author of
A Perfect Grave

“Sandra Ruttan writes with utter ferocity. Twists and turns that stun and dialogue that absolutely crackles with wit and authenticity. With each page, Ruttan delivers the goods. A nonstop chiller of a mystery that keeps you turning the pages.”

—Gregg Olsen,
New York Times
Bestselling Author

of
A Wicked Snow

“Ruttan effortlessly brings to life a varied cast of complex characters. She writes with tremendous passion, honesty and skill. This is a story you will care about.”

—Allan Guthrie, Edgar Award–Nominated

Author of
Kiss Her Goodbye

“When we talk of the next generation of great crime fiction writers, Sandra Ruttan’s name is near the top of the list.
What Burns Within
has a compelling clockwork plot that comes together with Swiss precision but it’s the real, sympathetic and utterly human characters that infuse it with depth and power.…Not only is this the start of a great series but more importantly it’s the start of a long and successful career. Sandra Ruttan is one to watch.”

—Brian Lindenmuth, Mysterybookspot

“
What Burns Within
reads like a favorite television series. A large cast, lots of dialogue to advance the plot, a great setting, and well-drawn characters make for a compelling police procedural.”

—Anne Frasier,
USA Today
Bestselling Author

HIGH PRAISE FOR SANDRA RUTTAN!

“Ruttan has a spellbinding style.”

—Clive Cussler,
New York Times
Bestselling Author

“Ruttan’s deft touch intrigues and satisfies, making her a powerful new force in the mystery field.”

—JT Ellison, Author of
All the Pretty Girls

“A well executed procedural with a plot that twists and turns like a bad tempered rattlesnake.”

—Russel D. McLean, Crime Scene Scotland

“Ruttan clearly has the potential to be a very successful author.…Lots of talent which I expect will be realized!”

—Maddy Van Hertbruggen, Mystery News

“Ruttan has made one big mistake in my eyes, she waited too long to bring her writing to us. She is talented in the way that a natural musician is talented, making all the notes seem effortless. Characters that feel very real, and a wonderful sense of timing, Ruttan brings it all and leaves it on the page. Lucky us. And unlucky me, because now I have to wait for the next one.…”

—Jon Jordan,
Crimespree Magazine

“Sandra Ruttan writes with a machine gun rhythm that pulls you through every unexpected twist and dark turn.”

—Bill Cameron, Author of
Lost Dog

Copyright

A LEISURE BOOK®

May 2008

Published by

Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc.
200 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016

Copyright © 2008 by Sandra Ruttan

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.

E-ISBN: 978-1-4285-0497-4

The name “Leisure Books” and the stylized “L” with design are trademarks of Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Visit us on the web at
www.dorchesterpub.com.