Rotating red and blue lights splashed across the nearly bare limbs of the maple trees that filled the lawn leading up to the Lyntons’ house. Exterior spotlights made the immediate area around the home bright as day, while the shadows within the woods surrounding the massive European-style manse deepened.
Rowe hesitated as he stepped down from the truck, his hand still on the open door. Thomas Lynton’s house sat on five acres of land and most of it was densely wooded. Was the arsonist still lurking close by, enjoying the show? He’d had little interaction or even reason to research pyros—though he knew a few while a Ranger—but they weren’t known for using guns to pick off their victims as they scrambled from the fire. But even knowing that, Rowe couldn’t shake the feeling of eyes watching him.
Fighting the urge to check his gun, Rowe shut the door and started walking toward the long, winding driveway with Noah just a step behind him on his left. A smile pushed its way onto his lips. Thirteen years had passed and they fell into their usual stance as if it were only yesterday. Some things didn’t change no matter the time or the distance.
Two cops stood at the end of the drive, already positioning their bodies to block his path, but he just grinned wider as he spotted a familiar figure striding toward him like a hurricane about to wipe a small beach village off the fucking map.
Detective Natalie Metcalfe was just over six feet with rich, dark skin and eyes that were pinned directly on him. She took shit from no one and Rowe knew from talking to his clients that she was well-respected by the residents of Indian Hill for her dedication and honesty. As the lead detective for the Indian Hill police department, she’d earned her place.
A large number of Rowe’s Cincinnati clients lived in Indian Hill, so he’d had more than his fair share of dealings with the local police—and Detective Metcalfe in particular—when things went wrong. When it came to work, she had a take-no-prisoners approach that Rowe respected, but that didn’t stop him from trying to antagonize her. Hell, he’d tried to recruit her more than once, but he had a feeling she wouldn’t be able to handle his need to color outside the lines at times.
“I’m sorry, sir. You’re—” one of the cops started to say as Rowe and Noah drew close, but Natalie talked over him, raising her voice to slice through the cold night.
“Oh no! His ass is mine.”
Both cops jerked around, their hands automatically going to their weapons for a second before they relaxed. Well, relaxed enough to not look as if they were preparing to draw down on the detective out of fear. They still took a few steps back toward the nearby squad car.
“Evening, Detective Metcalfe. It’s good to see you again.”
“You can cram the sweet talk,” she snapped, coming to a stop directly in front of Rowe so that he was forced to tip his head back to meet her gaze. “I was just about to head home for dinner with my husband when this shit was called in.”
Rowe shook his head. “Criminals can be so inconsiderate.”
She narrowed her eyes on Rowe for another couple of seconds, not even cracking a hint of a smile before her gaze lifted over Rowe’s shoulder for Noah. “Who’s this?”
“Noah Keegan, ma’am,” Noah said, reaching around Rowe to offer his hand.
“New employee,” Rowe added. It was mostly true. Keegan had offered to help. Rowe hadn’t done anything so formal as to offer a job, get him to sign paperwork, contact HR, yadda, yadda, yadda. But that was all just details.
“There a reason your new employee is giving me the evil eye, Ward?” Natalie demanded as she shook Noah’s hand.
“Nervous tic, ma’am. I was kicked by a mule as a child,” Noah quickly returned.
The detective released his hand and took a step back from the two men. “Uh-huh. And fell down a well?”
“And ate paint chips,” Rowe added for good measure.
“Then he’ll fit right in with your brainless crew,” Natalie muttered. She motioned for Rowe to follow her back up the driveway.
“Speaking of…” Rowe started, ready to get down to business now that the ice had been broken…as much as it could be anyway. “Andrei?”
“The EMTs just finished with him.” She pointed to the ambulance parked off to the side. Their flashing lights had been turned off and it looked like they were packing up to leave. More importantly, they were packing up to leave without a patient. “Lyntons are fine. Physically, at least. There were some florists and catering staff on premises as well. All questioned, but with all the party set-up going on, no one is quite sure they saw someone who wasn’t supposed to be there. What the hell is going on, Ward?”