Lauren shook her head, holding up one hand as if to block out the words. When it came to dealing with this disaster of a house, Jason knew she was on the verge of tears. He reached for her hand and squeezed it tight, earning him a look of gratitude.
“In the meantime, I can’t let you back into the house until things have cooled off,” Frank said to her. “Do you have any place you can stay tonight?”
“I-”
“She’ll stay with me,” Jason said.
“I’ll stay with him,” she said, gesturing to Jason.
The fireman grinned. “You still got it, Corwin.”
“I need to go into the kitchen so I can leave food and water outside for my cat,” Lauren said to the fireman.
Her devotion to the stray was one of the things Jason found so endearing.
Frank nodded in understanding. “As long as we’re still here, that’s fine. Say hi to your father, Jason.”
“Will do.”
“We’ll file a report tomorrow.” The fireman headed to the back of the house again, leaving Jason and Lauren alone.
She turned to face him. “The electrical box? Glued windows? What in the world is going on?” Confusion and exhaustion warred in her expression.
He shrugged. “I don’t understand it myself. Look, there’s nothing more we can do here tonight. A good night’s sleep will help us both figure this thing out.”
“I’m not sure sleep will provide answers, but it’ll probably make me feel better,” she said, her tone bleak.
He placed his hand on the small of her back. “Let’s go back to my place.” At least there he could comfort her in some small way. “Smile, honey. Things will look better in the morning.”
He took in her slumped shoulders and defeated expression and hoped like hell he was right.
FOR THE FIRST TIME, Lauren didn’t roll over to sleep alone. Instead, she curled into Jason’s arms and conked out until morning. Exhausted, he did the same. He woke up before her. He opened his eyes and glanced at her profile. Relaxed in sleep, she still looked fragile. Last night had taken a toll on her.
Jason couldn’t change the past or undo the fire, but he could figure out who was behind it. So instead of lingering to wait for her to wake up and have sex, something they’d been deprived of last night, he forced himself out of bed.
Once he was seated in the kitchen with coffee and a pad and pen, he began to make a list of people who had access to the house other than himself and Lauren. Someone on his list had the motive and the ability to tamper with the electrical system. Every name he wrote struck him as an unlikely suspect. No one had motive, especially the three men on his crew.
Although Jason hadn’t been in business long, his men were members of families he knew well. Nate, Connor and Ross were guys who needed a job and he’d been happy to give one to them. There was also the plumber with the dumb-ass grin. He was annoying but hardly seemed capable of creating an electrical fire.
Jason tapped his pen on the table. What about the electrician who’d walked through and signed off? Could he have “tinkered” with the wiring? It was possible. Anything was possible, but the man had been in business for years. What reason would he possibly have to undermine Lauren?
“What’s wrong?” Lauren asked as she entered the kitchen.
He glanced up. “I’m just trying to figure out who’d want to tamper with the electrical box in your grandmother’s house.” He pointed to the list in front of him, the names staring back mocking his attempt to solve the mystery.
Lauren poured herself a cup of coffee and settled on his lap. She wore nothing but an old white T-shirt she’d pulled from his drawer and her panties, which he already knew were skimpy beyond belief. He had on a pair of sweats and nothing else, making him completely aware of her.
She, on the other hand, hadn’t caught up. Her mind was where his had been for the past half hour as she studied the paper.
“People with access.” She read his words from the pad. “But the motive column is empty.”
He brushed her hair off her neck and nuzzled his lips against her skin, something he’d gotten used to doing each morning when he woke up with her sprawled on top of him.
He forced himself to concentrate on their problem. “Is there a remote chance you can fill in a possible motive for any of these guys? Is there someone your grandmother…”
Her body immediately stiffened and he let his sentence trail off.
“Go on,” she finally said, her words holding no anger, only resignation.
“I was going to ask if there were any names on the list you might recognize. Anyone who could hold a grudge against your family?” He struggled to find a palatable way of phrasing it.
She held up the list in front of her. “I wouldn’t know,” she said at last. “But I’m sure it’s possible.”
He braced his hand against her back, feeling a sudden need to protect her against the repercussions of her grandmother and sister’s actions. The only way to do so was to help her finish the house without further incident and allow her to leave town as planned.
The thought hit him like a blow in his midsection, hurting more than Kristina’s betrayal. And she had ruined his life’s aspiration.
Lauren meant more to him than Kristina ever had.
“We need to know what exactly the fire department found last night,” Lauren said, oblivious to his train of thought.
He pushed the revelation from his mind, at least for now. “I agree,” he said, focusing on the fire instead. “There’s something else you need to find out. Do you have insurance on the house?” he asked, hoping maybe she could collect money in the long run.
“Of course.” That had been another hit to her pocketbook. She expelled a long breath. “But so what? By the time the police and fire department complete their arson investigation and clear me, the closing will have come and gone. I need to move forward with the renovations regardless of filing the claim.”
“We still have to get the insurance adjuster in as soon as possible.”
Lauren nodded. “I’ll go through my papers and call them today.”
“I had another thought,” he said. “Maybe you could also look through your grandmother’s papers to see if any names from this list jump out at you,” he suggested.
“Good idea. I think the police confiscated a lot of her files before she died but I can see what’s left.” Lauren leaned back into him, relaxing as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
Together they sat in silence, each with their own thoughts. He was completely comfortable with her. He’d never before experienced this sense of rightness with another human being. A knot formed in his throat at the thought of becoming so attached to Lauren.
“Okay, enough of me being lazy. There’s work to do.” She jumped off his lap and turned to face him. “I’m going to shower so we can get back to the house. I want to look through my grandmother’s papers like you suggested.” She grabbed the mug from the table and took another sip of her coffee, then put the ceramic cup into the sink and rinsed it.
He stared at the long legs that stretched beneath his shirt and caught a glimpse of her almost bare cheek. He wanted to sneak up behind her, lift the shirt and make love to her right there in the kitchen.
“In the meantime, can you call the police and the fire department and catch up?” she asked, turning back to him.
Damn, he resented work right now. He swallowed hard. “Sure thing.”
She walked over and entwined her arms around his waist, pulling him in for a long kiss. “Did I ever say thank you for helping me with all this? I know it’s a lot more than you signed up for. Good thing for you there’s an end in sight,” she said lightly.