Chapter 7 - Smoke Over the Water"Get Ruth away from there," I told Marcus. "Nobody goes into the smoke."
"Fire crew is moving," he replied. "We're checking everyone out of the northern villas."
From the hospital balcony I could see the island as a pale streak beyond the sea, too far away for the smoke to be visible. Yet I pictured Grandfather's records turning to ash.
Naomi joined the call. "Elena, don't let them lure you from Mia."
"I'm not leaving her."
Marcus sent live footage from a drone flown by the emergency team. Thin smoke curled from a shed beside the service road. Staff stood beyond the safety line. A fire crew pulled a hose along the gravel.
"That's not the bunker," Ruth said, leaning into the camera. "The entrance is below the old pump house."
"Could the fire spread?" I asked.
"We're containing it," Marcus said. "But there's evidence the shed was deliberately ignited."
My phone rang. Sarah.
I declined. She called again. Then a voice note arrived.
"Elena, this is ridiculous. Greg won't even speak to me. Mom says your lawyers are destroying us. I didn't mean for Mia to fall. Call me before I tell everyone what you were like as a teenager."
She'd threatened my daughter, shoved her, and still believed she was the victim.
I forwarded the message to Naomi.
"Do we respond?" she asked.
"Through counsel only."
At noon, Mia woke and asked why the hospital pillow smelled different from home. I brushed hair from her forehead.
"We'll make the guest room at our house smell like your favorite lavender soap when we get back."
"Not the island house," she said quickly.
"No. Home. Wherever feels safe."
Her eyes filled. "I thought Grandma would help me."
I had no answer strong enough for that.
Marcus called again. "Fire's out. Minor damage to the shed. We found a fuel container and a visitor pass."
"Whose pass?"
May you like
He held it close to the camera. The name on the plastic card made my pulse jump.
GREG WELLS - GROOM.
Related Stories
