Caught in the Flames

Chapter One Hundred One

As always, none of this is mine. I'm just the perv who want to make our beloved Twilight characters swear, drink, and go at it like horny rabbits. This story will be a combination of love, suspense, some violence and steamy, sweaty sex.

On with it!

Chapter 101

BPOV

"Bella, stay here," Edward choked out, his eyes wide with fright. "Do not come to Clear Waters."

"Edward," I whimpered.

"Please, love," he said, taking my face in his hands.

I nodded, tears brimming in my eyes. "Be safe, Edward," I choked out.

"I love you," he said, crashing his lips against mine. He inhaled deeply before darting out of his crew quarters, barking out orders as he ran away. My heart stammered against my chest and tears fell onto my cheeks. Curling up on his bed, I said a prayer for the crews and that Clear Waters was salvageable.

One hour passed.

Then, two.

Almost three hours after they left, I heard the trucks come back. Getting up from Edward's bed, I ran to the garage. Immediately, I noticed that Leah, Jacob and Seth were not with them. Edward stripped out of his gear, stumbling toward me. His face was covered in soot and his hair was drenched, as were the rest of the crew. "What happened?" I asked, my heart thumping uncontrollably against my ribs.

"Let me shower," he rasped. "I'll tell you once I'm done." Based on his dead green eyes, Clear Water's was gone. I watched the rest of the crew walk inside and they all had the similar dazed looks, shuffling like zombies. Moving back to his quarters, I curled up on his bed, clutching his pillow. Fifteen minutes later, Edward walked inside, clean but still disheveled. His hair was sticking up every which way and his shirt was on backwards. I got up, pushed him onto the bed and reached for his shirt. "Bella..." he admonished.

"Baby, look," I said, gesturing to his clothes.

"Oh," he said, removing it and turning it the right way. "Thank you."

"Tell me," I whispered, brushing his wet hair back from his forehead.

"We got there and the entire building was engulfed in flames, Bella," he said, pulling me close to his body. His forehead was pressed between my breasts and his hands were gripping my shirt. "It was burning so hot and so quickly. All of the alcohol just...it made everything worse."

"Was it set intentionally?" I asked.

"We can't really tell. Not now. It's too dark and we're all emotionally exhausted," Edward answered. "We have to wait for the ashes to cool down before the arson investigator can make his ruling. The only thing we do know is that Clear Water's is gone. It's a pile of rubble." He looked up at me and his eyes were haunted.

"What else?" I murmured.

"There was a victim inside," he choked out. "Clear Water's was supposed to be closed for Thanksgiving. No one was supposed to be in there, Bella."

"Who?"

"We don't know. The only thing we do know is that the victim was a man. A big guy, too," Edward muttered, pulling me close to his body and onto his lap. He burrowed his nose in my neck. Inhaling deeply, he shuddered. "The body was charred like Victoria's."

"Do you think that this victim was used like an accelerant?" I gasped. He didn't respond vocally. He just nodded minutely, holding me tighter. "But you don't know for certain?"

"Not until they perform the autopsy and we can get a closer look at what remains of the bar," Edward said, his eyes penetrating mine. "It may be too soon to tell, but I think that this fire at Clear Water's and at the realtor's office, they may be related. I'm no cop, but call it a hunch."

I bit my lip, nodding slowly. "What should we do?"

"Well, tonight, I want you to stay with me," he said, kissing my neck. "After seeing Clear Water's go up in flames, I just need you, love."

"I wish there was something we can do for Leah, Seth and Jacob," I frowned.

"Me, too. They bought that place with the life insurance money from Leah and Seth's father's death," Edward explained. "They got the bar at a steal, a foreclosure. It needed a lot of work, but we all pitched in to make it what it was. The Samuel Adams sign? That was mine from college. I donated it for the cause." He sighed, smiling sadly and laying back on the bed and taking me with him. "Hopefully, they'll get some money from the insurance claim and they can rebuild."

"Be thankful that they weren't there, Edward," I murmured. "While the bar can be rebuilt and the booze replaced, Seth, Leah and Jacob, they can't be."

"You're right, Bella," he smiled wistfully, kissing me. He caressed my cheek. "I'm so thankful that you're here and that you're safe in my arms. I love you."

"I love you, too, Edward," I replied. "There's no other place I'd rather be."

A/N: What do you think happened at Clear Water's? Who is the mystery victim? Leave me some!