The Town (Book 1, Lonstino & Greenwood Series)

Chapter 46 - Suspect

Chief Davids smirks as he enters the room and I motion for him to take a seat on the chair that has received many visitors in the past days.

"How's it going?" Chief Davids asks while shaking hands.

"I've seen better days. What can I do for you?"

"My team analyzed the footage from the security cameras and we have a suspect. A man wearing a backpack is seen walking out of the bathrooms next to the attraction, but in the minutes before you don't see him enter that area. He could have possibly entered through that weak spot you have by the overflow parking lot. As you know already, we found the chain fence was cut open there. Whoever did this also tampered with the sprinkles system. I've brought some stills in the hope that you recognize this person," he hands me an envelope.

The man in question wears an oversized jacket, a baseball cap and sunglasses. He doesn't look much different than any of our visitors. There's something familiar about him in what little I can see from his face structure, but I can't place him.

"I'm not sure I've seen this person before. I can't say for sure that I haven't either."

"Keep the photos for reference if anything comes to mind. Show them around to anyone you think might have seen this person before. I would start with the Monroes as maybe they have seen him at the café. We'll keep our eyes open."

"Davids, do you think the fire is related to what happened to Charlie?"

Davids stops by the door and looks thoughtful. "I hope not, but I haven't ruled it out. You know, I'm not a lazy person, but certainly was privileged enough to deal with petty crime here in Lonstino. These kinds of situations are unsettling for a small community like ours."

Piper enters my room after she has shown Davids out. I seem to be in trouble after my out-of-line comment, or so her face tells me.

"I'm really sorry for embarrassing you earlier. I thought we were alone and was trying to be funny."

"Davids certainly found it funny," she says while tidying my already clean room.

"I promise I'll be more careful next time."

Piper looks at me and lets out a deep sigh. "Fiona asked me to change your dressing. I've not done it before, so you'll have to guide me. I'm afraid I will hurt you."

"You'll need to remove the used gauze and put a clean one. I can do that part myself, but can't do the mesh dressing with one hand."

After washing her hands, she gets the bandages bag my mom got from the doctor and lays the materials next to me. I make space for her on the bed and she helps me to pull down my sweatpants while being careful with both the burn and the place of the donor skin. After putting on gloves, she then takes off the mesh bandage and removes the used gauze. She shakes her head as she stares at the ugly-looking wound.

"Oh, Brian..."

"Got me good, right?"

Piper doesn't answer and leaves the room to dispose of the old dressing. Her reaction combined with the fatigue makes me anxious. What if this is a deal breaker? What if she finds me disgusting? She returns to the room and carefully places new gauze on my legs. Before she can put the mesh bandage around it, I hold her arm.

"I'll be marked for life. If you don't feel the same way about me anymore after this I'll understand."

"Brian... No... Why are you even thinking about that? Let me finish this," she says with annoyance.

I let her finish treating me and she then sits on the chair beside me. 

"I love you with all my heart and I will love you no matter what. What upsets me is that you got hurt and I could have lost you. Deirdre is barely getting to know her dad and I just got the love of my life back."

"The safety of my employees is my responsibility."

"I'm not upset about that. You are the kindest man and I know you care about everyone and everything. I'm upset that these things are happening to good people like you, like Charlie. You have to admit that even what happened to Jaden is plain weird."

"The police has a suspect. Have you seen this man?"

I tell Piper about the police findings while she stares at the photo.

"I wish he wasn't wearing those sunglasses. It would have made it easier to recognize him," she says.

"I can't say I saw this person on that day, but I can't shake the feeling that I know him from somewhere. I asked Davids if he thought what happened at the fairgrounds is related to what happened to Charlie. His answer made me think that he does. What I'm having trouble with is figuring out who would want to hurt both Charlie and me, or even Jaden. Caleb, maybe?"

"Does this person look like Caleb?" She hands me the photo back.

"No, he doesn't, but his friends are a bunch of drunks, addicts and criminals. People do weird things for money. It wouldn't surprise me if he paid somebody to hurt us in order to make Jaden suffer. That has been his goal during his whole life, to make him miserable."

"But isn't he at the hospital?"

"Not anymore. He's been booked."

"If Caleb is behind this, who has he hired? I wonder if it is one person or more," Piper stares at the floor, deep in thought.

"We seem to have one at least. What I fear is that someone will go after Greg or even Lewis. They are also close friends with Jaden. Do you think I should call them?"

"I don't know what to tell you. Maybe we are getting ahead of ourselves. Worrying them unnecessarily won't do them any good."

I know Piper is right, but I need to speak with all my friends soon. Something is taking place in this town and not of the good kind.