Seduction's Dance (McKingley Series) by Aliyah Burke, McKenna Jeffries Page B

Yes, this is a bubbling rage…someone is out to hurt who they are targeting.” Her brow furrowed. “But there is no link between all these fires. No common one person. So who is the target?”
    “That I have the answer for.” Dimitri stood and went to his file cabinet where he pulled out another open case then handed it to her.
    There was a knock on the door and he went to get it. He paid the deliveryman for their lunch then went back to Shayla where Dimitri placed her sandwich and drink within reach. Shayla didn’t stop her reading of the file. Dimitri didn’t touch his sandwich either, having lost his appetite with the knowledge of what she read. What he had found made the idea of eating impossible. Shayla closed the last file.
    “This is a car bombing.” Shayla shook her head. “This couldn’t possibly be linked to the arsonist.”
    Dimitri didn’t say a word as he slid the notepad toward her. Shayla read what he had written, flipping through the pages for over twenty-five fires. She sat back and stared at him.
    “I think I see some of it, but explain.” Shayla tapped the notepad.
    “You can clearly see the places that are linked to my family. They work there, part of boards of directors or partially own some of the places. But the others without any of them listed affect someone my siblings have become involved with”—Dimitri ticked those off—“Deiter and Harmony work at the university. But Harmony—my brother’s fiancée—walks through the science building to get to the bus. My brother Jon was beside himself the day of the fire, not sure where she was. She’d been delayed and that possibly is why she wasn’t there. Deyon—a friend of the family and who was dating my brother Leo, but they recently became engaged—her store was lit on fire, but because of the system she had, it was minor and the fire was contained quickly. Deiter’s car was bombed, but Arissa would have been the one driving it and so she would have been the one to get killed.” Dimitri didn’t let his mind imagine such a thing happening. “The rest of the buildings, my sister Katiya’s fiancé Warwick, or his company, has a part in or serves on the board of directors.” Dimitri tapped his finger on the table. “Each and every one is linked to my family or someone they are involved with or engaged to.”
    “You state a good case, but from what I’ve heard of your family, there are officially six of you but there is also another man who is family although he wasn’t officially adopted.” Shayla put her arms on the table. “There has not been a direct attempt on you…” She paused as if thinking. “Your younger sister Delicia, or Tarak Brady.”
    Dimitri was surprised and impressed she knew so much about them.
    “Just as I’m sure you checked up on me, I did the same with you.” Shayla grinned. “Your family would make an interesting case study.” She sobered. “If the arsonist holds to what they are doing then one of you not directly attacked will be next. Can you think of who would be targeting your family?”
    “That is the problem. I have no clue. There are so many people we all deal with, but I can’t think of anyone we pissed off that much.” Dimitri shook his head. “I just don’t know who it could be, or what, to warn anyone to look out for. Hell, he did a fire then car bombed Deiter and Arissa.” Dimitri sat forward. “Son of a bitch. Deyon’s brakes were cut the same day her store was hit. We didn’t think they were connected at the time, but maybe they were.”
    “We need everything they have on that. Then we go over the files, videos we have of the scenes. There is a common denominator there we are missing.” Shayla picked up her sandwich. “Call the sheriff and bring him in on this.” She stopped, eyes widened. “Sorry, it was made clear we are only here to help, not take over.”
    “It’s okay.” Dimitri said. “I’ll call Leo.”
    “We’ve got a lot to do figure out who this