But the timeliness of the photo brought up another question. Could it be arson? Where did the picture come from? Was it provided by a citizen with a camera phone or a local reporter with a cameraman? If the latter, how did they get there so quickly? Did someone tip them off? Drake didn’t remember seeing anyone. Bystanders were kept at a distance. The picture may have been taken with a telephoto lens, but the angle suggested the photographer was nearby.
An arson investigator would have been assigned to the case. Even if it wasn’t arson, a fire investigator would try to determine the fire’s cause and point of origin. Maybe I could talk to him. You never know what kind of clues might wind up in the rubble.
Drake knew he was reaching, but one of his double-edged traits was his tenacity. He wouldn’t give up the search for her easily.
***
“Claudia, my mother is driving me crazy,” Bliss stood on the porch and whispered loudly into the phone.
“Ugh. What is she doing?”
Bliss let out a long sigh. “One minute she’s treating me like a kid, and the next she’s begging me to get married. Aren’t there laws against marrying off little kids?”
“It sounds like you need a night on the town.”
“Oh, yes, please!”
Bliss’s mother opened the front door. “What are you doing out here, Blissy?”
“Argh. I told you not to call me that anymore.”
Her mother shrugged. “It’s your nickname, isn’t it?”
Bliss pinched the bridge of her nose. “Ma, I’m on the phone.”
“I can see that. Who are you talking to?”
Bliss thrust the phone into her mother’s hand. “Here. Why don’t you ask her?”
Her mother made a sound of disgust and pushed the phone back toward Bliss. “I don’t want to interrupt. I was just curious.”
“It’s not your future son-in-law, okay?” Bliss took back the phone and waited while her mother returned to the house and shut the door.
Whispering frantically to Claudia, she said, “Do you see what I mean?”
“Oh, Lord. You need more than a night out. You need to go shopping for a new apartment.”
“No kidding. Have you heard of any?”
“I’m asking around but so far the only places I’ve heard about are too expensive.”
“I guess I’ll have to empty my savings and pay a Realtor to find a decent place I can afford. It was good of you to look, but I can’t stay here much longer.”
“How did you hear about your last place?” Claudia asked.
“My printer told me about it. Her neighbor was going to China and needed to sublet.”
“So you just kind of fell into it. It could happen that way again…” Claudia didn’t sound as confident as her words.
“I’m afraid I’ll wind up committing murder if I stay here. If I look at it that way, the Realtor will be a bargain.”
“True. So when are you coming into the city again? I’ll make dinner reservations at that place we wanted to try on Prince Street.”
“How about now?”
Claudia laughed. “Oh, brother. You’re really desperate.”
“Did you not hear my interfering mother? At least I got a new greeting card out of it.”
“Cool. Let me hear it!”
“Mother, dearest, I know you mean well, but knock off the nagging—it’s a guilt trip to hell.”
“It’s not your best, but you’re probably off your game right now.”
“Probably?”
“I know. I sympathize.”
“What do you know about it? Your parents live in Florida.”
“Thank goodness. So, let’s pick a night when you can come into the city and stay at my place overnight.”
“I may never leave…”
“Threatening me won’t help your cause.”
“Sorry. Listen, I’ll call a Realtor.” Bliss shifted from foot to foot. “Then I’ll call you back when I have some appointments and we can get together the night before, if I can stay with you.”
“Of course. Maybe you can look up the hottie fireman you were telling me about.”
After a sad pause, Bliss said, “He’s tall, blond, heroic, and did I mention absolutely gorgeous? What would he want with a broad like me?”
“Stop it. Using the word ‘broad’ makes you sound like you’re from the nineteen-thirties.”
“Great. My mother thinks I’m a kid one minute and an old maid the next. Now you think I’m a grandmother from the nineteen-thirties. I’m getting a little messed up.”
Claudia sighed. “Don’t worry. We’ll sort you out.”