Excerpt: Broken Silence

He stood across the street amidst a group of onlookers staring with open mouths as the building lit the evening sky with its ever growing flames. The fire originated from one apartment, burning hot and violent with every room doused with paint thinner. The glass had already burst from the apartment's windows and he imagined that more would break before the fire department could put it out. The police were trying to get people to move back farther as the fire department got to work. Tennats were still being guided or carried out of the building. Smoke billowed from the doorway each time someone exited.

He watched the action dispassionately. This was not particularly in his nature, but he would not regret his actions here. He had searched out the man who had lied to him, changing his life dramatically, and that man was no longer here. The present tennant had been unable to give him information. A quick blow to the head had left the woman unconscious while he doused the apartment and threw in a match on his way out the door. She should not have felt anything, he told himself calmly.

He listened to the shouts of the firemen -- indistinct over the chaotic noise of people running around and the dramatic crackle and roar of the blaze. He eased himself forward to the front of the blockade and focused an ear on the nearest police officer and his walkie talkie.

"Still counting. Top three floors clear. Still counting the third floor, it's looking bad." Apartment 308 was the source, after all. He smiled grimly and turned away.

There was nothing else for him to see here.