With a steaming cup of tea in each hand he followed her to the living room and to her couch.

Once settled into the opposite corner of the couch he surprised her again by pulling both of her legs up and into his lap gently, taking care of her injured foot. "It's supposed to stay up."

She just smiled. "So tell me about you Mac."

He thought for a minute. "My full name is MacKenzie Brantley Tullman. Yes, that is of Scottish origin. I was born December 17th on a cold blustery day in Arizona." He waggled his eyebrows at her as she snorted. '"I think it was 74 degrees out that day. I lived in balmy Tucson until I graduated high school and then I joined the Marines. Spent a lot of years overseas in Afghanistan and Iraq getting shot at and tattooed. Never been married. When I retired I got my criminal justice degree and joined the sheriff's office. I've been with them for six years where until now, I've been more interested in work and Reego than anything else."

"Until now?"

"Ya, now I've decided I like beautiful brunette hose monkeys." He began to massage her uninjured foot. "So what is your story?"

She hadn't anticipated him turning the question around on her. She was still blushing from his offhand compliment.

"Well, let's see. It's rather boring. Not as interesting as yours." The look on his face told her he was ready to hear it regardless. "I was born and raised here by my Aunt Jane after my parents died when I was a baby. Graduated high school early and went to college for a degree in journalism. I got my associates and mid bachelors changed my major to fire science. Confused my aunt to no end but I had done a couple ride alongs for a story and fell in love with it." She shrugged knowing it was a strange turn of events.

She took a sip of tea. "I worked as a seasonal hire here at city fire during the summers and after I graduated I got hired on full time. Went out with the girls one night and ran into a rowdy bunch of Army guys on leave. Greg only had two years left. He wrote me and called often, visited when he could. When he and Derek got out they came back here. Greg got hired on at the rural fire department and we started dating. A year later we were married. Three years later he was gone." She paused and swallowed back the emotion it brought up. "You know that part. When I got out of the hospital, it was rough. I finally went back to work and transferred to investigations. Now I study how and why fires happen and track down arsonists."

"That seems dangerous. You don't go alone do you?" he didn't like the idea of her tracking down people willing to burn down buildings.

"No. I do all the research and analyze the crime scenes, pictures, and test results. Then when I have a suspect I take the case file to detectives and they file the criminal charges. After that I'm just an expert witness and part of the investigative team. I have very little interaction with the criminals."

He'd rather there was no interaction with the suspects but he tamped down his protective nature. "Well, if you ever need us, just ask and Reego and I will be happy to help." He winked at her.

A not uncomfortable silence followed where all that could be heard was the whining yawn of a tired Reego sacked out at their feet.

"Well, I'd probably better get home, clean up and get to bed." He started to rise from the couch, carefully placing her feet on the cushion. Reego hopped to attention and followed his partner as he carried their mugs to the kitchen.

Brenna had made it to the door but the time he returned. "Thank you again for all the help."

He stood in the doorway with his hand on the jamb. "This was a good night. Can we do it again? Can I take you out for a movie or bowling or something?" He blushed a little. "The bowling will have to be after the stitches of course."

"Ok."

He was shocked at how simple it had been. He'd asked and she'd just said yes. All of his prepared arguments to convince her fell away. "Name the day."

"Wednesday. I get my stitches out that morning so I can wear cute shoes."

He had no idea what her shoes had to do with picking a day but he'd take it. "Deal, Wednesday it is."

The look of happiness on his face was too cute. Before she could let herself think about it too much she rose up on tippy toes and placed a quick kiss on the side of his mouth. "Drive careful. There are deer out here that love to dart out. Goodnight Reego." She bent down and rubbed him roughly.

Mac and Reego turned into the night. Brenna watched from the doorway until she couldn't see his taillights on the country road before closing the door and turning the lights off one by one as she headed to bed feeling light and hopeful.

**************************

It was Monday afternoon and Brenna had been looking at photos for hours. For what seemed like the hundredth time she pushed herself back in her chair and dropped her head back as she stretched all her extremities out.

The memory stick she'd received had over 300 pictures taken at the scene of a residential fire that had occurred a couple of counties over. The investigator there had thought the circumstances seemed in line with a series of fires she'd been investigating for the last 7 months. Half way through the pictures she'd come to agree.

The accelerant pattern was the same and according to the lab results included in the packet, the same brand of 2 stroke oil had been used in the gas mixture as all the others. The MO matched as well, a large summer home set far back from the surrounding residences, empty at this time of the year as the family who owned it used it as a summer home. The fire had been well underway by the time the fire department had arrived.

Brenna laced her fingers behind her French braided hair as she stared at the pictures she taped to the white board across the office. This had all the finger prints of her guy but which face did those fingers belong too?

She knew the contents of of the notes taped below each picture by heart. She didn't even have to get up to read them.

*Tony Herrick- 26yom- Gardener, owns his own business. Employed by 5 of the 9 victims. Other homes were in neighborhoods where he was confirmed to have clients. Single. Quiet. Firebug?

She made a mental note to change the total to 10 and find out if he had worked for this latest homeowner.

* Martin Thule- 40yom- Janitor of elementary school. Seen in the area by neighbors prior to fires at scenes #3, 7, and 8. Claims he just likes to drive neighborhoods and look at the homes. Married, no kids. Financially stable.

Were the neighbors questioned on this house? She made a note to herself on her blotter to send a picture of Thule's car to the sheriff's office there to ask around.

*Robert Kahn- 42yom- Unemployed. Transient. History of arson in 1989. Was known to be residing in the area during this wave but difficult to track his exact location during each occurrence.

She leaned back again and scrubbed her hands against her face as she breathed out forcefully. This guy was really starting to tic her off.

She startled when something heavy suddenly plopped in her lap. Pulling her hands away she looked into the furry face of Reego.

"Hey Pal!" She laughed and started to rub the dogs ears. "That must be your partner I hear stomping down my hallway."

"I wasn't stomping." Mac turned the corner and walked into the investigations office with 2 white paper cups in his hands. "Just trying to keep up with Reego as he tracked you."

"Well you were definitely not in stealth mode." Reego was all but trying to crawl in her lap. Mac uttered a command she couldn't understand and the dog instantly placed all four feet on the ground and sat quietly by her side.

"Awwwwwww......somebody is in time out. Mean partner!" She rubbed the dog's soft ears before looking up to meet the dark blue eyes of his human counterpart. He was leaning against a filing cabinet, both cups now sat on her desk. He was wearing a black fitted t-shirt and camouflage cargo pants. A large black bullet proof vest and gun belt completed the outfit and left her stunned.

Dear Lord that is a sexy man, she thought to herself.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" She pointed to any of the numerous open chairs about the room for him to sit.

"I brought you coffee. The one with the M on it is a mocha and the one with the L is a latte. I didn't exactly know the difference but the barista said they are both good. I'll drink whichever one you don't like."

"That was really sweet. I'll take the mocha." He nudged one of the cups her way and took the other. He took a drink.

"Not bad. So what are you doing? You looked pretty frustrated there for a minute."

"Oh, just running the hamster wheel in my head trying to figure out which of those men is a serial arsonist." She waived toward the wall. Mac walked over and studied their faces and read her notes.

"What is he burning?" She pointed to the other wall where pictures of all the homes had been taped up with before and after pictures above and below their addresses. He ambled over and began to read. "What is he using?"

"Gasoline mixed with AmSoil 2 stroke additive and a road flare. He pours the fuel oil throughout the residence then sets the flare in the lowest part of the house. All the homes he's chosen have daylight basements. My guess is for easy egress after he sets the fire. He carefully constructs a ventilation tunnel that draws the fire through the center of the home so that the maximum amount of damage can be created before any outward showing of the fire occurs. It shows he has a working knowledge of fire behavior."

He kept his back to her as he continued to read. "So how do you know it's the same guy?"

She motioned him over and logged into her computer. A giant LCD screen above her desk came to life. "Watch up there."

"Fancy!"

She rolled her eyes and continued to access the file she needed. Suddenly a picture of the inside of a house showed up on the screen. Most of the house in the background was black and cindered but the picture showed one 10x15 ft. section of dark blue carpet. Little yellow cones had been place along the edge of a dark river running through the carpet.

"Remember this picture; where the cones are." He nodded and she advanced the picture. This time the carpet was a forest green but he could see another dark river powdered with ash. The little yellow cones marked it's route. She advanced it again; now beige carpet, yellow cones. The next showed gray carpet and the cones. "Do you see it?"

He narrowed his eyes and nodded slowly. "It's the same pattern every time. It's like he has a method, or he's etching in his mark."

"Exactly!"

He planted himself on the edge of her desk, deep in thought while she sipped her coffee and waited.

"Have any of those guys been diagnosed with mental illness? Specifically OCD or borderline personality disorder?"

"Not that I have been able to find. I had thought along those lines as well. Just from my personal observation Tony would be the closest to fit that type of mold. He's meticulous about his gardening. His one and only employee says he is a bear to work for."

"Hmmmm....It would be really difficult to have a disorder like that as a transient but then again something like this might be their only way of imposing order on an existence they have little to no control over." He took a deep pull from his own drink as he pointed toward Robert's picture.

Just then the district secretary Lana Dixon rounded the corner. "Brenna dear did you give me back the yellow file? Oh, hello!" She came to an abrupt halt at seeing Mac slumped familiarly against her desk and Brenna so obviously at ease with him there.

"Hi Lana. This is Deputy Mac Tullman. Mac this is the district secretary and the reason this place runs so efficiently, Lana Dixon." Lana had taken her matronly mother stereotype and ran with it. She wore serviceable polyester pant suits and silk blouses of every shade under the rainbow. Her only diversion from convention was the unnatural red, almost purple hair color she maintained each month with a visit to Edie's Salon.

Mac extended his hand and announced his pleasure to meet her. Brenna lifted a heavy yellow file from the corner of her desk and handed it to the other woman. "They are clear to start demolition. I don't want to delay them any longer. It isn't fair. I think I've gotten all I can from the site."

"Ok dear, the insurance company will be happy to hear it. It was nice meeting you Mr. Tullman." She gave Brenna a brief wide eyed look of question before turning and leaving the office. Her dark red hair piled high on her head could still be seen in the tall windows looking out into the hallway as she passed.

"Oh man I am in for it now! She's gonna grill me hard as soon as you leave." Brenna laughed.

"So what are you going to tell her?" He raised his eye brows in wait for her response. He hadn't opened the door but he fully intended to take advantage of the opening.

"I could tell her I am seeing a very nice, attractive man. He's been very kind to me and I've accepted his invitation for a date. I enjoy his company and I'm just feeling things out and seeing how it goes?" The look she gave him told him she wasn't expecting a rebuttal; this was where she stood and she wouldn't be pushed.

"That sounds like a good summary. I like it." He gave her a devilish smile that made her heart stutter and a warmth pool somewhere below her stomach. "Reego? Ah, there you are. Time to head back to work buddy."

The dog ambled over and took one final pat from Brenna. "I'll see you Wednesday then. Pick you up at your house at six?" She agreed. He leaned down and kissed her forehead before rising and heading for the door. "Be safe," he admonished with mock severity.

"You too." She raised her coffee in salute and listened to him stalk down the hallway. In her mind she heard one simple word. "MINE."