The Frame-Up (The Golden Arrow #1)(64)

“Like fireworks.” I remember the acrid smell that wafted our direction.

The look he gives me is odd. “Yes . . . exactly like fireworks. How did you know that?”

“I didn’t know it. I guessed. But it’s good that the building is intact, right?”

“There’s a fair amount of smoke damage, but yes. Largely, it could have been worse.”

I sit back against my seat and stare out at the dark streets streaking past my window. “So . . . why would someone do that?”

Matteo looks tired. He draws a hand over his face. It’s a thinking face, but more than that, it’s a frustrated thinking face. “I don’t know. I have theories, but each seems as unlikely as the next.”

We’re almost back to the warehouse. I vaguely recognize the street we shot down on our way to the fire.

“Do you think this is the Yee connection? That somehow someone found out?” I ask.

Matteo is silent.

“But why would he burn Marvelous Printing?”

Matteo eases up behind my car and puts the sedan in park. “Again, I don’t know. It seems like it was for attention. Either way, I missed my mark tonight. And Detective Rideout isn’t happy with me. He can tell I’m . . . distracted right now.”

I’ve mucked things up more than that. No matter that it was two sets of lips doing the kissing, it was most definitely my idea to close the gap.

Matteo watches my face. Reading my mind. “Michael-Grace, I wouldn’t have traded that kiss for anything. It’s just . . . you could have gotten hurt. I let my feelings take precedence over my job, and my job, this case, is the most important thing right now, you know? Detective Rideout was right to call me on it. He also thinks that you somehow convinced me to be at the warehouse on purpose tonight. I don’t know why he’s so convinced that your motives aren’t pure, but tonight didn’t help disprove his theory. I told him he was crazy, but he’s threatened to bring our . . . involvement up to the captain.”

My face falls.

“MG, this case won’t always be between us. But we need to figure out what’s going on, and right now that’s more important than how I feel about a kick-ass girl I met in a coffee shop, okay?”

All of a sudden it feels like the end of a date. And not the good kind. Matteo is quiet. He looks spent, and I don’t doubt it’s been a long day for him. I fight the impulse to reach across the car. To reestablish the connection I felt earlier.

“Okay,” I say, making a production of putting my shoes back on my feet and jingling my keys.

Matteo takes a breath in, holds it for a few counts, and lets it back out. “MG?”

I turn to face him, keys in hand.

“You didn’t have anything to do with tonight, did you?”

I hate that he has to ask, and my heart falls further. “No.”

“And you don’t know who set the fire?”

“No. I would have told you.”

He nods slowly. At least I feel like he believes me, but he looks back up, and I can still see the smallest shred of doubt in those dark eyes. “Okay. It’s just that this is serious business. After today it means charges of breaking and entering. Arson. This has gone beyond tame wannabe-superhero stuff. It’s outright dangerous for everyone involved. There won’t be a slap on the wrist. This means jail time. Even if it ends up being one of your friends.”

I swallow and nod. Lawrence. Or one of my coworkers. Or major charges against me if someone—Rideout, the Golden Arrow, whoever—is trying to frame me like Matteo suggested. Serious business indeed. Suddenly the Golden Arrow seems scarier than the White Rabbit. More tangible. Closer to me, breathing down my neck. When did my superhero become a villain?

“I’m going to make sure your car starts.” Detective Kildaire is back.

“I guess you’ll call me when you have more information?”

He nods. “I’ll be in touch. Don’t say anything to anyone until you hear from me, okay?”

I open the door and step out into the night. After being ensconced in the car for more than an hour, it’s chilly in the damp quiet of the sleeping city. I have the strangest urge to lean back in and tell Matteo it’s going to be okay. My gut still says there’s something tied to the warehouse. Something we missed tonight because the Golden Arrow had other plans.

True to his word, he waits until my car sputters to life. Rather than refreshed, I feel like my damage bar is lower than ever. My shields are down. My heart is battered. This Friday night definitely has not turned out at all like I thought. And somewhere out there, our masked friend still runs free.





CHAPTER 20

Lawrence buzzes like a bee, cleaning up the station where he trimmed my hair while I’m ensconced in one of those bubble-orbit hair dryers with my foils. It’s too bad I’m here to ruin Lawrence’s day and maybe our friendship. It’s been three days since the fire at Marvelous Printing. The media has covered the fire as suspected arson and hasn’t publicly announced the Golden Arrow’s involvement. That doesn’t stop pictures of the burning arrow from showing up on Twitter or blog posts the police probably don’t want published. The Golden Arrow is gaining quite the cult following, truth be told. I’ve seen more than one post praising the person for “doing what the police couldn’t” and a few about people trying to contact the Golden Arrow to see if he needs a sidekick. People aren’t just fawning over him; they are contemplating following his example. Exactly what the police are hoping to avoid.