Heir Apparent (A Sydney Nash & Jinx Cozy Mystery Book 1) by Lisa R. Schoolcraft

Author:Lisa R. Schoolcraft [Schoolcraft, Lisa R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-09-14T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

Sydney heard a knock at the front door. She opened it, expecting Dusty.

A large stocky man, with a bandana covering his face and a black hoodie over his head, pushed her back into the living room.

“Where is it?” he growled. “Where’s the will?”

Sydney couldn’t hide her shock and fear. “I, I, I don’t have it,” she stammered.

“That’s a lie and we both know that,” the man said, raising his voice.

“Sydney?” Summer asked in a small voice. “Who’s that man?”

“I don’t know, sweetie,” Sydney said, trying to keep the fear out of her voice. “Why don’t you go find Jinx?”

Jinx came strolling into the living room, took one look at the angry stranger, arched her back and hissed loudly.

The man kicked at Jinx, who skittered out of the way.

“Don’t you dare hurt my cat,” Sydney said, suddenly angry.

“Or what, bitch?” he asked. “I’ll wring that cat’s neck in front of you if you don’t give me the will you found.”

“I told you I don’t have it,” her voice getting high pitched.

“You lie. I know you have it,” he said, lunging toward her.

Sydney jumped back. “Who are you?” she asked, afraid again.

“I’m your worst nightmare if you don’t hand it over.”

The stranger picked up the paperback that she’d left on the chair. He reached into his pocket and took out a cigarette lighter and flicked it. He held the lighter under the paperback, igniting it.

Sydney’s eyes went wide as the book began to burn in the stranger’s hand.

“I don’t have it! I don’t have it!”

“Lying bitch!” he yelled, tossing the burning paperback onto Oliver’s old fabric chair. The whoosh of the chair as it ignited caused Sydney to scream.

The smoke detectors in the house began to blare as thick black smoke billowed from the chair.

Summer’s eyes got wide, and her mouth opened, but nothing came out. Then she began to call out for her father.

“Daddy! Daddy! Help! Daddy!” she shrieked, her voice rising in fear.

Sydney then heard the rumble of Dusty’s truck pulling in front of her house.

Dusty could hear his daughter screaming from the house. He barged through the front door, surprising the stranger.

But the man put his shoulder down and shoved Dusty, knocking him backward down the concrete front steps.

“Daddy!” Summer screamed, running to him, and throwing her arms around his neck.

The stranger then fled out of the house, while flames began to lick the old throw rug under the chair.

Donna and Blair heard the commotion and stepped out of their front door to see Dusty sprawled on the ground, holding his head and Summer clinging to him, crying.

Blair rushed over to see flames consuming the fabric of Oliver’s chair and watched as the flames spread into Sydney’s living room. She grabbed her cellphone and dialed 911.

Sydney had run to the kitchen for her fire extinguisher, but it was useless against the growing flames. Blair pulled her outside to safety.

In what seemed like hours, fire truck sirens and police sirens could be heard in the distance. The fire trucks arrived first.

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