Molly Dox - Annie Addison 02 - A Tangled Mess by Molly Dox

Chapter 1
     
    “Charlotte, did you ever get the feeling something’s just not right?” Annie looked to her friend and then back to the wreckage. It was hard to look away.
    Charlotte pressed her palm up to her forehead. Ashes, some old dodgy concrete steps, and the metal frame of a car were all that remained. While the fire was out, there was still steam radiating off the bits of home that were left. The firemen and police wrapped yellow caution tape to orange and white traffic barrels to keep people at a distance. The smoking scene was off-limits.
    Just a few steps away, Charlotte and Annie stared at the wreckage.
    “It could have been me,” Charlotte mumbled.
    “Are you okay?” Annie turned toward her friend, who was still in a state of shock.
    “That could have been m y house and car.” Her eyes were wide open, and her mouth agape. The neighbor’s home was a pile of ash, but it was still too close for comfort as far as Charlotte was concerned. Had it been a windy day, all it would take was an ember to jump to her roof and she’d have lost her home too.
    “But it wasn’t,” Annie reminded, rubbing her arm, trying to calm Charlotte.
    “I think it was meant for me. He got the wrong house,” she said, stunned. Charlotte’s face went pale. “He knows where I am. I may have to leave.”
    “Who got the wrong house?” Confused, Annie was getting worried by Charlotte’s reaction. “Sweetie, you’re not making sense.”
    “Claude.” She turned to her friend. “Annie, I may be in trouble.”
    “Who’s Claude?” Without clear answers, Annie had no idea what Charlotte was talking about. “Why don’t you come home with me for a little while? I don’t feel comfortable leaving you alone right now.”
    Charlotte didn’t speak. She simply followed Annie to her car, her eyes barely leaving the wreckage. If he knew where she was…she thought she’d covered her tracks.
    As they drove away from the smoldering ashes, Annie couldn’t help but notice exactly how much damage was done. It’s not like she saw burnt down houses every day, but the car, the house, there was almost nothing left. How hot did a fire have to burn to twist metal? And how long was it burning for before the fire company got to it? She was relieved Charlotte was okay. When she got the call, she rushed over.
    Annie hated to leave Charlotte alone, but she had a couple of appointments later in the afternoon. At least Pip would keep her company until she returned. Annie’s house was on the other side of the island, allowing Charlotte some distance from the neighbor’s home that no long er existed. It wasn’t even a shell, it was simply bits and pieces of metal and concrete, not a shred of material was left otherwise.
    Charlotte didn’t mention Claude again, but Annie knew she’d have to pry the information out of her at some point. Something didn’t feel right, and her reaction or even thinking she could have been the victim left her worried. What secret was her best friend hiding?
    “I’ll be home by two,” Annie rattled off. “There are snacks and drinks, and curl up with Pip for a while. She’s good company.” Pip was her near constant companion she’d picked up at the shelter after her divorce. She couldn’t imagine life without the pup and was the only family she had living close by, if you didn’t count her ex-husband who owned a law office with his partner on the very same island she lived on.
    Sandy Beach Island was a stretch of barrier island off the coast of New Jersey, a seasonal resort that became quiet and semi-vacant in the off-season, just the way the locals liked it. Half the homes were empty, only being rented out during the warmer months of the year.
    But owning a beauty shop that was open year-round, and one of the only ones, meant that Annie had work to do. “If you need anything, call me .” She looked to Charlotte one last time. She hated leaving her like this, but work was work, and being self-employed