Molly Dox - Annie Addison 02 - A Tangled Mess Read Online Free Page A

her shop, Annie couldn’t help noticing how attractive he was. It was a shame Charlotte had just left, she’d have enjoyed the view.  “You must be Ian,” she said extending her hand.
    “I am.” He shook her hand with a firm handshake, always a good sign of character. He was confident in himself, not wishy-washy, or that’s what Annie’s dad had taught her about handshakes. “I’m glad you could take me on short notice.”
    “Sure, it’s no problem at all.” She was surprised he didn’t opt for the barber shop, but was glad for another new customer.
    “I’m new in town, so I’m still learning where everything is. I was glad to find you still open. I didn’t realize half the town slumbered through winter.” He had a soft accent.
    “You’re not from around here?” She picked up the clippers and added the guard number he’d requested.
    “No, Ma’am. I just came in from South Carolina not too long ago. I took one of the paid positions with the fire department,” he answered. “I was looking for a change, and took the first offer I got. So here I am.”
    “You weren’t happy in South Carolina?” Annie quizzed, making small talk.
    “I was for a while , but you know, you grow restless. Just some personal stuff, it was the right decision for me.” He wasn’t saying much more.
    “So you’re working at our fire department now? I’m glad they’ve taken on a few paid members. I know most are volunteers, but the island goes bare in the winter, and it’s good to know there are a few people who will still be here to respond…not that it helped much lately.” She didn’t mean it to come out that way.
    “Ah, you heard. Yeah, two burned to the ground. That was some kind of heat. No normal house fire burns that hot that it twists steel and metal, and cooks the ground. Somebody is dousing them with chemicals to burn hotter. They know what they’re doing.” He stopped. “I’ve probably said too much. I shouldn’t be talking about these things. That’s what the investigation is for.”
    “I didn’t mean to pry, I’m sorry. So, how do you like New Jersey so far?” Annie changed the topic.
    “It’s colder, but thankfully we’ve had some warm days of late. I’m still adjusting, but it seems a nice enough area.” He sat as she finished with the buzzers.
    “So what do you do for fun?” He seemed like a friendly guy. She was glad he’d stopped by.
    “I like to surf, and I’ve recently taken up kite-surfing. I’m still getting the hang of that.” He didn’t need to say he worked out. She was more than aware based on his build. And being a fireman, being in good shape was a bonus. A little old for her, not that she was interested that way, but she kept thinking about Charlotte’s lack of company.
    “I hope you find Sandy Beach Island to your liking.” She made more chit-chat as she finished cleaning him up and then powdered his neck to brush off any tiny hairs that remained behind.
    Wrapping up, she thanked him for his patronage and booked him another appointment before closing up shop. The book was bleak and wasn’t worth looking at. The quiet season had been way too quiet this year, and winter would be starting soon.
    Annie sent a quick text to Charlotte to let her know she’d be on the way. It only took a few minutes to get there since she was already in the center of town. She recognized Charlotte’s car and went inside to greet her friend.
    “So, tell me about what’s going on? Another house?” Charlotte shook her head, grateful her own home was still standing.
    “And you tell me about Claude,” Annie said in return.
    Charlotte frowned. She trusted Annie; it’s just that it was a sensitive topic. “Okay, so what do we know so far?”
    “They think they were both arson, and the guy who just left my shop is a firefighter. He said something about them burning too hot, so maybe someone doused the places with chemicals or something. The destruction is happening quickly and