Ignition: Day 15

Word Total: 90,024

Year to Date: 90,024

Summary of Events:

Mrs. Carrigan asked Rebekka about her family, and Rebekka decided she trusted Mrs. Carrigan enough to tell her about them. Keiller attended the town meeting where Cyril was publicly declared no longer the deputy marshal of Rock Creek. Cyril got angry at the proclamation and punched the mayor, prompting Keiller to arrest him for aggravated assault and lock him up. That night Keiller startled awake and after a moment realised he was smelling smoke . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

Scrambling out of bed, Keiller surged to the window and looked out. He could see no flames, and hauling the window open only gave him fresh air in his lungs. No smoke outside.

That meant smoke inside. The office was on fire!

Immediately Keiller scrambled into his clothes and yanked out the dresser drawers in which all his clothes were contained. He dumped them all onto his quilt and gathered the corners in a bundle, as well as ensuring he had everything else he was sure he needed.

Keiller opened the door into the sitting room, which immediately left him coughing and choking from smoke. He searched for a handkerchief and put it over his mouth before making his way down the stairs and out the back door.

An orange glow lit the wall of the shuttered milliner’s shop, so Keiller hurried around the other side and put the bundle of clothes onto the boardwalk across the street.

Was there anything else he needed from inside? His desk. All the papers that were in it were vital. He’d lose everything about Marshal Evans’ murder if he let his desk go up in flames.

Keiller tied the handkerchief over his face and rushed to the main door, which was locked. He shot the lock off and raced inside. Grabbing one of the narrow ends of his desk, he dragged it out of the office and a ways down the boardwalk to the east.

Now there was the question of water. Where was he going to get water to fight the fire?

There was a pump in the stable.

Huntress!

Keiller rushed back to the stables. Wily had been taken by Mr. Thorpe to be held until what was to be done with Cyril’s effects was determined, but Huntress was still in the stable, which was too close to the office for comfort in Keiller’s mind.

He opened the door into Huntress’ stall and heard his mare surge out of it as he raced into the tack room to fetch her tack and haul it over to where the quilt with his clothes in it was.

Shouts and clanging bells reached his ears at that point, and he saw that the flames had jumped onto the milliner’s shop. Keiller swore. All or part of this town had gone up in smoke three times already, was this going to be a fourth?

Silhouetted people appeared, someone gave Keiller a bucket full of water and he threw it at the flames.

“We have to rescue the marshal!” Keiller heard someone shout.

“I’m here!” Keiller called. “I’m fine! Don’t go in there!”

“But what about Mr. Gillies?” Mr. Bowden’s voice startled Keiller with its closeness.

Keiller looked at the flames. Cyril was in there. But he’d also likely started the fire, considering where it was. Keiller looked at Mr. Bowden.

“It’d be blood on our hands to leave him there,” Mr. Bowden said, his gaze serious.

Reluctantly Keiller nodded. It would be murder, and Keiller had no intentions of having something like that hang over his head for the rest of his days.

Next Post: 30 January