Chapter 1

Dozens of screens illuminated the faces of onlookers. The smell of smoke lingered in the bitter winter night air. The emergency workers were hard at work interrogating and keeping the neighbours away from the scene while firefighters attempted to extinguish the remainder of the flames that engulfed the house.

“Two bodies were found within the wreckage, both burnt beyond recognition, but we assume they are the house owners. If the witness accounts are correct, then there were only three that lived in the house.”

” Who’s the third?”

” Their daughter. Aged fourteen. She managed to get out with only a few injuries from the fire. Few minor burns and bruises.”

"Has anyone asked her any questions yet?"

"She refuses to answer any questions anyone asks her."

"Maybe she's just in shock? I mean for all we know she might've seen the bodies and she doesn't know how to react to it."

"Nah chief. I doubt that it's shock. There is something wrong with that kid."

“Are you suggesting she did it?”

“All I’m saying is anything is a possibility for now.”

The detective frowned but nodded her head in thanks and started making her way to the ambulance. A chill overcame her as she came into view of the girl.

She was covered in bandages and reeked of rubbing alcohol, her clothes were singed along the edges and had the occasional hole where embers must've landed and burnt away the fabric. Her short hair smothered in ash and blood, distorting its original colour. Her face remained stoic as she gazed at the ruins of her home showing no care to what has happened.

"My name is Detective Nkosi, you mind if I ask a couple of questions?"

She remained still for a second before looking up at the detective studying her slim frame, her eyes were seemed lifeless while they glistened in the light of the few remaining embers that were burning and slowly nodded.

"Can you tell me what could've started the fire?" The detective tried to smile gently to try and hide her unease.

"I don't know. I was in my room, asleep." she started, her voice was coarse because of smoke inhalation. "I was woken up by my mother screaming. At first, I assumed my father was drunk again and with the smell of the smoke I figure he managed to set something on fire."

"And did he?"

She shrugged her shoulder keeping her eyes on the ground. “No clue could’ve been either of them if I’m completely honest with you.”

“Is there any chance that anyone else besides could’ve started the fire?”

“What, like me?” She spat out. Her face warped into a vicious snarl as she gripped onto the scratchy cover around her shoulders “Believe me, if I had to be the one to set the place alight, I would’ve made sure that they were alive to feel the flames snuff them out.”

The detective kept her stoic expression, her eyes wandering down the girl’s arms, before noticing a few scars littering her arms.

“No one is suspecting you- “

“Don’t bullshit me. I’ve seen the way everyone’s been staring at me.”

The detective paused for a second, carefully considering her next few words.

“We will be searching through the wreck of the fire and if we do find evidence that could indicate that the fire had purposefully been started" she gently placed her hand on the girl’s shoulder,” Unless you give us something to go on, you will be charged with murder.”

"What does it matter? You won't believe me. Especially if you speak to the rest of them, they’ll all tell you I did it." she practically spat out

She kneeled in front of the injured girl to get her to turn her attention to her.

"You can trust me. I promise to listen to every word without disregarding anything."

She remained silent for a few moments, seeming to have an internal fight with herself before speaking again.

"When I got downstairs, they were on the floor with a section of the roof collapsed on top of them. There was a man crouched in front of them." her voice quivered " From what I could tell my mother was already dead but my father..." she paused for a second, "My father was yelling at him. Something about him breaking a deal."

Nkosi paused and studied the young girl's features trying to find any sign that she was lying before nodding waiting for her to continue.

"The only description that I can give is that he had green eyes, but they were probably not his real eye colour."

"Why is that?"

"You ever seen green eyes that look like they glow in the dark Detective?" she asked sarcastically while raising an eyebrow looking up at the older woman with an unimpressed look. "The only reason I got a glimpse of him was because he stabbed Father in the head and when he stood to leave, he saw me."

"Did you see what he was wearing?"

"He had on some sort of cloak on, like the types you'd see in cult movies, I don't remember much besides his eyes after the roof caved in onto my head."

"Do your parents have anyone that would potentially want to hurt them?"

She gave a snort before gazing up at the detective lazily, "My father was a dodgy motherfucker since he left the army and forced my mother to follow him all around the country to get away from bad deals. The list is far too long to give you tonight." she shrugged

Detective Nkosi frowned taking down the last bit of her notes before nodding and thanking the girl, letting her know that we would remain in touch to discuss the process of the investigation, before calling her partner over to the car.

"So, what you make of this whole situation?"

She sat and gazed at the scene before me before responding.

"I don't know. Nothing around this makes sense."

"You think she's lying?"

"No. She's telling the truth, but I'm almost certain this fire was used as a cover-up."