Clare squinted, trying to make out any signs of what started the fire, before the flames destroyed the evidence along with the school.Īre you mad? a firefighter yelled, pushing her aside. She could see the wooden desks now, going up in flames like a funeral pyre. Burning fabric cascaded on to the chairs where Clare used to sit in assemblies, bored out of her skull. On stage, the vast red curtains were ablaze. At the back of the hall, Clare knew, the school used to store countless old wooden desks, which were used for exams, or as drama props. The building on fire was the main hall, which doubled as the school’s theatre. She guided the firefighters through the maze of buildings to the centre, where the flames were. While Jan called the fire in to the CID Night Crime Patrol, Clare got as close to the blaze as she dared. Clare had never been to a big fire before. This was police work: hours of boredom followed by sudden fear and exhilaration. Now, as she got out of the car, her pulse raced. The offence wasn’t worth the paperwork which went with it.Ī minute ago, Clare had felt like falling asleep. When Jan asked the cyclist if he was trying to commit suicide, the youth told her where to go and what to do there. So far, Jan and Clare had visited three public houses, to make sure that they were throwing drinkers out on time they had broken up a loud domestic argument between a husband and wife, both drunk, without an arrest they had stopped a Fiesta with a broken tail-light and cautioned the driver and they’d nearly run over a cyclist with no lights. The night shift was barely two hours old. Here we go, Jan muttered, as a fire engine, siren blaring, followed them into the car park. Massive flames licked the roof of one of the buildings, illuminating the night sky. It’s not a bin, Jan said, as they turned off the ring road and approached the school. Only fifteen months ago, Clare dropped out of university and joined the police force. Only four and a bit years had passed since Clare left school, went to sixth form college, then on to university. Seems a long time ago.īut it wasn’t, Jan thought, not really. Greencoat’s your old school, isn’t it? Jan asked. Probably some kids set fire to a bin, Clare commented.Ĭlare put the flashing light on and accelerated towards the ring road. Any further information available?Ĭaller reports smoke rising from school site.
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