Week 210 – He smelled smoke

Lights out, breaking glass, and was that … he smelled smoke.

Great.

Just great, Walt thought bitterly. He finally gave in to his burning desire for the pretty redhead lying beneath him and someone decided to attack the house.

“What happened?” Becca asked, exhaustion left dark smudges beneath her eyes, and her swollen lips reminded him of what they’d been about to do. Mistake or not he wouldn’t have regretted it.

“Someone just set fire to your brother’s house,” he told her, reluctantly standing and pulling her up with him. She swayed and he snapped an arm around her waist, anchoring her against him.

“Fire? What? Why? Who?’ she asked.

“I’d take an answer to any of those,” he said dryly as he pulled her along with him, out into the hall. Immediately he saw the flames, dancing at the bottom of the stairs and knew that they weren’t getting out through the front door.

“Where are we going?” Becca asked, clearly confused when he dragged her back into the bedroom and flung the door closed.

“Out the window. Unless you’d rather take your chances with the fire.”

“N-no,” she said, trembling against him and he realised this little firecracker was afraid.

“Hey.” He took a moment to pause, tilt her chin up so she was looking at him. “I’ll get you out of here. Trust me.” It might be a ridiculous thing to ask of the sister of his number one suspect in a gruesome serial killer case, but Walt found himself craving her trust.

“I do,” she said, sincerity in her voice and her expression.

More pleased than he should be at her declaration, he dipped his head, kissed her, then dragged her over to the window.

“You want me to jump?” Becca asked, not sounding pleased at the prospect.

“I’ll lower you down as far as I can,” he said, already shoving the window open and picking her up. Carefully he let go of her legs, letting them dangle while he kept his other arm wrapped around her shoulders. “Take my hand,” he said, holding out his free hand. Becca took it and he quickly moved his other arm to grab her other hand. “It’s time.”

Wide eyes stared up at him and he could feel her shaking. “Its so far.”

He couldn’t argue with her on that. Not like they had a choice though. “On three.”

Becca nodded, steeled herself. “One.”

“Two.”

“Three,” they both said together, and he released his hold on her.

He winced as he watched her drop and then hit the ground hard. But then his heart jumped into his throat. A man dressed in black jumped out of a car parked outside Becca’s brother’s house. He ran straight for Becca, grabbed her as she was struggling to get to her feet, and carried her towards the car.

“Walt!” Becca screamed, attempting to fight her attacker.

He didn’t think, he just climbed out the window and jumped, barely noticing the bone jarring landing.

But he was too slow.

The man had already thrown Becca in the trunk of his car and his tires were squealing as he drove off down the street.

She was gone.