Crash and Burn

Crash & Burn – Chapter 1

Maggie Willis bolted upright in her bed, the sounds of the old springs squeaking obscured whatever might have woken her.
Her heart raced from a bad dream … or that’s what she told herself as she pressed her palm flat to her chest and strained to hear over the pounding of her own blood.
It’s just the old house. Old houses creaked.
She was in a new place—new town, new job, new life—and that’s all it was. All the new combined with the old—old bed, old house, old fears—was making her jumpy.
She strained again to listen for more strange noises but now, of course, everything was quiet except the wind. And no one could blame the wind for blowing.
I should have gotten a cat, Maggie told herself as she punched at the pillow again. Then any odd sounds could have easily been written off. Because, seriously? Who would even bother with this old place? It had cabbage rose wallpaper and hand cut wood floors that would have been beautiful had they not been gouged and scratched by her great aunt Abbie’s tenants over the years. The place needed enough repair that, if anyone did break in, Maggie should threaten them with a hammer and put them to work.
Aunt Abbie’s house had often felt sinister to Maggie. As a kid, when she’d first come to visit, the creaks had sounded like the house was attempting to talk. Though the house seemed large and borderline-haunted, Aunt Abbie herself had always been warm, giving, and loving. And Maggie, the oldest of her sister’s grandchildren, had been Abbie’s favorite. Thus, the old place was hers now.
The reading of Aunt Abbie’s will, had made hope bloom in her chest. This old house and Abbie’s legacy had seemed like the perfect escape from all the sides closing in on her in Los Angeles. Now, not so much.
Laying her head back down, exhausted and knowing that she would wake up again at the slightest sound, Maggie tried to ignore the noises. But once her ear hit the pillow, everything was magnified.
She heard a door creaking open downstairs, and she sat up again, stunned.
Was someone really in the house?
Aunt Abbie had always told her that her pillow would magnify small sounds into something they weren’t. But …
Her chest heaved with cold fear as she debated heading down to search—what weapon did she even have?—Maggie listened again.
Nothing.
But as her ear hit the pillow she couldn’t tell if what she heard was footsteps or just the amplified rush of her own pulse.

What was your first impression of Maggie Willis, both as the betrayed fiancée and as a determined volunteer?

How does the discovery of the serial killer’s stash in Maggie’s boarding house escalate the tension?

Sebastian Kane is instantly drawn to Maggie. What qualities make him a compelling romantic lead beyond his role as a firefighter?

How does the looming threat of the serial killer shape Maggie’s emotional and personal development?

Was Maggie’s decision to use herself as bait courageous or reckless?

How does the small-town setting of Redemption influence the story’s suspense and emotional stakes?

In what ways does the dynamic and brotherhood of the firehouse influence Sebastian’s character and his connection with Maggie?

Which moment of danger, suspense, or rescue stood out to you the most emotionally or dramatically?

How does Maggie’s background as a lawyer influence how she handles both the serial killer case and her relationship with Sebastian?

How did the secondary characters, especially Sebastian’s firefighter crew, enhance or challenge the central love story?