“The bail was ridiculous so I figured I could get you out the Joyce way,” Joyce said with a confident smirk.

“I would have paid the fucking bail,” Peggy grumbled angrily. She didn’t like anyone messing with her daughter, especially after she had abandoned her life of vanity, sex, drugs, and…well, fuck ups. Dylan had changed her and she wasn’t going to let some fucking arsonist ruin her daughter newly recovered name.

“It’s alight Peggy,” Joyce said with a smirk, “with my way I have basically proven Helena’s innocence. There is not a prosecutor in the world that can make a case against her. And if they did I would eat them alive.”

“That’s why I hired you Joyce,” Peggy said.

“Thanks very much,” Helena said graciously, “now if you don’t mind, I would very much like to be with my wife.”

“By all means go, I heard you were interrupted last night,” Peggy said with a smirk.

“Why do cops have to reveal things like that to my mother?” Helena said to Joyce.

“I think that particular cop was a jack ass,” Joyce laughed, “now go finish that business with your wife.”

October 21, 2011

Glendale, California

The arsonist smiled to herself. Though her plan to frame Helena Peabody hadn’t worked, she had still gotten the cops off her trail. They would suspect Helena for a while longer before resuming their search. Her master, on his death bed, had given her the final lesson. The lesson that would keep her mystery forever: never change your technique. She would immortalize the name. That’s what her master wanted.

He chose her as an apprentice, a sociopath with a love of fire, to keep his work going even after he was dead. Eventually she would chose an apprentice and teach them well. She had been observing Tina’s son, Danny, but she saw that the boy was kind and gentle. He wouldn’t do for the job.

She thought back on her final lesson. Never change your technique. It was the thing that got so many serial killers caught, but she was smarter than most killers. Plus she loved games. She loved fucking with people’s minds and making them stress and sweat. If anyone even got close to figuring her out, she would simply burn them.