Fire Spirit by Graham Masterton

the remains were put through a cremulator, which is not a piece of equipment you can readily obtain from your local Handy Hardware.’
    Ruth took the test-tube, put on her half-glasses and examined it closely. The gray powder looked exactly like the human remains that undertakers hand to relatives after a funeral – not technically ashes, although that was what they were commonly called, but very finely crushed bone. Some undertakers called them ‘cremains’ – a portfolio word for ‘cremated remains’.
    â€˜How much of this did you find?’
    â€˜By weight? Less than a kilo, so it could have been a child. On the other hand, I can’t tell you if what I found was all of that individual’s remains. It depends where they came from and how they got there.’
    â€˜But you think this second person was cremated sometime well before the first person was burned, and most likely at a crematorium?’
    â€˜That’s right,’ said Jack. ‘Which means, of course, that we have no way of knowing how he or she died. Not yet, anyhow. Not unless we can find out who it is. Could have been a homicide victim. Could have died in any kind of accident. Could have died of natural causes. Who knows?’
    â€˜But how did their remains get into the mattress?’
    â€˜That’s the sixty-four-thousand-dollar-and-ten-cent question. Maybe, when the first person was burned, they were holding a box containing the second person’s remains. Or maybe the remains were scattered on to the mattress before the fire started, either by the first person themselves or by a third person unknown.’ Jack picked an apple spice donut out of the bag and took a bite. ‘I’ll send a sample to Aaron Scheinman for a DNA test,’ he said, with his mouth full. ‘You never know your luck.’
    â€˜Hell of a long shot,’ said Ruth.
    â€˜It’s worth trying. There are several larger fragments which could be bits of tooth. At least we may be able to find out if it’s a male or a female.’
    Ruth went to the closet and took out a starched white lab coat. She was still buttoning it up, however, when her cellphone buzzed against her hip. She took it out and saw that she had received a text from Amelia. ‘ Sumthin BADS hpn .’
    She tried to call Amelia, but she didn’t answer. She must be in class, texting under cover of her desk. So Ruth texted her back. ‘ Call me !!’
    Less than five minutes later, her cellphone buzzed again. It was Amelia, and her voice echoed, as if she were in the restroom. Ruth stepped outside the laboratory door so that she could get a clearer signal.
    â€˜Mommy? I was right in the middle of math and I suddenly had this really terrible feeling.’
    â€˜What kind of a feeling? It’s not your period, is it?’
    â€˜It was like I was burning. I got so hot that I nearly fainted.’
    â€˜Maybe you’re pining for that Asian flu. You didn’t feel too good this morning, did you? Listen, I’ll come right over and take you out of school.’
    â€˜You don’t have to, really. I know you’re real busy.’
    â€˜No, no. Jack can cover for me. I’ll be there in ten minutes.’
    She drove to Kokomo High and found Amelia waiting for her on the front steps, with one of her classmates, Rita Dunning, beside her. Rita had a snub nose and a ponytail and braces on her teeth and a very short kilt.
    â€˜Thanks, Rita,’ said Ruth, as Amelia climbed into the car.
    â€˜That’s OK, Mrs Cutter. Wish I could have a day off, just for being weird.’
    Ruth was about to say something sharp, but Amelia said, ‘Forget it, Mom. I’m used to it. She doesn’t mean any harm.’
    They drove off. Tyson was standing up in the back, panting hoarsely and thumping his tail against the back of the seat. He always got excited when Ruth picked up Amelia.
    â€˜How do you feel now?’ asked