In the novel Points of Origin, fictional arsonist Aaron Stiles set a series of fires near an arson investigator's conference.

Now, he's back at home waiting to hear about those fires on the local news.

Aaron reached over and turned on the radio, hoping for any word on his fires.

The lack of coverage started him smoldering. He was upset, the lack of recognition for his successes.

August of when broke his trance and he turned to look out his bedroom window to the San Gabriel mountains, to the north.

A wall of flame entered Aaron's mind as he looked.

Aaron knew he would be setting brush fires today.

At 735, he was in his car heading west on the foothill freeway.

The canyon was already in the shadows and its steep sides were covered with dry grass and shrubs.

Aaron knew he would have no problem finding a good location to start a fire as he drove and simply lit a device before finding what he wanted.

He tossed the device out the window, watching it as it hit the upper stems of the wheat-like grass.

There was a quick shower of sparks as the ash shattered at contact.

The device tumbled down the stems to nestle in the tangled mass of straw.

Aaron smiled as he saw a thin line of smoke curling up from the device's resting place.

He reveled at the quiet area that would be roaring with activity in less than five minutes.

It's June 27th, 1990, in the sleepy suburban neighborhood known as College Hills in Glendale, California.

It's another hot day with temperatures hovering in the triple digits.

13-year-old Jennifer Rojillo is home babysitting on Fox Kirk Drive.

So, mom and dad had asked my sister and I to stay home with the triplets for the week and babysit them.

The triplets were 12 years younger than us, two boys and a girl, Peter Andrew and Katie.

It's like running a daycare.

I literally prayed to God asking for one kid at a time.

...