Chapter 9
Ted Barrett watched Aiden’s car until he disappeared over the hill. Then, he got into his own vehicle. As he started the engine, he had to admit that he’d come all this way for nothing. But really, Ted had to get in front of the story.
Pulling a phone from his pocket, he placed a call. It went through the car, and the sound of ringing surrounded him. He put the gearshift into Drive.
A hoarse voice came through the speakers. “Hello?”
As the mayor, several people worked for Ted. Most of them were Red Grove employees. But there were other people, like the one on the phone, who were strictly off-the-books.
“Did I wake you?” he asked, pressing his foot onto the accelerator.
“Yeah. What time is it?”
He glanced at the clock on the radio. “It’s a little after seven thirty. We need to talk about what happened last night.”
“The fire, you mean?”
The county route stretched out in front of him. Pressing his foot onto the brake, he came to a stop. “My foster brother Aiden is with the fire department.”
“Of course, I know Aiden.”
That was the thing, everyone knew Aiden. He was the human equivalent to a golden retriever. Always happy. Full of energy. Everyone’s best buddy. “He found evidence that an accelerant was used to start the fire.”
“That’s bad,” said the other person.
“Real bad,” Ted agreed. “But it gets worse. A padlock, used to trap Lucy Harris in the back room, was found as well.” He pulled onto the county route. “People will want someone to blame. The office will get lots of calls on Tuesday. I need to get ahead of this story.”
“Will they be able to figure out who’s involved?”
“All the evidence is headed to a crime lab in Bismarck.” The weight of what happened pressed him into his seat. “I’ll let you know if anything else turns up. But I need you to do something for me.”
“Sure, boss. Anything.”
“Keep an eye on social media. Let me know what people are saying. Stop any rumors before they get going.”
“I can take care of that.”
“Keep me posted,” he said, ending the call.
As he drove toward Red Grove, he had to admit that the trip wasn’t a complete waste of time. True, he didn’t get to talk to the people who managed the Bryant Bros. Carnival, but he did get a clear picture of the investigation.
The thing is, he had to take care of the incident quickly, otherwise the voters would get angry. Being mayor meant he answered to the people. It wasn’t like Aiden, who worked for the city but had job security. One wrong move and Ted would get voted out of office.
The Coltons had been kind to Ted his entire life. Even before his grandmother passed and they brought him into their home. But sometimes it didn’t seem fair that everything came to them so easily.
Ranch life meant chores. Lucy didn’t mind all the work.
It kept her hands busy and her mind occupied.
But today, her grandfather insisted that she take it easy.
He was going to do all the hard labor, and she could do odd jobs around the house.
It was barely past noon. Already she’d organized the hall closet, cleaned the windows.
She spent hours looking over the business accounts and trying to find a way to pay all the bills.
There was still more for her to do, but honestly, she couldn’t stop thinking about the fire.
The scent of smoke still clung to her skin and filled her nose.
In her periphery, she could see flames that weren’t there.
She sat on the sofa with her phone, scrolling through her little-used social media accounts.
At twenty-six years old, she noticed there were two kinds of posts.
There were the ones that announced wedding engagements.
The others showed people running in their first marathons.
She wasn’t ready for a husband, and she worked too hard to run for fun.
Then again, she never really did anything for fun.
If Derek were alive, what would he be doing? Running a race or walking down the aisle?
In an instant, she decided that he’d do both. She smiled, thinking of her brother getting married after finishing a marathon. Sure, it would be over-the-top. But then again, so was Derek.
Ten years ago, when she’d been in high school, Lucy had friends. She’d been a member of the school’s marching band and the 4-H Club.
Then, Derek overdosed.
At first, people were sympathetic. They let her cry and gave her hugs.
But after a few months, they wanted to move on.
The thing was, Lucy couldn’t let go. They hadn’t been the ones who went to his bedroom, telling him it was time for dinner.
Even now, she could hear the music blaring.
She’d knocked and hadn’t been surprised when there was no answer.
Like she’d done a hundred times before, she opened the door.
Her brother was sprawled across the floor, face down.
At first, she thought he’d fallen asleep. But the tips of his fingers were swollen and purple. The room stank of urine and meat that had sat for too long in the sun. She screamed for Grandpa Rusty. But it was too late.
Her brother’s death had done more than steal her only sibling and best friend. It left Lucy alone—and lonely.
She tossed her phone onto the cushion beside her and stared out the window, seeing nothing. Yet, she was keenly aware of one thing.
Aiden’s business card was still in her pocket. She pulled it out and traced the raised lettering.
Aiden Colton
Red Grove Fire Department
Two numbers were listed. One was for the fire station. The other was for his cell phone. Lucy reached for her own phone.
She stared at the card. Then, her phone. She set them both aside. It didn’t matter how much she wanted to talk to Aiden; she needed to find the courage to make the call.
After getting home from the Five Steers Ranch, Aiden had taken more pain meds and laid down on the sofa, intending only to close his eyes for a minute. But that minute turned into a four-hour nap. When he woke, it was 2:02 p.m.
His stomach grumbled. The breakfast he’d eaten with Lucy and her grandfather was long gone.
He needed something to eat but wasn’t in the mood to cook.
The nice thing about living off Main Street in Red Grove was that there were several restaurants just outside his apartment.
He grabbed a pair of sunglasses and took the steps to the street.
At ground level, he pushed a security door open and stepped outside.
The sun hung in a cloudless sky of azure. His head started to pound, and he slipped on the shades. With the tinted lenses, his headache eased. There were several places to eat on the block where he lived. But his favorite restaurant, The Eatery, was two blocks away. He started to walk.
From behind came the whoop-whoop of a siren.
He turned toward the noise.
Cal drove his cruiser. The window on the passenger side was down, and he leaned across the center console. “How’s it going?” he called.
“Better. Now I just need something to eat.” He pointed up the block. “I’m headed to The Eatery.”
“I just got out of the office to grab a quick bite. Jump in. We can have lunch together.”
“I’ll walk,” said Aiden. “I need a little fresh air. But I’ll meet you there.”
It took him only minutes to get to the restaurant. By the time he arrived, Cal stood on the sidewalk. His car was parked in a spot at the curb. “Glad I ran into you,” he said, opening the door.
Aiden stepped into the restaurant. The scent of fried potatoes and cinnamon filled the air.
Several square tables filled the middle of the floor.
Booths lined both walls. All the seats were covered in red vinyl.
One of the booths was occupied by two dads and a daughter.
Aside from the family, the rest of the tables were empty.
“Did all the evidence get sent to the crime lab?” Aiden asked.
“Bree left as soon as I got back to the office,” said Cal. “I don’t know if she’s even made it there, yet.” A sign by the door read Seat Yourself. “And then, it’ll be at least a week until we get any results.”
Cal walked to a booth next to the window.
It looked out onto the sidewalk, the road, and a bookstore across the street.
Aiden slid onto one bench and Cal took a spot across from him.
Menus were stacked at the back of the table, held up by a metal napkin dispenser.
Aiden didn’t need to look at the list of options. He always ordered the same thing.
“Hey, boys.” The server, Ruth, had worked at The Eatery since Aiden and Cal were children. “What can I get you to drink?”
“Water, for me,” he said. Pain drove into his forehead. Caffeine might help with the headache. “And a coffee.”
“I’ll take the same.”
“Do you know what you want to eat?” asked Ruth. “Or are you going to surprise us all and get something different?”
“I’ll take the usual,” said Aiden.
“That’s one grilled cheese, with bacon and tomato. Side of fries.”
Aiden smiled. “You know me too well.”
“You’re right,” Ruth said. “I do.” And then, “What about you, Callum.”
“Burger, no onion, and fries on the side.”
“I’ll have that out to you in a few minutes.” She nodded toward a door with an inset window. “Although the kitchen saw you coming. They might’ve started your food already.”
Once Ruth was gone, Aiden slipped off his sunglasses and set them on the table. He rubbed his forehead. It did nothing to help with the pain.
“Are you up for talking about the fire investigation?” Cal asked. “I’ve got a little bit of news.”
“What’s up?”
“I was able to get a serial number from the lock you found. I contacted the manufacturer to see what they can tell me.”
“And?”
Cal picked up the saltshaker and rolled it between his palms. “For now, nothing. It is a holiday weekend. I’ll hear from someone by Tuesday.” He set the shaker back next to the pepper. “We’ve also posted on social media looking for information.”
“Sounds like a lot of nothing to me,” he grumbled.