Chapter 40
Jasper
Maplewood never remained quiet for long, but for now, I relished the calm. Evie had gone to her own room to feed Vincent, and Josh and Jenn and I sat in the waiting room, the unspoken elephant settling between us.
I could have died today.
That reality sat in my ribs the way the smell of smoke lingered in a person’s clothes.
Always there, impossible to ignore. I’d done what I always had.
I’d run toward the noise, the danger, the risk.
It was instinct after the years I’d spent as a firefighter.
But this was different. This time the person needing the rescue mattered more to me than anyone, and that changed the calculus of risk.
I’d do it again. I’d do anything to keep Evie and Vincent safe.
But I imagined my siblings looked at the situation through a different lens.
After the kinds of losses we’ve had, that fear was always there.
Today could have gone in a totally different direction.
But it didn’t. I clung to that, because the worry on their faces stirred up a whole storm of guilt inside me.
It was the kind of look one only gave the people they loved.
It was full of pride and fear and resentment all at once.
Questions burned in their eyes, but they knew better than to ask.
They knew the answer would only worry them more.
After sunset, the chatter settled into a low murmur, but it quieted further when Chief Ashburn appeared in the doorway, still in her gear, her face serious.
I straightened up. “Chief?”
She gave me a nod, then scanned the room, probably hoping for privacy no one here would willingly give us. “I’ve got an update. Shall we?”
I stood. Josh did too. He put his arm around my shoulder and helped me to Evie’s room.
Inside, Evie sat with a sleeping Vincent in her arms while Frankie and Ruby lingered nearby.
“We can talk here,” I said firmly.
Chief Ashburn looked around, her expression one of unease.
“They can stay,” I told her. “They’re family.”
Sighing, she shifted on her feet. “If you’re sure.”
I shuffled over to Evie and rested a hand on her shoulder.
“We’ve got an update on the fire,” Chief finally said, her voice rough. “There’s been an arrest.”
All the air left the room. Ruby, halfway through folding a blanket, froze, and beside the chief, Josh went rigid.
“Who?” I asked.
Ashburn crossed her arms and bit down on her lower lip, looking from one of us to the next before finally saying, “Caleb Dunne.”
The words landed like a grenade.
Frankie’s paper coffee cup slipped from her hand, hitting the floor and sending dark liquid splashing everywhere. “No.”
Evie passed Vincent to me and darted for her friend.
Frankie shook her head, half-heartedly fighting Evie’s hold, her body trembling. “That’s not. He’s not. He feeds stray cats and shovels snow for all his elderly neighbors. He—” Her voice cracked. “No, he wouldn’t.”
Ashburn cleared her throat. “I suggest you head over to the police station,” she said, keeping her tone professional. “Your brother is going to need you. I can give you a ride—”
“No.” Frankie stomped her foot. “No. This is a mistake.”
“He admitted to setting the fire,” Ashburn told her, sympathy flashing in her eyes. “Investigation is still unfolding, but we found accelerant traces and his fingerprints on the container.”
Frankie clung to Evie, shaking.
“We’ll figure this out,” Evie said into her hair, her face a mask of sadness.
“I’ve got to go,” Frankie said, freeing herself from her friend’s hold.
“We’ll drive you,” Paul declared.
Dread and fear swirled within me. I’d been so focused on finding Evie that I hadn’t given any thought to the cause of the fire.
My gut clenched as they headed toward the door.
Caleb Dunne was a good kid. Sure, he’d had a rough few years, but he’d turned things around. It was hard to imagine him doing this.
My instincts told me Caleb wasn’t a threat. He was too caring, too compassionate to put lives in danger like that.
I assessed Josh, who was doing his usual pacing. If I knew him, his brain was working on overdrive, puzzling together the facts and sorting out how all of this was related. If anyone could make sense of it all, it would be him. With his steady, practical questions and calm demeanor.
The moment the door closed behind Frankie and Paul and Ruby, Josh stopped and spun to face us.
“Why?” he asked, the silence he was met with deafening. “Why set that fire? Especially in the afternoon when the building was full of people?”
“There’s more.” The chief tucked her chin, eyeing her boots. “He said he was trying to destroy records and evidence.”
“Evidence of what?”
She cleared her throat. “During questioning, he mentioned Will McManus.”
The room went still, and my heart thudded heavily.
“What about him?” Josh asked softly. Will’s death and the suspicions about our farm had consumed him for months. He wore the guilt like a noose around his neck.
“He confessed to that too,” Chief Ashburn said softly.
Evie gasped.
I staggered back. No. I couldn’t have heard correctly.
The walls closed in, the sterile hospital lights too bright and the machines too loud. I reached for Evie’s hand, needing an anchor.
“He’s at the station, but he’ll be transferred to the custody of the state police tonight.” She shook her head. “I’m just as confused as you all are.”
None of this made sense. Caleb and Will had been friends. Caleb had a loving family and a bright future ahead of him, and while he’d certainly struggled with his mental and physical health, he’d never been violent.
When Frankie heard the rest of this, she would be devastated.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Josh said.
“Violence never does,” Ashburn replied. “But the police will investigate. They’ll figure it out. But I wanted to tell you.” She eyed Evie, giving her a soft smile. “And I wanted to make sure you were all right.”
“Yes,” Evie said, her eyes welling with tears. “Thank God for Jasper.”
The chief wandered my way and clapped me on the shoulder. “Can’t wait to write you up for all of this, Lawrence. Your insubordination alone will make for gripping paperwork.”
I looked down at Evie’s hand, noting how small it was in comparison to mine, and squeezed. “Worth it.”