Chapter 19
NINETEEN
Jesslyn called her aunt as soon as she was buckled into the passenger seat and rolling out of the station’s parking lot, with Nathan in the driver’s seat.
Carol answered on the second ring. “Hi, Jess.”
“Hi, Aunt Carol. So, I have a couple of questions for you if you don’t mind.”
“Don’t mind at all.”
“Did Mom and Dad have certain friends that they hung around with, did things with? Like couples things? Vacationing, eating out, having dinner parties? I seem to vaguely remember some of that but have no recollection of names.”
“Oh sure, they had the Marshalls over a lot. They had a couple of kids your sisters’ ages. And I know they were in a small group at church where they became good friends with the Nelsons. Your dad used to golf on Saturdays quite a bit with Bob Nelson.”
“Okay, great. Thank you. Could you text me their names and last known contact information if you have it?”
“I’m not sure I have it, but I can look for it. The Nelsons lived two doors down from you. You all were number 9 Wedgewood Lane and the Nelsons were number 5.”
“Oh, okay. That makes things a little easier.” Jesslyn took a deep breath. “Now for a harder question.”
“All right.”
Jesslyn grimaced at the wariness that had entered Carol’s voice. “Did you know any of the women Dad was ... um ... seeing?”
Silence.
Jesslyn stayed quiet, giving the woman time to think. Or maybe try to decide whether she wanted to answer.
A sigh filtered through the line. “I know he was seeing a woman he worked with. I don’t know her name.”
“How do you know that?”
“I came into town to see your mom. I was supposed to meet her at a restaurant. I got there early and your dad was eating with another woman. I confronted him and let him know your mom was on the way. He left in a hurry, and the woman was mortified to learn he was married and stalked out of the restaurant. Your dad was furious with me, but later apologized and promised it wouldn’t happen again.”
“But it did.”
“Yes.”
Jesslyn was already mapping a plan to figure out who the woman was. Surely there was a way, right? “Anyone else?”
“I know there was a woman named Felicia. A friend of your mom’s filled her in on that one.”
Jesslyn closed her eyes. “Who was the friend?”
“Her hairdresser. Pam Silver at Hair Care and More on Main Street.”
Jesslyn had driven past the salon more times than she could count. How did she not know her mother had gone there? “Is Pam still there?”
“I have no idea. I don’t go there.”
“Okay, thanks, Carol. If you think of anything else, will you let me know?”
“Of course.”
Jesslyn hung up, then checked her email. “I’ve got Charles’s report. The gym fire was started with the same chemicals used at the bank and the church.”
“Yeah, that’s what he said. I’m not surprised.”
“I’m not either.” She sighed. “I need to make another phone call. You mind?”
“Not at all.”
Jesslyn looked up the number for the beauty salon and dialed it. A woman answered identifying the salon. “Hi,” Jesslyn said. “Is Pam Silver available by any chance?”
“Sure, sugar, hold on.”
Sugar? Jesslyn laughed and Nathan shot her a questioning look, but before she could explain, a woman’s low voice said, “Pam speaking.”
Laughter fled and a rock lodged itself in her throat. “Hello, Pam. I was wondering if you’d have a few minutes to chat in person.”
“What’s this about?”
“I believe you were friends with Linda McCormick years ago.”
The woman gasped. “Yes, I was. Who is this?”
“Her daughter, Jesslyn.”
Another gasp. “Oh, my word, are you for real?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Well, I’ll be. I knew you went to live with Linda’s sister, but always wondered what happened to you after that.”
“I’m back in Lake City and would love to ask you some questions about my parents. Would you have time to meet with me today?”
“I got a full schedule this afternoon but could talk to you first thing in the morning.”
“Well, see, here’s the thing, I’m now a state deputy fire marshal, so I’m helping investigate the recent fires. I really need to connect with you fairly quickly.”
“Oh my ... those fires. It’s just terrible. And you think I can help?”
“I’m not sure. That’s why I want to talk to you.”
“Hold on a sec.” Jesslyn did. Seconds later, Pam returned. “All right. We close early on Mondays. If you can get here in about forty-five minutes, we’ll have time after my last client. Will that work?”
“Can you hold a second to make sure?” Jesslyn muted the phone. “Pam can see us in forty-five minutes. Should we head to see her first, then Mr. Christie, then your brother?”
Nathan glanced at the clock on the dash. “I think I need to head over to talk to my brother first. Get it over with. It’s only a few minutes from that salon, and this will keep it quick.”
Jesslyn unmuted her phone and confirmed their meeting. As she hung up, a wave of fatigue hit her, but she did her best to push it aside. Her hands were itching and her leg was throbbing. She ignored those too.
“Okay. I’m just going to close my eyes for a few minutes.” She was tired. Very tired. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back to think.
Her next moment of awareness was Nathan’s hand on her shoulder. “Hey. Jess. We’re here.”
She blinked up at him and her heart stuttered at the gentle look in his eyes and slight frown of concern on his face. “Oh, man. I must have passed out.”
“Sort of.” He smiled and she let her gaze drop to his lips. What would it be like if she—
She rubbed her eyes to break the moment and cleared her throat. “Sorry about that.”
“It’s fine. You needed to.”
“Should I stay out here?”
“No. I want you close by. Inside is safer. Besides, Mom will enjoy talking to you.”
She checked her appearance in the visor mirror to make sure she didn’t have sleep in her eyes or drool on her chin. She didn’t. “All right. I’m ready when you are.”
He led the way out of the car and the wind whipped her hair around her face. She shivered and shoved the strands aside and admired the traditional ranch home. It had been updated with a white coat of paint over the brick. Black shutters graced the windows and the landscaping was absolute perfection. “Who’s the green thumb? Winter has muted it, but I can tell it’s probably beautiful in the spring and summer.”
“Mom. She loves gardening and yard work.” He wrinkled his nose and shook his head.
“I’m guessing you don’t.”
“Nope. My sister Carly does, but Eli and I never learned to love it. Dad helps Mom, but just because he loves her, not because he loves the work.”
For a moment, Jesslyn’s world darkened and she couldn’t help the flash of sheer fury that zipped through her. She could have had a family like this. Should have had a family, period. Should have worked in the yard with her mother, played in the park with her sisters, had her dad teach her how to drive. Her uncle Sean had taught her, then walked out of their lives the next year. They’d all been devastated.
“Jess?”
She took a deep breath. “Sorry, was just thinking.” She forced a smile, grateful he didn’t push her about her thoughts.
He rapped his knuckles on the door and pushed it open. “Mom? Dad? Eli?” The hardwoods in the foyer gleamed with a recent polish. The living room to the right was done in neutral colors with the exception of a light blue sofa that offered a splash of color. Footsteps sounded from the den area straight ahead, and the man she recognized from the hospital stepped into view.
Eli.
He smiled and she noted a dimple exactly like Nathan’s in his left cheek. They were definitely brothers. Eli nodded to her, his smile slipping into a slight frown. “Hi.”
“Hello.”
“Jesslyn and I are on the way to another appointment. She can visit with Mom and Dad while we talk.”
“Mom and Dad aren’t here.”
Nathan paused. “Great.”
“Hey,” Jesslyn said. “I don’t want to be in the way. Just point me in the direction of a comfy couch or chair and I can work on my phone.”
Once she was settled in a very comfortable recliner with a bottle of water and a pain pill in her system, Nathan kept his coat on, Eli grabbed a blanket, and they walked out onto the back deck and shut the French doors behind them. She sent up a silent prayer that the brothers could work through whatever was causing them division, then she pulled her phone out and began reading through the bank’s fire report one more time.
What was the connection with her?
Or maybe it wasn’t a direct connection with her, but something else?
Someone who banked there that she knew? Good grief, that could be anyone. She should have asked her aunt Carol, but she’d been so thrown by the story of her parents’ marriage and everything they’d been going through, it had slipped her mind.
She yawned. She was so sleepy. The physical and mental fatigue were taking a toll on her and she was making mistakes. Mistakes she couldn’t afford to make if she was going to catch the arsonist before he struck again. She could see Nathan and Eli sitting opposite each other at a brown wicker table.
But they didn’t seem to be talking.
She frowned. It looked like they might be a while, so she called her aunt Carol and got her voicemail. “Hey, call me when you get a chance. Thanks.” Then she closed her eyes once more.
NATHAN REFUSED TO BE the first one to speak. A little voice whispered that he was being immature, but at the moment he didn’t care. Okay, he cared. A little. But Eli just sat there, head down, eyes on the table.
Nathan checked his phone. Okay, enough was enough. He’d be the mature one. “What are you doing here at Mom and Dad’s? Why aren’t you at your place?”
Eli finally lifted his head. “I don’t have a place anymore. I sold it and moved home until my other house is built.”
“What other house?”
“I bought a piece of land out near your friend James’s lake house. Figured it would do me good to get out of the city and be somewhere peaceful.”
Whoa. Nathan really was out of the loop. “No one told me that.”
Eli shrugged. “It was kind of a recent thing. I just signed the papers last week. Closing on my old place and buying the new.”
“And they’re your friends too, you know.”
“Not really. Sure, y’all let me hang out occasionally, but I’m not a part of that group.”
Nathan couldn’t refute that, and all of a sudden he was sad about it. “Maybe we can do something about that, but first, what’s this all about? Why do you keep bringing up the past? Why can’t you just let it be and move on?” Taking the direct route seemed to be the quickest way to reach the end.
“Just rip the Band-Aid off, huh?” Eli said. “Speaking of Band-Aids, how’s your hip?”
“It hurts. Quit stalling. You got me here, now let’s talk.”
“Right. Okay. Then, here’s another Band-Aid rip. It was my fault,” Eli said, his voice so low, Nathan almost missed it.
“What was your fault?”
“Danny’s death.”
Nathan blinked, having trouble processing the words. When it finally registered what Eli was saying, he scoffed. “Really? How was it your fault? Because if I remember correctly, I was the one who wanted to make the s’mores. I was the one who suggested to Danny that we sneak out to the shed that had no ventilation with a lighter and some wood kindling. I even lit the wood. I did all that. So, tell me, Eli, why would you say that it was your fault?”
Eli met his gaze. “Because I was the one who blocked the door so you couldn’t get out.”
Nathan had never been stunned speechless before. Not in all his years in law enforcement or any other time that he could think of, but today, he found himself in that moment.
Eli shuddered. Two tears tracked his cheeks and he looked away. Nathan continued to stare at him. After several more seconds, Eli palmed his eyes. “Say something.”
“What in the world should I say?”
“Ask me why?”
“I know why. You were put in charge of a younger brother and his friend and you resented it. So you thought you’d be cute and lock us in.”
Eli swallowed and nodded. “Yeah,” he whispered. “I guess you do know.”
“You always hated having the responsibility of Carly and me.”
Eli nodded again. “Especially when there was a party up the street I wanted to go to. I saw you sneak into the shed after I told y’all to play video games upstairs. I figured I’d teach you a lesson.”
Nathan flinched, then let the anger rise. “How’d that work out for you?”
Eli gasped and a sob escaped as he dropped his head into his hands. Conviction pierced Nathan right through the heart, but he couldn’t seem to bring himself to apologize. Or block his own tears.
He stood and paced to the railing to look out over the backyard. His mother had been working. Her flowers were still blooming despite the cold weather. And why did he even notice that?
“I’m sorry,” Eli whispered, breath shuddering. “I’m so sorry. I don’t even think words exist to express how sorry I am.”
It had been eighteen years since that horrible night. Eighteen years of self-blame, guilt, shame, and nightmares.
“I didn’t know what you were going to do,” Eli said. “I didn’t know you planned to build a fire . I just thought y’all were being little brats and deliberately doing the exact opposite of what I told you to do. If I had known, I’d have never—”
Nathan turned to face him. “Why are you telling me this now?”
“Because I’m selfish.” Eli laughed. A sound without an ounce of humor in it. “I think about it every day. Lately, it’s worse. I can’t sleep. I can’t focus at work. I can’t ... live. I was ... uh ... hoping you’d go with me to counseling so I could drop this bomb with a professional there to help walk us through it, but...” He ran a hand over his hair, then dropped it to fiddle with the cuff of his sleeve. “It became obvious that you weren’t going to go along with that, so this is it.” He swallowed and let out a shuddering sigh while Nathan simply stared. “I have no life because of the guilt,” Eli said. “And I don’t know how to make it right, get my life back, except to tell what really happened and face the consequences.”
“You can’t make it right. The consequences are Danny’s dead and he’s never coming back.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” Eli’s shout was carried away by the wind, but it echoed in Nathan’s head. And heart. His brother had been suffering too.
But Nathan was struggling. Making himself feel something besides disbelief and ... hate? resentment? yes, all of those ... was difficult. Eli had been a selfish teenager, argumentative, disruptive, wanting only to do what Eli wanted to do and no one and nothing else mattered.
But ... deep down, even as angry and shocked as he was at this confession, Nathan believed Eli never considered that his actions would result in the death of Danny. He’d wanted to scare the boys, maybe even terrify them.
Nathan looked at his broken brother.
He hadn’t meant for anyone to die.
And yet, someone had. So, where did they go from here?