Chapter 15
Tiptoeing around the debris, Harlow cautiously followed Caleb and her father through the living area, down the small hall, past the bedroom and bathroom to the storage / utility room in the back.
Harlow lifted her gaze, noticing slivers of light filtering in through the holes in the ceiling. The acrid smell of smoke had long since faded. A musty odor, mingled with crisp arctic air, courtesy of the snowstorm which had gone through only days earlier, filled the room.
Piles of leaves and a dusting of snow had found the opening in the ceiling and crunched beneath their boots.
While her father and Caleb discussed the room’s dimensions, Harlow wandered around. Metal shelves lined the side walls. Glass jars, cracked from the intense heat of the fire and covered in a thick layer of soot, sat neatly lined up on the shelves, their contents no longer identifiable.
Metal cans resembling canned goods sat on lower shelves. Near the bottom, where the laundry supplies had been kept, were black lumps.
Along the back wall were two commercial-sized washers and dryers, the kind used in laundromats.
First things first, Caleb checked the insides of the washers and dryers before turning his attention to the wall. “Help me move these.”
Working together, the men slid all four appliances toward the center of the room. Starting with the vent closest to him, Caleb conducted a thorough inspection, measuring the distance from the interior wall space to the exterior cover.
“Well?” David finally asked. “What’s your expert opinion?”
“It’s possible someone was behind the building messing around.”
A horrifying thought crept into Harlow’s head. “What if someone threw some sort of explosive in here through the dryer vent?”
“Severing the gas line and causing a massive explosion,” David added.
“I wouldn’t rule this theory out.” Caleb snapped several photos. “I’ll forward these to Jim to see what he thinks.”
Harlow rubbed her forehead. “Maybe Mom wasn’t the intended target. Maybe it was a disgruntled guest who burned the place down.”
“It seems like a stretch,” Caleb said. “I mean, I suppose it’s possible. Anything is possible. What we can confirm is there were fresh footprints outside the building. The vents leading to the interior wall and this room took on some intense heat.”
Harlow exited the storage room and waited for her father and Caleb to catch up.
“I would like to check out the other rooms.”
“Take all the time you need.” David placed a light hand on his daughter’s back and guided her into the main living area.
Meanwhile, Caleb inspected every square inch of the apartment, working his way from the bathroom to the bedroom before examining the kitchen and living room. He finished and caught up with Harlow and her dad. “My next step is to take a closer look at the main lodge, but not today.”
“Thank you.” Harlow, suspecting Caleb was aware of how difficult this task had been for her and her father, had decided to wrap up the investigation.
Back at the cottage, all three huddled at the counter and pored over the original photos and reports, confirming a person wearing the same shoes had spent considerable time behind the building.
“I guess the next step is to report the additional findings to Mr. Cook and go from there,” David said.
“I’ve also requested copies of the final original fire investigation from Jim,” Caleb said. “Unless you would rather I stayed out of it.”
“The more help we have, the better,” Harlow said. “Maybe it’s wishful thinking on my part, but I feel like we’re missing some sort of clue.”
“Taking into consideration the time that’s passed, it could be an excruciatingly slow process,” Caleb warned.
“We understand. Our goal is to get to the bottom of how the fire started, regardless of how long it takes.” David’s cell phone rang. He snatched it off the counter. “I’ve been waiting for this call. Thank you for coming by, Caleb.”
“I’ll walk him out.” Harlow waited for him to pack up his backpack and escorted him to the front porch. “Thanks again.”
“Jim could’ve come back, but me offering to assist saved a little time and money.”
“Dad and I really appreciate it.”
Caleb shot her a sheepish grin. “For the record, I’m keeping track. You owe me a dinner.”
“I do, and I fully intend to honor my end of the agreement.”
“I know it’s short notice, but how does tonight look?”
“Unfortunately, I’m meeting the Mackies.”
“The Mackies?” His smile faded. “I understand.”
“How about tomorrow instead?”
“I’m working until six,” Caleb said. “But am free after that.”
“What about your girlfriend?”
“Girlfriend?” he echoed.
“I heard you were dating Cheyenne Clifton.”
“We’re friends and hang out occasionally, but I wouldn’t necessarily classify her as my girlfriend.”
“I see.”
“So…we’re on for dinner?”
“Sounds like a plan,” Harlow said. “Where do you want to go?”
“Dockside Grill is always good, but I was thinking more along the lines of Wendovers on the Water.”
“Wendovers? I’ve never been there.”
“It’s a nice place with good food.”
“I’ll meet you there.”
“Taking Steady Betty?” he teased.
“Not at night. I’ll give Marty a call to see if he can give me a lift.”
“I can pick you up instead.”
Harlow hesitated.
“Unless you would rather not be seen riding around with me. I’m sure my fire chief’s pickup truck is a lot less fancy than some of the vehicles you’re accustomed to cruising around in.”
“I don’t have fancy vehicles, at least not anymore,” Harlow said. “The only fancy set of wheels I have is my bike. It’s just…”
“Just what?”
Noting the disappointment on Caleb’s face, she threw caution to the wind and accepted his offer. “Sure. Pick me up. Six fifteen on the dot. It’ll give you time to clean up after work.”
“Great.” His smile reappeared. “Six fifteen it is.”
Harlow thanked Caleb again and watched as he slung his backpack over his shoulder. Whistling under his breath, he ambled down the sidewalk and out through the gate, giving her a friendly wave before he disappeared from sight.
The front doorknob rattled. David appeared. “Caleb left already?”
“Yeah.” Harlow slapped her forehead. “Me and my big mouth.”
“What do you mean?”
“Caleb and I were having a casual conversation. Next thing I know, I agreed to have dinner with him at Wendovers tomorrow night.”
David whistled. “A date?”
“No way. It’s definitely not a date,” Harlow insisted. “It’s my way of thanking him for helping us.”
Her father jokingly nudged her arm. “Call it anything you want, but it sure sounds like a date to me.”