lower desk drawer. When he stood back up, his face was flushed.
“Grant, what was—”
“So have you talked to Bill?” he asked, taking his place in front of the desk again, his face still blushing.
What was that all about?
She shook it off, trying to concentrate on the matter at hand. “After I left the hospital last night, I went to see him,” Keri said. “He’s extremely concerned about these fires.”
“I’m sure he is. We all are.”
“He thinks we have a serious danger lurking around town. Of course, I wasn’t surprised at his sense of urgency to get to the bottom of this. We tossed around some ideas. Talked about some possible suspects—”
“Any conclusions?”
She exhaled slowly. “Nothing specific. I’m going to see if I can find Zack after I leave here. I’d like to have a little chat with him today. I’d also like to talk to a couple of his so-called alibis.”
“Be careful, Keri. That kid is trouble.”
“I know. I’ll be okay.” She twisted her neck from side to side, feeling it pop. “I’ve also got a call into Jerry’s office, trying to find out if he’s back in town. I thought I saw his truck over on Martin Lane, but I can’t be sure. If he’s in town, I want a face-to-face with him.”
“Maybe I should come along. Something about all this . . . I just don’t want anything to happen to you.”
An awkward silence fell between them. She looked down, toying with her mittens.
“Wait,” he started. “Did you say you thought you saw his truck?”
“Yeah. He drives a black Dodge Ram. Why do you ask?”
He was silent. She could see the wheels turning in his mind.
“Because the only thing Dad saw last night was a dark pickup. He noticed it turning the corner right before he saw the glow of the fire in the window back there.” He tipped his head in the direction of the press room.
Their eyes met, the questions obvious.
“I’ll make sure I talk to Jerry today. It’s a small town. I’ll find him.”
“Good idea. Sure you don’t need me to tag along?”
She stood, pulling on her mittens. “No, I’ll be fine. I’ve known Jerry my whole life, Grant. Even if he’s involved in this somehow, he’d never do anything to harm me.”
“Never say never,” he added, squeezing her shoulder.
“I’ll be in touch. In the meantime, you should clean this place. It’s a pig’s sty,” she teased.
“Yes, ma’am. Anything else you’d like me to do?”
She started out the door then turned back. “Yeah. Find out what’s going on with your dad and my aunt. I’m a little curious about all that.”
He laughed. “You and me both, Keri. You and me both.”
Keri turned off Main Street, headed toward The Bayside, a bar on the outskirts of town. Bud had told her Zack could be found there just about any time day or night. Whenever he wasn’t spray-painting shopping carts or sidewalks, or stealing cigarettes, that is. She’d been in the honky-tonk only a couple of times, both times looking for some of her dad’s crew late on Friday afternoons. It was a favorite hangout for local construction workers. Bud had told her Zack spent his time there bragging to the other regulars about his many varied “accomplishments,” in between video games, a round of pool, and an occasional attempt at darts.
“Well, look what the cat dragged in. As I live and breathe, it’s Waterford Bay’s little miss ray of sunshine.”
It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dim lighting of The Bayside, but Keri would know that voice anywhere. The creepiness factor notwithstanding, she was relieved to know she wouldn’t have to spend all day trying to find the town’s biggest loser. Just as Bud had predicted, Zack Clayton was holding court in his home away from home. Or maybe it is his home. Keri found the thought fitting somehow.
“Hey Zack. How’s it going?” she asked, making her way toward him across the sticky floor. The air was thick with smoke, one of the only
“Grant, what was—”
“So have you talked to Bill?” he asked, taking his place in front of the desk again, his face still blushing.
What was that all about?
She shook it off, trying to concentrate on the matter at hand. “After I left the hospital last night, I went to see him,” Keri said. “He’s extremely concerned about these fires.”
“I’m sure he is. We all are.”
“He thinks we have a serious danger lurking around town. Of course, I wasn’t surprised at his sense of urgency to get to the bottom of this. We tossed around some ideas. Talked about some possible suspects—”
“Any conclusions?”
She exhaled slowly. “Nothing specific. I’m going to see if I can find Zack after I leave here. I’d like to have a little chat with him today. I’d also like to talk to a couple of his so-called alibis.”
“Be careful, Keri. That kid is trouble.”
“I know. I’ll be okay.” She twisted her neck from side to side, feeling it pop. “I’ve also got a call into Jerry’s office, trying to find out if he’s back in town. I thought I saw his truck over on Martin Lane, but I can’t be sure. If he’s in town, I want a face-to-face with him.”
“Maybe I should come along. Something about all this . . . I just don’t want anything to happen to you.”
An awkward silence fell between them. She looked down, toying with her mittens.
“Wait,” he started. “Did you say you thought you saw his truck?”
“Yeah. He drives a black Dodge Ram. Why do you ask?”
He was silent. She could see the wheels turning in his mind.
“Because the only thing Dad saw last night was a dark pickup. He noticed it turning the corner right before he saw the glow of the fire in the window back there.” He tipped his head in the direction of the press room.
Their eyes met, the questions obvious.
“I’ll make sure I talk to Jerry today. It’s a small town. I’ll find him.”
“Good idea. Sure you don’t need me to tag along?”
She stood, pulling on her mittens. “No, I’ll be fine. I’ve known Jerry my whole life, Grant. Even if he’s involved in this somehow, he’d never do anything to harm me.”
“Never say never,” he added, squeezing her shoulder.
“I’ll be in touch. In the meantime, you should clean this place. It’s a pig’s sty,” she teased.
“Yes, ma’am. Anything else you’d like me to do?”
She started out the door then turned back. “Yeah. Find out what’s going on with your dad and my aunt. I’m a little curious about all that.”
He laughed. “You and me both, Keri. You and me both.”
Keri turned off Main Street, headed toward The Bayside, a bar on the outskirts of town. Bud had told her Zack could be found there just about any time day or night. Whenever he wasn’t spray-painting shopping carts or sidewalks, or stealing cigarettes, that is. She’d been in the honky-tonk only a couple of times, both times looking for some of her dad’s crew late on Friday afternoons. It was a favorite hangout for local construction workers. Bud had told her Zack spent his time there bragging to the other regulars about his many varied “accomplishments,” in between video games, a round of pool, and an occasional attempt at darts.
“Well, look what the cat dragged in. As I live and breathe, it’s Waterford Bay’s little miss ray of sunshine.”
It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dim lighting of The Bayside, but Keri would know that voice anywhere. The creepiness factor notwithstanding, she was relieved to know she wouldn’t have to spend all day trying to find the town’s biggest loser. Just as Bud had predicted, Zack Clayton was holding court in his home away from home. Or maybe it is his home. Keri found the thought fitting somehow.
“Hey Zack. How’s it going?” she asked, making her way toward him across the sticky floor. The air was thick with smoke, one of the only
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