fire department is investigating the two fires for possible arson, they’ll eventually turn their report over to the police.”
“I sure as hell hope so,” Nick said with feeling. “Nobody in the family wants to upset Lily. It would be good news if the fire chief suspected arson and the department investigators could tie the two fires together, then refer both cases to the police.”
“In the meantime, I’ll keep digging.” Ross stood and so did Nick. “Thanks for your cooperation, Nick.”
Nick shook Ross’s outstretched hand and walked him to the door. “Anything I can do to help, just ask. I know Darr feels the same.”
“Good. I need to talk to him too.” Ross took a business card from his pocket. “Would you ask him to give me a call? On my cell phone, not my office number.”
“Be glad to.”
After Ross disappeared down the hall, Nick placed a call to Darr but got his answering machine. After leaving a brief message to phone him, Nick hung up and walked down the hall to the coffee machine before returning to his desk and the cost analysis file he’d been working on earlier.
It occurred to him that he had more than the Fortunes to worry about now. Charlene and the triplets were living in his house, under his protection. The possibility that their proximity to him and the rest of the Fortunes might have placed them in danger sent a surge of fierce anger through him. Ross better solve this mystery—and fast.
But why didn’t Lily want the cops brought in? Not for the first time, Nick wondered if she was trying to protect someone.
Could she be afraid of what the police might uncover?
Much as he cared for Lily, he thought grimly, Charlene and the babies had to be protected. If Ross didn’t find answers, and soon, he’d go to the cops himself. Chapter Five
L ater that evening, with dinner over and the little girls tucked into their cribs for the night, Charlene made a pot of decaf coffee and carried a tray with the carafe, two mugs and a plate of Melissa’s chocolate-chip cookies into the living room. She set the tray on the coffee table just as Nick’s boots sounded on the stairs.
“Here’s the first box,” he said as he entered the room and dropped the carton on the floor in front of the sofa.
“The first one?” Charlene said dubiously, eyeing the box. She wasn’t great at estimating size, but the cardboard box looked at least twelve inches deep and two feet square.
“There’s another one just like it upstairs.” Nick glanced at her, half-smiled and shrugged. “You don’t have to do this, Charlene. Much as I appreciate your help, it’s going to be boring. I’m sure the official nanny job description doesn’t include shuffling through the boss’s old photographs.”
“I’m sure it doesn’t,” Charlene said dryly. “But I promised to help and I will.” She dropped onto the leather sofa cushion and took a stack of photos from the box.
“I brought down this picture of Stan’s family,” Nick said, handing her a five-byeleven photo. A wedding party was frozen in time, smiling and happy. “This is Lana.”
He tapped the photo with his forefinger.
Charlene studied the young bridesmaid’s facial features, noting the dark hair and athletic build until she was sure she’d recognize the triplets’ aunt. Then she gathered a handful of photos and began to skim them.
On the sofa beside her, Nick settled back with a lapful of pictures. He thumbed through a stack of snapshots, paused to squint more closely at one, then tossed them into the reject pile atop the coffee table. Pretty soon the stack teetered and began to slide, glossy photos slithering across the oak table.
“Damn.” He grabbed the pile and stood. Rufus lifted his head from his paws and eyed him expectantly. “I’ll get an empty box to hold these. Otherwise they’ll be all over the floor.”
The big dog padded after him as he left the room.
Charlene continued to sort through the jumbled photos on her lap
“I sure as hell hope so,” Nick said with feeling. “Nobody in the family wants to upset Lily. It would be good news if the fire chief suspected arson and the department investigators could tie the two fires together, then refer both cases to the police.”
“In the meantime, I’ll keep digging.” Ross stood and so did Nick. “Thanks for your cooperation, Nick.”
Nick shook Ross’s outstretched hand and walked him to the door. “Anything I can do to help, just ask. I know Darr feels the same.”
“Good. I need to talk to him too.” Ross took a business card from his pocket. “Would you ask him to give me a call? On my cell phone, not my office number.”
“Be glad to.”
After Ross disappeared down the hall, Nick placed a call to Darr but got his answering machine. After leaving a brief message to phone him, Nick hung up and walked down the hall to the coffee machine before returning to his desk and the cost analysis file he’d been working on earlier.
It occurred to him that he had more than the Fortunes to worry about now. Charlene and the triplets were living in his house, under his protection. The possibility that their proximity to him and the rest of the Fortunes might have placed them in danger sent a surge of fierce anger through him. Ross better solve this mystery—and fast.
But why didn’t Lily want the cops brought in? Not for the first time, Nick wondered if she was trying to protect someone.
Could she be afraid of what the police might uncover?
Much as he cared for Lily, he thought grimly, Charlene and the babies had to be protected. If Ross didn’t find answers, and soon, he’d go to the cops himself. Chapter Five
L ater that evening, with dinner over and the little girls tucked into their cribs for the night, Charlene made a pot of decaf coffee and carried a tray with the carafe, two mugs and a plate of Melissa’s chocolate-chip cookies into the living room. She set the tray on the coffee table just as Nick’s boots sounded on the stairs.
“Here’s the first box,” he said as he entered the room and dropped the carton on the floor in front of the sofa.
“The first one?” Charlene said dubiously, eyeing the box. She wasn’t great at estimating size, but the cardboard box looked at least twelve inches deep and two feet square.
“There’s another one just like it upstairs.” Nick glanced at her, half-smiled and shrugged. “You don’t have to do this, Charlene. Much as I appreciate your help, it’s going to be boring. I’m sure the official nanny job description doesn’t include shuffling through the boss’s old photographs.”
“I’m sure it doesn’t,” Charlene said dryly. “But I promised to help and I will.” She dropped onto the leather sofa cushion and took a stack of photos from the box.
“I brought down this picture of Stan’s family,” Nick said, handing her a five-byeleven photo. A wedding party was frozen in time, smiling and happy. “This is Lana.”
He tapped the photo with his forefinger.
Charlene studied the young bridesmaid’s facial features, noting the dark hair and athletic build until she was sure she’d recognize the triplets’ aunt. Then she gathered a handful of photos and began to skim them.
On the sofa beside her, Nick settled back with a lapful of pictures. He thumbed through a stack of snapshots, paused to squint more closely at one, then tossed them into the reject pile atop the coffee table. Pretty soon the stack teetered and began to slide, glossy photos slithering across the oak table.
“Damn.” He grabbed the pile and stood. Rufus lifted his head from his paws and eyed him expectantly. “I’ll get an empty box to hold these. Otherwise they’ll be all over the floor.”
The big dog padded after him as he left the room.
Charlene continued to sort through the jumbled photos on her lap
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