Dangerous Season

by Lyn Cote

  Even though her heart still raced on, Audra gave Shirley a reassuring squeeze. Stepping back, she glanced around. Tom hovered right behind Audra and Shirley. Evie clung to Tom, her head buried just above the waist of his worn pajama shirt. Neighbors in robes and slippers were streaming out of their front doors—all staring at the garish flames and black smoke pouring from the rear of Shirley’s house.

  “But where is Chad?” Audra’s voice and question didn’t seem to register with Shirley. Then Tom leaned close to her and said, “Chad’s nowhere inside. I checked.” Tom’s expression told her to let Chad’s whereabouts go. Why had she brought up the fire and Chad last night? Audra’s mind accused her, This is all your fault.

  A large older woman in a head scarf and a sweater misbuttoned over men’s pajamas hurried out from the front door of the house next to Shirley’s. “Did you all get out? Is everyone all right?”

  Shirley hugged the woman. “Oh, Florence, Florence, thank you for calling—”

  Garish rotating red lights and the blaring siren announced the arrival of the local fire engine. It charged up the alley behind Shirley’s house. Shirley made to go toward it, but Tom grabbed her shoulder. “No. We need to keep out of their way.”

  Shirley nodded and stepped back closer to him.

  “I heard glass breaking,” Florence said, tucking a stray lock of her long gray and black hair under her scarf. Florence was half Ojibwa and the widow of a local fishing guide. “And when I looked out to see who was breaking bottles in the alley—you know how I hate that—I saw flames zooming up to the sky—” the woman raised both arms “—just zooming up all around your back porch.”

  Audra wrapped her arms around herself. The very early morning chill easily penetrated her thin cotton pajamas. She lifted one chilled bare foot and rested its sole on top of the other foot. But it was shock that was turning her insides to ice. Where was Chad? But she clamped her mouth shut so she wouldn’t blurt these words out.

  Wouldn’t that question set the tongues wagging? Evidently, no one had noticed that if he’d been at home, he’d have come out with everyone else. From last night, she recalled Chad’s angry face and voice. Had she meddled and caused this? Pushed Chad to act out? Oh, no. Please, no. Don’t let this be arson.

  “I grabbed my phone and dialed 911,” Florence went on with her commentary. Neighbors drew closer to hear her over the grinding sound of the fire engine’s motor and the shouts of the volunteer firefighters and the hissing of water on fire. “When I didn’t see any lights going on at your place, I called you.”

  “Thank you, Florence. Thank you,” Shirley said, her voice audibly trembling. “I didn’t hear the glass break and our kitchen smoke alarm didn’t go off until I’d already answered your call. You gave us extra minutes….” Shirley faltered then and began choking back tears.

  “Mama,” Evie said and reached out for Audra.

  Tom relinquished Evie to Audra and then gathered Shirley under one arm. Audra prayed, Please don’t let anyone notice that Chad isn’t here.

  “Where’s that boy you took in?” Florence snapped, looking around. “Doyle Keski’s kid?”

  “Chad wasn’t inside,” Tom said and closed his lips.

  “Not inside?” Florence repeated. “Where is he then? Shirley, I warned you to be careful. I know you always take in strays but that boy’s trouble. He’s set fires in the past—”

  “I don’t think we should jump to any conclusions,” Audra spoke up, hot guilt simmering in her stomach. “Not until the fire chief and sheriff look into this. Chad’s been doing better since Shirley took him in.” Why didn’t I keep my mouth shut last night?

  But in a flash, she saw that she was as bad as Florence. She’d immediately accused Chad as well as herself. Just because Chad had run away last night didn’t mean he had anything to do with this fire.

  Florence humphed and muttered something that sounded like “bad blood.”

  Its siren blaring, the sheriff’s car roared up the street and lurched to a stop near the knot of people huddled together in front of Shirley’s. Its red-and-blue lights flashed and flickered over their houses and faces. Keir got out. “Tom!”

  “I’m fine, Keir.” Tom waved to his stepson. “We’re all fine. Florence took quick action and we all got out safe.”

  “The dispatcher woke me. I came as soon as I could.” Keir came closer. “Everyone’s okay—Shirley, Audra, Evie, Chad?”

  Audra heard the concern in his voice, concern for all of them. I’m sorry, Keir. I did more harm than good with Chad. But she couldn’t say that now. It would only mistakenly add to everyone’s suspicion about Chad. She blocked the urge to draw closer to Keir. Was it just that in his sheriff’s uniform he looked equal to any challenge? Or something more personal? Warmth went through her.

  “Doyle Keski’s kid isn’t here where he ought to be,” Florence piped up. “I hope you’re not going to tell us he didn’t have anything to do with this. I’ve heard him snap back at Shirley—”

  “Mrs. LeVesque, I’ll be making a thorough investigation.”

  “Florence, please,” Shirley urged, “let’s give Chad a chance. We don’t know he had anything to do with this. Please.”

  Keir studied the predawn gray sky, illuminated by the lights of the fire engine and his Jeep. The flames leaping above the roof in the rear blinked out, though dark smoke still billowed and rolled high. Adrenaline still pumped through him, just as it had yesterday morning. Two fires in a row and on Memorial Day weekend of all times.

  “Looks like they’re getting this under control fast. Maybe there won’t be too much damage.” Keir hoped so. In the low light, his eyes sought out Audra’s ivory face. When he met her eyes they were lowered and anxious again.

  Audra gave him a strained smile.

  He wished he could reassure her that he could handle this, that she shouldn’t be concerned. But too many eyes watched them.

  “This is the second fire in two days,” Florence announced, undeterred by his cautions. “What’s going on, Sheriff? We can’t have stuff like this happening right at the start of tourist season.”

  Florence’s reaction was exactly what he’d dreaded. Doubt clawed him. Maybe Chad, the most likely suspect, was the fire-setter. But he’d still need evidence. “I’m investigating the first fire and I’ll thoroughly investigate this one.” He hoped these official words would carry weight with Florence LeVesque, but he doubted it.

  “Well, I told you. You don’t have far to look for a suspect,” Florence said, her words dripping with vinegar.

  “There was no evidence to link the fire in back of Ollie’s to Chad.” Keir gave Florence a stern look, but he stopped himself from glancing around once more looking the boy.

  Audra stepped forward with a welcome interruption. “It looks like they’ve put it out.”

  Keir sent her a glance of thanks.

  The fire chief strode around the side of the house and approached the sheriff. “A few of the guys are checking to make sure it’s completely out. But it looks like Shirley will only have to replace her back porch. We got here in time and it didn’t spread inside the house proper. Shirley, it’s good you had a stout door between the back porch and the kitchen and that it was shut tight. You’ll be replacing it but it kept the fire out.”

  “Thank you,” Shirley breathed.

  Then Keir saw Audra sag. He reached out and gripped her arms. “Okay?”

  “It’s just the relief,” she murmured and pulled away.

  But not before Keir felt the shiver go through her. He hoped it was due to the early-morning chill, not anything he’d done. With his question yesterday morning he’d drawn her into his investigation inadvertently.

  “Good work, Florence.” The fire chief nodded to the older woman. “I hear you’re the one who called in this fire.”

  “I heard glass breaking,” Florence said with a nod. “My eyes aren’t worth much anymore, but I can still hear as good as ever.”

  “Glad to he
ar it,” Keir said, wishing he were as confident as he was trying to sound. He motioned for the fire chief to accompany him to view the remains of the fire. The crowd moved forward with them—except for Audra with her little girl in her arms.

  Keir stopped everyone with a raised hand. “Since this looks like it might be a suspicious fire, I need everyone to stay away from the scene until my deputies and I are finished investigating.” He turned slowly and looked directly into each person’s face.

  “Can I…” Shirley asked with the lift of a hand, “see how…bad it is?”

  Keir replied, “You can look at it from the alley. But you won’t be able to enter the fire areas until our investigation is complete. The rest of you can go on home. It’s a little chilly to be standing around in robes and slippers, isn’t it?”

  “Sheriff, may I go inside?” Audra asked, sounding timid. “I need to get dressed and leave for work soon.”

  Keir turned to the fire chief who replied, “Sure. Just don’t try to come near the back entrance.”

  “No problem.” With Evie in hand, Audra walked past Keir toward Shirley’s sidewalk.

  Keir reached out and patted Evie’s shoulder as Audra passed by him. He wished he could show some concern for Audra, apologize for involving her at all, but there were still too many witnesses and too many gossips hovering nearby.

  “Sheriff,” Evie called as Audra carried her on, “don’t let anybody burn Nana Shirley’s house down!”

  “I won’t, Evie.” Keir watched Audra disappear into Shirley’s house and then he led the fire chief, Tom and Shirley toward the fire scene. Where was Chad Keski? Keir still hoped that Chad’s absence could be easily explained. But he doubted it. And Audra’s troubled eyes would haunt him the rest of the day.

  Around eight o’clock that morning behind his desk, Keir folded his hand around the warm mug of office-brewed coffee, remembering wistfully the good brew and brioche from Audra yesterday morning. No such comfort today. He, Tom and Chad sat in Keir’s small office. His door was closed. A tape recorder sat on his desk between them. It was 8:37 a.m. on Saturday morning and Keir was trying to think how to finesse the information he wanted from Chad.

  Across from Keir, the fourteen-year-old sat in an odd combination of body language. Above the waist, with his chin down and his arms folded in a tight bundle, he was protecting himself. But below the waist, his legs were sprawled apart in an attitude of disdain. Tom sat beside him, looking concerned, almost bleak. He’d brought Chad in just a few minutes ago.

  A heavy feeling of inevitability had settled over Keir and was seeping deeper inside him. He spoke toward the in-recorder mike, giving the time, date and full names of those present. “Okay, Chad, do you understand that I am recording our interview?”

  The kid shrugged.

  “Please answer audibly,” Keir said in his no-emotion investigation voice.

  “Yeah, I know you’re recording this,” Chad said in a mocking tone. “Like I care.”

  “Cooperate, Chad,” Tom urged quietly. “Please.”

  Keir ignored the kid’s sarcasm. “Okay, let me get this straight. When Tom opened his repair shop this morning where you work, he found you sleeping in a customer’s car inside the shop?”

  “Yeah.”

  Though Tom’s garage was only a block away from Shirley’s, Keir didn’t ask Chad why the fire siren hadn’t awakened him. Kids and teens could deep-sleep through such things. “And you ran away from Shirley’s last night after you eavesdropped on a conversation between Audra—”

  “Why didn’t you just bring me in for questioning yesterday?” Chad interrupted. “Why talk to Audra about me?”

  “I was trying to keep from casting suspicion on you,” Keir answered with honesty, hoping that would alter Chad’s bad attitude.

  “Yeah, right,” Chad sneered. “If there’s a fire, everybody in town will peg me for it. You think you can change that? I can’t. I’m not even going to try.”

  In Chad’s belligerent voice, Keir heard the echo of his own younger voice. How many conversations like this had he had with now-retired Amos Todd, who’d been sheriff when Keir had been Chad’s age? I’m just trying to help you, kid. Help me out here.

  Keir took a deep breath. “That’s exactly why I asked Audra where you were when the fire at Ollie’s was set. Neither of us wanted people jumping to a wrong conclusion, either.”

  Keir let this sink in or at least hoped it did, and then went on, “Now, do you have an alibi for your whereabouts yesterday very early in the morning and today near the same hour?”

  “No. Do you?”

  Keir pursed his lips and held on to his temper. Chad himself was a box of tinder ready to go up in flames. Keir didn’t want to strike the match. “Tom, do you keep gasoline in your repair garage?”

  “Some. I need it for the lawn mower I keep to do Shirley’s yard and for my boat’s Evinrude. Why?”

  Keir didn’t want to give out the pitiful bits of cursory evidence he’d gathered at the second fire. But the smell of gasoline at today’s scene had been unmistakable.

  There was a sudden commotion outside Keir’s office. His deputy on duty, Trish Franklin, raised her voice. “You can’t go in there!”

  The door burst open. Doyle Keski stormed in. “You got my kid in here! I gotta right to come in!” An older, scruffier version of Chad shook off Trish’s hand and glared at Keir. “What’re you charging my kid with?”

  Keir kept an eye on Doyle and Chad. Chad’s demeanor had changed. He’d pulled in completely and glanced around as if gauging whether he could escape or not. The urge to confront Keski about this evidence of abuse surged through Keir like the storms of November. “Mr. Keski,” Keir said evenly, “I’ve not charged your son with anything.” And I won’t be questioning him anymore now. Not with you here.

  “Then what the heck have you got him here for?” Doyle demanded. The stale odors of too many cigarettes and too little soap filled the room.

  “I’m merely establishing his whereabouts at the crucial times. It’s too soon to link anyone to the fire. The investigation of the crime scene isn’t complete.” Keir turned to Chad. “So Chad, you were telling me your whereabouts for the last two nights.”

  As if hunted, Chad looked out from under too-long bangs. “Thursday night, I was just sleeping in my room and then last night at Tom’s garage. I was just sleeping, man.”

  Keir heard Chad’s sudden turnaround. Chad didn’t want to give his father—guilty of neglect and physical abuse—anything to get involved in. Chad didn’t like the sheriff, but he feared his father. And hated him. And loved him. A large rock pressed down over Keir’s lungs. How he remembered aching with the same emotions.

  Keir reached over, his hand poised above the off button. “I think that takes care of matters then, Chad. Thanks for your cooperation. Tom, thank you for bringing Chad over so we could clear this up.” He clicked off the tape recorder.

  Chad’s eyes opened wide. He hadn’t expected Keir to be an ally. And maybe that would be good for him—give the kid something to think about. Keir could only hope. He stood up and shook hands with Tom and Chad. He looked pointedly at Doyle, who blocked the exit. “Is there anything else, Mr. Keski?” Get out of my office.

  Robbed of a chance to show his disdain for the law and how much he “cared” for his son, Doyle stomped out.

  Keir watched him go and wondered if Doyle had had another reason for coming. Did he want to know what was going on because he had something to hide?

  Doyle had a grudge against Shirley and Tom. Shirley because she’d taken Chad as a foster child. Tom because it had been Tom who had reported witnessing Doyle abuse Chad, and for hiring Chad to work at his repair shop. Doyle probably missed having Chad to kick around. Had Doyle, not Chad, set fire to Shirley’s back steps? But why would he set fire to Ollie’s Dumpster? Keir would look into that. Where were you the last two nights, Doyle?

  Another day, another dollar. In spite of its early chill, Saturday mornin
g was proving to be balmy, perfect for the tourists. Standing behind the counter at her café, Audra blinked her sleepy eyes and then widened them while trying not to yawn. The early-morning fire had robbed her of over an hour of sleep—an hour of sleep she had been in dire need of. Plus the sense of causing more harm than good nagged her, lowering her spirits, as well.

  It was all about Chad, the fires and the sheriff. Sometime today she’d have to face Keir and confess that her ill-timed question might have triggered Chad to set fire to Shirley’s porch. This morning Florence had voiced suspicions about Chad, just exactly what the sheriff had wanted to avoid by discreetly asking Audra about Chad’s whereabouts. Would the sheriff have any idea how to undo any mischief she’d done last night when Chad had been eavesdropping?

  She heard voices coming near and footsteps on the flagstone path. She looked up and smiled, ready for business. “Good morning,” she greeted four guys, obviously fresh out of college for the summer. Squinting into the daylight glinting from Lake Superior on the horizon, she drew in a deep breath of cool morning air to keep her eyes open.

  Her sister then sauntered in through the front gate. Megan appeared carefree and unfazed by life. Envious, Audra couldn’t even remember how that felt. Perched on a stool by the gate, Evie had been waiting for her aunt. Megan greeted Evie with a big hug and Evie’s responding smile blazed with a five-hundred-watt intensity. Again, Audra appreciated Megan’s help and the attention she lavished on Evie.

  “Wow, this place smells good.” One of the college guys said, “How about a tall black coffee and three of those things?” He pointed to the glass case in front of her, filled with golden brioche, raspberry Danish and dark sweet croissants.

  “The chocolate-frosted, sour cream croissants?” She smiled.

  “Yeah, maybe I should get four.” He grinned.

  She chuckled. “If you don’t eat them all at once, they’d make a great midmorning snack.” And they cost two dollars each.

  With a wave, Megan walked around the counter behind Audra and headed toward the kitchen.