Standoff At Christmas

“True. I never thought something like that would happen.”

“Neither did I or I would have been there.”

Gramps’s wrinkled face cracked a big grin. “Do I need to say if you had, you wouldn’t have gotten out? We have the same build. Most of the Nichols men are tall and have broad shoulders.”

Jake chuckled. “Touché.”

“It’s good to hear some laughter after the day I’ve had,” Rachel said as she walked slowly into the living room.

Jake turned toward her, remembering how close he’d come to losing her. That thought left his gut roiling, and he was even more determined to find out what was going on in Port Aurora. “Are you all right?” He took in her pale face and tired eyes—a beautiful sight to see. It could have gone so wrong today.

“My side hurts, but it felt great to take a shower and get that smoke smell out of my hair. I think I washed it three times.”

When Rachel moved past him to the chair across from Gramps, Jake drew in a deep breath of the apple-scented shampoo. She still used the same one from when she was a child. He associated apples with Rachel because of that.

She eased down, wincing once. “When is the chief arriving?”

“I see his car coming down the road.” Linda crossed the room and opened the door to the arctic entry.

After shaking Randall’s hand, Jake sat next to Rachel’s aunt on the couch while the chief took the last chair. His grim expression fit Jake’s mood. Every alarm bell was going off in his head. The fire only reinforced his belief that Betty’s death wasn’t due to a robbery gone bad. What had Betty gotten herself into?

“Are you two all right now?” the chief asked, withdrawing a pad and pen from his pocket.

“As well as could be expected.” Linda pressed her lips together.

Randall shifted his attention to Rachel. “I understand Doc had to see you.”

“I’ll be okay. Do you have any idea what happened?”

“No, other than there were footprints leading to the house from the woods on the left side. I followed them to tire tracks—probably a truck. I’m treating this fire as arson at this time. Did either of you see anything?”

Linda shook her head while Rachel said, “We were in the back bedroom, looking for Aunt Betty’s camera.”

“Why?”

“Although I don’t think it is worth much except to her, someone could have taken it,” Linda answered Randall.

“Did you find it?”

“No, but I didn’t check the darkroom thoroughly. It was trashed like the whole place was. The camera usually hangs on the peg by the door, but it wasn’t there.”

The chief wrote on his pad. “So it’s possible that a camera was stolen. Anything else you know of?”

“We found her few pieces of jewelry that were worth something, although not that much.” Rachel withdrew the ring and two sets of earrings still in the plastic bag. “And as you know, the television and small appliances like the food processor were still in the house, so truthfully I don’t think anything else was missing, but we’ll never know for sure.”

“I wonder if the camera might be the reason the cabin was torched.” Randall wrote something else on the paper, then glanced at Linda, then Rachel.

“It was a ten-year-old Kodak that was special to Betty, but I couldn’t see it bringing much money for anyone who stole it. It wasn’t even digital.” Linda combed her fingers through her wet, short blond hair.

“Anything else?” Randall asked.

Her gaze trained on Rachel, Linda furrowed her brow but remained quiet. Rachel shook her head slightly. Was there more that Rachel wasn’t saying? Randall didn’t seem to pick up the exchanged looks between them, but when he left, Jake would be asking them about it.

“If I think of anything, I’ll call you,” Rachel finally said. “Please let us know the progress on the case. Aunt Betty never had any enemies in town. She was always one of the first to help others.”

Randall stood and pocketed his pad and pen. “It’s most disturbing to me. She is the last person I would expect to be murdered.”

“So you’re ruling her death a murder for sure?” Jake rose to escort the police chief to the door.

“Yes, we are. And we’re taking the investigation very seriously.”

Jake opened the door for Randall. “I’d like to check the cabin site after it cools. Is that okay?”

“Sure, after the firefighters give the go-ahead.” Randall tipped his head toward the ladies. “I’m glad you’re both okay. Good day.”

At the window Jake watched Randall climb into his car before he swung around and asked, “What are you two keeping from the police chief?”

FIVE (#ulink_37106ee0-1113-5023-95d8-14ec950fb212)

Rachel sat forward. “How did you know?”

“I may have been gone for a while, but I know when you’re holding something back.”