His only withness

heard the glass s

e series of explos

fternoon, the dish

r heart catchi

through the pos

d, but of where

taken his skatebo

our

had he

her spine, sendi

of her neck

wed into the crys

behind her home, a

Close. Too c

in an all-out sp

nk open the kitch

ng only

nto the clearing,fames licked at all

evelopment. Pin

eep inside her.

ites, always had, e

ork and gotten him

s a t

him from comin

defied her? Could

e partially cons

went horri

on a township tr

oad, yet she saw n

up a silent praye

onto the site was

orig

he distance, drawi

panic as she scann

unding woods for a

twisted in

rst attempt at c

led, tight. "Th

much

voice teased her

o

e couldn't locate

her

ns were muffled

om

he rush of her puls

rom behind a stan

in slow motion, hi

without a

s her feet would

r-old who'd grow

ging on for dear l

and squeezed. Whe

en them to tip his

Tor in

you h

ok his

see what

erything blew

didn't have a thi

happ

nd Kerri realiz

sing Red Lion Road

ath that gave access

r arm through

back toward

d, fear palpable

see you

d, and relief su

cover of the wood

ing lights careene

ith multimillion-

y flames

edTom forward, a

ack toward the saf

ction no doubt h

er accident had ca

the first accident

ted and bile thr

the memory of ano

e shoved away the

g room, the casket,

d in he

needed to focus o

ing

or behind them as

brass bolt could

might lurk at th

ropped his gaze t

n't supposed

ness of her tone

ise in her son's f

s to

urbs," he said fl

esome for sk

for skat

eyes and focused

He was unhurt. S

eality was he coul

some

s voice had grown

frigh

hip?"" She snap

xpression. "The m

head-slowly-as

, "I saw him, too

ag

ame out

body else?" Co

G

n inside Kerri's b

purpose? Had Tom

ing, Mom. Th

that had been le

king the blue of

r cheeks and sa

" Kerri narrowe

ep up, to put the

toge

last house. I

the

Just before the fi

er the inspector w

what was goi

gaze dropping ba

t Kerri's throa

if the fire wasn'

e sinister? What

he blaze? What if

ady her breathing

any more than

She spoke the w

ing the importanc

dropped it

re investig

swall

he man Tom had s

p breath and held

en on the bottom

. Thomas Nelson.

s well have

that board befor

son out to arm

hen you dr

ation not far from

erri nodded her

been altered b

ehind me and do

yo

pale eyes

it. I don't want

the

hy

answered, knowi

n for a nine-year-

repe

r, Kerri continue

ge behind the hou

g lumber. The bi

to white and she

from fire fighting

to move

ough her when she

f cobalt

n paint t

ew her sense of u

tioned, she could

another day, at an

taking

ner wrapped her

and tucked it unde

. Two unfamiliar,

ng lost

Sor

e reached into

urred her vision,

ime to relive the

hen Wade had bet

est f

ped into

d waited

away. The t

home, and Wade

k car had b

back, Kerri took

ched the deep c

spott

ade Sorenson ha

was no busine

o bus

renson care

ld

worry was takin

oing to let

er family than

n spray painted i

his." Wade uttere

didn't know they'd developed a

they have," F

?" Wade jerked a

nscath

ead. "Can't do tha

.Chain of evidence.

"Surely you do

to do w

rugged. Don't ta

irst things we l

ance

the spray-painte

thi

buy a can of

on was pulled aw

hind a ladder truc

mud. Task force i

de, making it clear th

no see." The d

and in greet

and Forbes spok

McCann was one

lso the newly app

orce on Homel

cCann asked as he sto

mentarily claspi

"You doing

Forbes jerked a

s behind them. "

atches the devices

on?" McC

s there." F

the inspector

s lips and gave

. I called in on

ook good,

opped his gaze

McCann stepped t

Let's take a look

crew every

bes answered. H

moved to follow

o

ly as he watched

of a five-thousand

oward McCann's c

the f

t Libe

e rebuilt. they'd

u

and his tas

know much about

e t

w they were very

their Signature,

ld point to any

n prided itself o

ail. One suspect

ontana, but Wade

anythi

nt in the woods

tion, sending all

n far fro

g, auburn hair w

se years, he knew

been admiring th

since hi

i Ne

ived just on the

t why would she s

curiosity? N

rtantly, why h

twisted at his insi

d to get as far aw

y as p

rged from the h

us out of the past

alk" Adamn said

's fron

h settled into

d cup of coffee t

om a sec

you want t

iend a sharp gla

ith

tant

ered. "I still hav

in a deep breat

bitter

ood. Now'

to the station." W

ad-on. "I've got

" McCann turned

ing rubble,

" Wade a

to get anywhere

ight?" The skin

to a crease. "Th

about impossi

ing inside him. They figured as

e if he recovers,

ene is clean. They kne

offee and pinned

scheduled to be

d. We were waiting

McCann

d in

surrounding residents

'll get that The image of Kerri's retreat

n at the scene? After all, how

enough to be resp

had walked the en

. If Forbes had s

the door handle

eard a

cramped space Tl b

come up with a l

a grudge ag

stopped Wade co

d half-out

gnature was consi

rati

. "True. But" they've hit enough

t rule out

ignition, and Wa

f the

nn called out just as

palm against the

r's tires as Mc

ht hold a grud

d in his brain as he

rson who definit

like this. Yet she had been at the

she'd b

John's funeral that she wanted noth

her wishes

man had been c

ates had suffered

Wade had every in

he'd been targ

s team would leave no stone untur

e. Then again,maybe she hadn't.

de had

son were about t

ter three

e wanted t