Harbor Street (Cedar Cove #5)(102)

Gloria nodded. “A person of interest—a high school boy. He started a fire a few months back and was recently let go from the restaurant.”

“The shed in the park?” Roy remembered reading about that, but the boy’s name had been kept out of the paper.

Gloria nodded again.

“Does he have a motive?”

“Sheriff Davis seems to think so. The money box is missing, too.”

Roy tried to remember what he’d heard about the toolshed fire. “What does the kid have to say?”

“He’s a runaway,” Gloria informed him.

“Dad,” Mack said, “didn’t you have a teenager visit the office last Monday?”

Roy nodded. His son had connected the dots even before he had. “The Coxes’ daughter wanted to hire me,” he murmured thoughtfully, “to find her boyfriend.” The high school girl had been saving for a vehicle, but was willing to lay down every penny if Roy could locate the missing boy. Roy had been touched by her devotion—but not once had she mentioned that this boyfriend was in a heap of trouble. Well, she should save her money. The law had far better resources than he did. If she insisted on spending her money, he’d suggest a good attorney.

“The kid’s name was Anson Butler,” he said.

That got Gloria’s attention fast. “Butler came in to see you?”

“No, his girlfriend. He’s the one who’s missing.”

She held his look. “He’s also the one who’s wanted for questioning about the fire.”

Raising his eyebrows, Mack kicked at the ashes. “I suppose now’s as good a time as any to let you know I’ve been a volunteer with the Kent Fire Department for the last couple of years.”

“Is that so?” It was Gloria who showed the most interest.

“Yeah,” Mack said with a careless shrug. “I enjoy it.”

“I hear the Cedar Cove fire department has two paid openings,” Gloria said. “You might want to apply.”

Mack looked at Roy, as if seeking his approval.

Roy nodded solemnly. “I wish you would.”

His son grinned. “In that case, I will.”

Roy squatted down and picked up a handful of ashes. He had his family with him now. Gloria, the daughter he’d never known, and Mack, his formerly estranged son. Linnette had already moved to Cedar Cove and if Mack got a job with the fire department, he’d be living here, too.

He let the ashes run through his fingers and wondered if Anson knew that Allison was prepared to give up everything she owned in order to find him. He hoped that, one day, the kid appreciated what she’d been willing to sacrifice on his behalf.

Straightening, Roy looked over the scene one last time. He knew losing the restaurant had come as a devastating shock to Seth and Justine Gunderson. Even with the evidence right before his eyes, he found it difficult to believe anyone would purposely set out to do them harm. Who had started the fire remained to be seen. Troy Davis considered the teenage boys Seth had recently laid off—especially Anson Butler—his prime suspects; Roy thought that was a little too convenient. But if it wasn’t a disgruntled employee, then who?

Roy hadn’t had a chance to talk to Seth or Justine yet, but he was thinking he’d stop by their home at 6 Rainier Drive sometime soon.