Rainier Drive (Cedar Cove #6)(100)

“I wanted to graduate from basic training first—prove I could do it. I needed to consider my choices.”

“Which are?”

“To return to Cedar Cove and answer a few questions, for one,” Sheriff Davis put in.

“I couldn’t drag you into this,” Anson said, turning to Allison.

“Anson wasn’t responsible for the fire,” she argued, ready to do battle even now.

“We already know that,” her father assured her.

“We have another person of interest we’re planning to question,” Sheriff Davis explained. He nodded at Anson. “We appreciate your help, son. You’re free to go.” They exchanged handshakes. “Thanks to you,” he added, “we’re pretty sure who set that fire.”

“Thank you, sir,” Anson said respectfully. He turned to Zach. “Do I have your permission to speak to Allison privately, Mr. Cox?” he asked.

Allison’s father smiled at his daughter. “If I said no, I fear I’d have a family mutiny on my hands.”

It was all Allison could do not to hug her father. Before anything could prevent their departure, she linked her hand with Anson’s, and they walked out together. As they were leaving, Sheriff Davis asked the Gundersons to step into his office.

Allison had so many questions, she wasn’t sure which one to ask first. “You know who set the fire?” she blurted out. “Was it because of the license plate?”

“Partly. I didn’t know his name, but I’d seen him around town. He saw me, and I knew it wasn’t safe for me to stick around, so I ran. The way I figured it, with my record, I’d get blamed for the fire anyway.” They left the building and before they could walk toward the parking lot, Anson stopped abruptly. He pulled her under an outside stairwell. “Listen, Allison, I know this is crazy, but I swear if I don’t kiss you right here and now, I’ll lose my mind.”

“Funny,” she whispered. “I was thinking that, too.”

Anson took her into his arms and brought his mouth to hers. She’d waited months and months for this kiss, and she wasn’t going to let the fact that anyone could see them detract from the joy she felt.

“I have missed you so much,” she murmured, her arms around his neck.

“Thinking about you was all that got me through basic training,” Anson murmured as he ran his hands down her back.

They clung to each other for the longest time. Finally Allison couldn’t stand not knowing, couldn’t stand it for another second. “Who did it?” she asked breathlessly. “Who started the fire?”

“Like I said, I didn’t know his name but I’d seen him in the restaurant and around town. He’s a builder, I guess. It wasn’t until very recently that I found out who he is. Warren Saget.”

“Warren Saget,” Allison repeated. “My dad does his taxes.”

“Yeah, I know. Your father mentioned that.”

“How did you identify him?”

“His picture was in the paper. Shaw’s been mailing me the Cedar Cove Chronicle, which is how I managed to keep up with what’s been happening around town. Saget was photographed in an ad for his construction company. Once I had a name to go with the face, I phoned the sheriff.” He smiled grimly. “The license plate—first three letters SUL—checked out.”

It was one thing to identify Warren Saget as the arsonist and another to prove it. All the information she’d seen and read—on TV shows and in mystery novels—indicated that there had to be more than circumstantial evidence or even eyewitness reports. The only physical evidence was the pewter cross discovered in the ashes—the cross that belonged to Anson.

“How will Sheriff Davis ever prove he’s the arsonist?” she asked.

“Well, I’m a witness and I’ve agreed to testify in court. The sheriff and Mr. McAfee had another idea, though. He didn’t tell me what it was, but it involves Mrs. Gunderson. That’s why she was there with her husband. My guess,” he said thoughtfully, “is that Sheriff Davis is going to arrange a showdown, a face to face with Saget.” Anson shook his head. “The sheriff didn’t confide in me. All I know is that if it’s necessary, I’ll testify against him in court.”

She had another question, an important one. “How did my dad get involved?”

Anson rested his forehead against hers. “I called him. It was on his advice that I spoke to the sheriff.”

“What?” He couldn’t have shocked her more had he confessed to setting the fire himself. “When?”

“Last Friday. Like I said, I saw Saget’s photograph and recognized him as the arsonist. I figured if I was ever going to step forward, the time was now. Otherwise I was afraid this would hang over me for the rest of my life. Your dad arranged today’s meeting.” He paused. “There are only a handful of people I trust in this world, and your father is one of them.”

“Not me?” She realized she sounded hurt; she couldn’t help it, even though she wanted to be more mature.

“I wouldn’t put you in that situation.” He kissed her again, letting his lips linger on hers. “I knew you wanted to believe in me. All I could do was pray that your father did, too.”

Her father hadn’t breathed a word of this.