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"I suppose you’re wondering why I called thisa bit of huh

"Jack, this is no tied him She seeo back inside," Charlotte wailed "I’ you," Will said

"I want Mom and Ben to come home with us until the house is repaired," Olivia insisted

"By all means" Jack reached for his reporter’s pad, a spiral-bound notebook, and had his cahters as they prepared to leave

"Jack!" Olivia glared at her husband

"What?"

"You’re not going to interview ht?"

"Ah…" Jack Griffin had the good grace to look sheepishly at his mother-in-law "I am a reporter, Olivia, and this is news"

"I don’ther ar Harry and me and…oh, dear Where is Harry?"

"We’ll look for him, Mom" She turned to her husband "Why don’t you talk to Mack," Olivia suggested "He can explain about the fire"

Mack shook his head It would be more appropriate if Jack talked to the squad commander "I’m sure Chief Nelson would be happy to answer your questions" Hetoward Chief Nelson, pen in hand

Mack saw Jack scribbling furiously during his conversation with the chief, nodding several tilanced over his shoulder at his mother-in-law and frowned, which told Mack that the cause of the fire had uessed She , maybe the soup she’d mentioned, on the stove He reazine

"You’ll be co when Mack returned his attention to Ben and Charlotte

"But, Olivia…"

"Mom, you can’t stay here and you can’t stay with Will Where would you sleep?"

"It would probably be best if you ith Olivia," Will concurred as Ben nodded "My apartment’s pretty small with only the one bedroom I’d sleep on the sofa if necessary, but frankly, it o home with Olivia"

Charlotte nodded "I’ll need to collect a few things Ben," she said, "will you find Harry?"

"I’ll go in with you," Mack offered "It’s better if you don’t go anywhere close to the kitchen until after the fire investigator’s had a chance to finish his report and the insurance people have co for the cat They found hi under the front porch

"It’s allher head as if to erase the memory of that afternoon "Harry!" She held out her arms for the cat "Oh, my sweetie…" She nuzzled his broad head and then raised her eyes to Olivia "I’m still not clear on what happened… "

"Don’t worry, Mo to be with you for several weeks, I’ll help you as much as I can," Charlotte promised "I’ll clean and cook and I won’t be a bother"

"Mom, you’d never be a bother"

"I’ll bake for Jack," she said, her eyes lighting up with anticipation "You kno he enjoysfor him, Mom"

"Then I’ll cook him a pot roast Jack’s fond of my pot roasts"

"Jack’s fond of food, Mo you cook that he doesn’t dig into like a starving man"

Charlotte bea taste Haven’t I always said so?"

"Indeed" Olivia rolled her eyes "Come on, Mom, Mack and I’ll help you and Ben collect what you need, starting with the cat carrier Then we’ll go to our house"

"You’re sure about this?" Charlotte asked

"Very sure," Olivia said, and slid one arm around her mother’s waist

Ben and Charlotte Rhodes would be fine, Mack mused as he followed them They had family

Three

Chad Tiht, he nearly collided with the wall That just proved it--the woman drove him to distraction Froain, off-again relationship Like some unpredictable wind, she blew hot and then cold The worst of it was he’d put up with it Well, he’d had about all he could take He refused to play her games anymore--and that hat they were Games As far as he could see, there was no way he could win because she kept changing the rules One day she wanted nothing to do with him The next, she couldn’t keep her hands off him

Fine He’d decided he was finished And he’d stuck to that Until Roy McAfee had hurtled into his life like a e to earth The crater that blast had left was deep enough to bury hinant--with his baby He was about to beco the rules…