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"To make a phone call"

"To whom?"

He turned and looked over his shoulder "I’ll contact my family, Maryellen It’s what you want me to do, isn’t it?"

She didn’t answer him

"Do I have a choice?" he said quietly

"I’m sorry!" she choked out "But it’s not ry with h, isn’t it?" he persisted

It was, but only because it ive his father and stepmother an opportunity to rebuild their relationship with Jon, their only living child And because Maryellen needed the help Jon did, too

He sighed and wiped a hand down his face "They can’t stay with us, understand?"

She nodded

"And they’re only welco to tell theht I am I don’t want them anywhere nearit is for you, and for our daughter and our baby"

Tears strea this eed to say between sobs "Only don’t be upset with ry I just can’t bear it"

Jon caathered her in his arms and let his shoulder absorb her tears "I’m not mad at you," he whispered into her hair "I’m furious with myself"

"But why?"

"Mostly because I can’t be the ive them for what they did Hard as I try, Maryellen, I can’t"

Her ar to each other Soh this time, with or without his parents’ help

Roy McAfee stood in front of the charred rubble that had once been The Lighthouse restaurant It made him sick to his stomach His son stood on one side and Gloria on the other

"Sheriff Davis told ator says the fire was deliberately set," Gloria said, hands on her hips as she surveyed the dae Slowly she shook her head, as if it was difficult to take in the scene before her Roy felt the same way

Arson Roy hated to hear that This wasn’t the sort of thing you expected to find in a quiet community like Cedar Cove The article in The Chronicle reported that the Gundersons were in shock and that no decisions had been made yet They didn’t know at this point whether or not they were going to rebuild

"Is there a suspect?" Roy asked his daughter

Gloria nodded "A person of interest--a high school boy He started a fire a few o from the restaurant"

"The shed in the park?" Roy re about that, but the boy’s naain

"Does he have a motive?"

"Sheriff Davis see, 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 inforer visit the office last Monday?"

Roy nodded His son had connected the dots even before he had "The Coxes’ daughter wanted to hire htfully, "to find her boyfriend" The high school girl had been saving for a vehicle, but illing to lay down every penny if Roy could locate theboy 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 ood attorney

"The kid’s naot Gloria’s attention fast "Butler cairlfriend He’s the one who’s "

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"I enjoy it"

"I hear the Cedar Cove fire departht want to apply"

Mack looked at Roy, as if seeking his approval

Roy nodded solerinned "In that case, I will"

Roy squatted down and picked up a handful of ashes He had his fahter he’d never known, and Mack, his fored son Linnette had already ot a job with the fire departh 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