Metal cans resembling canned goods sat on lower shelves. Near the bottom, where the laundry supplies had been kept, were black lumps.
Along the back wall were two commercial-sized washers and dryers, the kind used in laundromats.
First things first, Caleb checked the insides of the washers and dryers before turning his attention to the wall. “Help me move these.”
Working together, the men slid all four appliances toward the center of the room. Starting with the vent closest to him, Calebconducted a thorough inspection, measuring the distance from the interior wall space to the exterior cover.
“Well?” David finally asked. “What’s your expert opinion?”
“It’s possible someone was behind the building messing around.”
A horrifying thought crept into Harlow’s head. “What if someone threw some sort of explosive in here through the dryer vent?”
“Severing the gas line and causing a massive explosion,” David added.
“I wouldn’t rule this theory out.” Caleb snapped several photos. “I’ll forward these to Jim to see what he thinks.”
Harlow rubbed her forehead. “Maybe Mom wasn’t the intended target. Maybe it was a disgruntled guest who burned the place down.”
“It seems like a stretch,” Caleb said. “I mean, I suppose it’s possible. Anything is possible. What we can confirm is there were fresh footprints outside the building. The vents leading to the interior wall and this room took on some intense heat.”
Harlow exited the storage room and waited for her father and Caleb to catch up.
“I would like to check out the other rooms.”
“Take all the time you need.” David placed a light hand on his daughter’s back and guided her into the main living area.
Meanwhile, Caleb inspected every square inch of the apartment, working his way from the bathroom to the bedroom before examining the kitchen and living room. He finished and caught up with Harlow and her dad. “My next step is to take a closer look at the main lodge, but not today.”
“Thank you.” Harlow, suspecting Caleb was aware of how difficult this task had been for her and her father, had decided to wrap up the investigation.
Back at the cottage, all three huddled at the counter and pored over the original photos and reports, confirming a person wearing the same shoes had spent considerable time behind the building.
“I guess the next step is to report the additional findings to Mr. Cook and go from there,” David said.
“I’ve also requested copies of the final original fire investigation from Jim,” Caleb said. “Unless you would rather I stayed out of it.”
“The more help we have, the better,” Harlow said. “Maybe it’s wishful thinking on my part, but I feel like we’re missing some sort of clue.”
“Taking into consideration the time that’s passed, it could be an excruciatingly slow process,” Caleb warned.
“We understand. Our goal is to get to the bottom of how the fire started, regardless of how long it takes.” David’s cell phone rang. He snatched it off the counter. “I’ve been waiting for this call. Thank you for coming by, Caleb.”
“I’ll walk him out.” Harlow waited for him to pack up his backpack and escorted him to the front porch. “Thanks again.”
“Jim could’ve come back, but me offering to assist saved a little time and money.”
“Dad and I really appreciate it.”
Caleb shot her a sheepish grin. “For the record, I’m keeping track. You owe me a dinner.”
“I do, and I fully intend to honor my end of the agreement.”
“I know it’s short notice, but how does tonight look?”
“Unfortunately, I’m meeting the Mackies.”
“The Mackies?” His smile faded. “I understand.”
