“Oh, my gosh, how awful and scary,” Scarlett exclaimed.
“It’s nothing compared to what Tess and Taco experienced. They separated for a bit. It went from bad to worse. They eventually found their way back to one another and never take a day for granted,” Patch admitted.
“Oh, wow,” Scarlett murmured.
“I imagine Debbie felt the same way. When Diana died, she struggled, but Edie and Barb supported her. Lizzy and Michael never let the kids forget about their mother. Every year, on Diana’s birthday, they go to a spot on the mountain where the wildflowers grow. They spread her ashes there. Then, they have a picnic and share the story of how their mom loved them enough to give them a loving home. When they adopted Caleb and Faith, they took in Debbie, too.”
Scarlett sniffed. “What a beautiful story.”
“Gah, I didn’t mean to make you cry. I wanted you to know Debbie lived a full, happy life here. Knowing her grandchildren were safe must’ve made her last moments bearable, thanks to you,” Patch said.
“It’s all right,” she assured him. “Can we sit down? I want to focus on people as they walk by. There are too many people here,” she said, letting Ice guide her. “I believe there’s a bench to our left.”
“Are you pretending to be blind?” Patch teased. “How did you know?”
“Candy and I walked the town. I used to glance at a map and recall everything. I guess I’m compensating by knowing this town like the maps,” she explained.
Patch weaved her through the crowd to the bench. Ice sat beside her and leaned against her leg. She closed her eyes, concentrating on the people walking by her.
“I see you’ve got a seeing eye dog and a seeing human. Didn’t your mutt do his job?” Jeremy Stewart snarled.
“Watch it, Jeremy,” Patch demanded. “Don’t you have better things to do?”
Ice stood and let out a low growl. Scarlett immediately gave him the silent signal, not wanting to attract more attention.
“I find it funny how we never dealt with a tragedy this big until Kassie Winters sent her charity cases to work in the community center. How do we know the blind woman didn’t accidentally leave the stove on or cause the fire some other way?” he boasted.
Patch stood, crowding Jeremy. “I suggest you walk away,” he said in a deadly tone. “We don’t need your negativity here. The community lost someone special. If you can’t respect their mourning, leave.”
“Come on, Dad. I need to get the feed for the horses,” Ben said, attempting to convince his father to leave them alone.
“It’s about time they got taken down a peg. Maybe this town will see how destructive having this hospital here has become,” Jeremy continued.
“Dad. The feed store will close if we don’t leave now,” Ben insisted.
Jeremy swiped his hand over his mouth. “I’m coming.”
Patch sat again. “Don’t listen to him. The hospital has tripled the economy here. The veteransand teens have helped build a park, thrown a baby shower for expectant mothers, and Kassie invites everyone to the fall festival and holiday celebrations.”
“You don’t have to stick up for them. Everyone seems nice and supportive. Jeremy seems to be the only…”
“What’s the matter?”
“It’s him. He was there before the fire started,” she whispered frantically.
“Are you positive?”
“Yes. I remember smelling his cologne when he interrupted me and Ty at the community center,” she told him.
Patch took out his phone. “We got a positive ID. We’re coming in.”
A half hour later, the team gathered with the local police.
“I’m sorry, Leo. It’s her word against his. Plus, you surveilled him all night. How did he get out to set the fire without you seeing him?” the chief asked.
“I don’t know. The man bitched and moaned to Ben half the night and went to bed. The kid finished his chores in the barn. Saint watched the back, and I took the front,” Leo reported.
“We can talk to him, but I don’t know if it’ll do any good,” Chief Williby advised. “He’s a bitter old man.”
