Chapter 66

“Is it over?” Jennalee asked Harley.

“Just about.”

“What’s going on?” Phyllis demanded, rushing over to Harley and Jennalee. “Why is Daniel with the policeman?”

“He’ll have to tell you,” Harley said. Then he took Jennalee’s hand and pulled her away, leaving the distraught and now confused woman to Jane and Marian.

Some Sutherlands had deserted the scene while those more persistent stayed to watch the last of the mopping up. The end unit where Noel had been was a ruin, roof torn up, windows out, door chopped to pieces, everything soaked. The Laidlaw parents’ room, third in the line of four, had burned but not so badly, since the fire had been caught as it worked its way down the line. It wasn’t gutted like the first two.

“Your stuff,” Jennalee said.

“It’s just stuff,” Harley replied. “I got what’s important.”

“Your folks’ stuff, though.”

“It’s not like we have valuables.”

“Where will you sleep?” Jennalee asked.