A Family for the Holidays (14 page)

The scent of burning wood lingered. Footprints smeared the ash into the snow, transforming the once pristine front lawn into a sloppy gray mess.

Keeping a close eye on her, Jake helped Lily from her seat, and she took a few halting steps toward the house. “I don't understand.”

He returned to the wagon and met Peter's and Sam's questioning gaze. “Lily has had a shock. Will you two be all right if we take a look around?”

“Yes, we're fine,” Sam replied. “We'll wait.”

“Are you certain? Are you warm enough?”

“We're all right,” Peter said. “You'd best take care of Lily. She doesn't look so good. She looks as pale as that day she fainted in Frozen Oaks.”

“Don't worry, I'll take care of Lily,” he said. “Holler if you need anything. We'll be in sight. We just need enough time for Lily to take stock of the damage, and see what's left of her things.”

Peter leaned to one side and shook his head. “That should go fast. Doesn't look like there's much left.”

Jake caught sight of a movement around the side of the building. Someone was sorting through the wreckage. While the furniture littering the front lawn was haphazardly placed, attempts were being made to make order of the chaos. Some pieces of the salvaged furniture were stacked in a neat row. The broken and charred fragments had been tossed in an ever-growing pile.

Lily wandered through the wreckage, her expression dazed. He read the emotions flitting across her expressive face. She was confused and disbelieving. A part of him understood her confusion. Her mind was struggling to catch up with the devastation.

She knelt and retrieved a shard of broken glass from the snow.

“This is the lamp from the fourth bedroom,” she said. “It's the only lamp with a green shade.”

He knelt beside her and gently took the shard from her grip. “Be careful where you walk. There's glass everywhere.”

She tipped back her head and studied the charred remains of the building. “It's gone. It's all gone.”

His heart ached for her. He felt her pain as though it was his own. Beneath his concern was a nagging sense of suspicion. He didn't believe in coincidences. What were the chances of a fire destroying Lily's home while she'd been away? How had Vic discovered where she lived?

She met his gaze, her eyes twin pools of anguish. “Everything I own was in that house. Everything.”

“Maybe they were able to save some of your belongings.” He took her hand and helped her up. “Someone is here. We can ask.”

He led her around the side of the house where he'd noticed the movement before.

A robust woman with wispy gray hair pulled severely off her head bustled amongst the scattered furniture. She wore a faded blue calico gown with a stained apron tied around her waist. Her cheeks were mottled red with the exertion. She rested a chipped enamel ewer on a wooden crate.

The woman caught sight of them and recognition spread across her face. “Lily! Land's sake, child. I was starting to think you were never coming home.”

“Are you all right?” Lily rushed to meet her and the two shared a quick embrace. “What happened? Was anyone hurt?”

The other woman sniffed and swiped at her nose. “Everyone was able to escape in time, thank the Lord. I'm afraid the building is a complete loss. Your room was destroyed beyond anything. There's nothing left. The man from the city said we can't even go up the steps. Too dangerous. There's nothing beyond the second floor anyway. Nothing but ashes.”

“Everything is gone?” Lily whispered.

“I'm afraid so, my dear.” The woman plopped down on a chair stuck in the snow. “I was ready to retire anyway. These old bones were getting too old for climbing up and down those stairs. I'll have that cottage nearer my boy now.”

“What will happen to this house?”

“There's no repairing the damage. They'll tear it down.”

Lily swayed on her feet. Jake took her hand, guiding her to another chair perched on the snow-covered lawn. He discovered a stack of blankets on a trunk and wrapped one around her shoulders. Though the wool smelled of smoke, the blankets appeared clean enough.

She hardly seemed to notice. “But I don't understand. What happened?”

“Came home from church and the place was ablaze. The neighbors had already sent up the alarm, but it was too late. Nobody saw nothing. The man from the city thought maybe one of the boarders left a candle burning on the second floor. Of course everyone denied everything. Don't suppose it matters much now. Nothing is bringing the place back.”

“But...but... I have nothing.”

The woman—Mrs. Hollingsworth, he presumed—reached in her pocket and fished out a wad of bills. “Here's half of the money you gave me for the down payment. Good thing I kept the extra cash in a metal box. I'm afraid I don't have the rest.”

With Lily too dazed to respond, Jake accepted the money.

“But what will I do now?” Lily directed her question toward the landlady. “I haven't anyplace else to go.”

“You'll have to figure that out yourself.” Mrs. Hollingsworth folded her hands over the dome of her rounded stomach. “Time for you to move on. I've got my own problems, missy.”

Her sharp tone incited his anger, though Lily didn't even blink.

Lily wasn't acting like herself.

In an instant Jake sized up the relationship. Lily had been living here since she was a teenager, and Mrs. Hollingsworth had grown accustomed to ordering her around. Lily probably didn't even realize what was happening. She'd been living the same routine for too long, and she'd grown subservient under the landlady's orders. She'd gone from losing her father to living under Mrs. Hollingsworth's roof as a dependent.

On her own, Lily was perfectly capable of standing up for herself. Around Mrs. Hollingsworth, she'd reverted to old habits. She needed to take back her authority.

Jake stood before the landlady and displayed the bills she'd given him. “You owe Lily more than this.”

“There ain't no more money. Lily here is fortunate to be getting what she's getting. Other people might not be as Christian as me.”

Jake figured there were a few hundred dollars there, which meant Lily had been shorted a few hundred more. She'd bought them all clothing and supplies in Steele City with money he doubted she could afford to spend.

This wasn't the time for questions about her finances. She was still in shock, her face a white mask.

“What about my coffee grinder?” Lily asked. “I kept a coffee grinder in my room.”

Mrs. Hollingsworth shook her head and muttered. “Whatever do you mean, girl?” She chortled. “Everything is gone and you're worrying about a coffee grinder. I ain't never heard of anything so foolish. You ought to be wondering where you're going to live from now on. Not everyone will be as kind as me.”

“I had a coffee grinder.” At once Lily appeared small and forlorn. “With a crank and a drawer. There was a brass plate on the front.”

“I told you, nothing on the second floor survived.” Mrs. Hollingsworth swept her arm in an encompassing gesture. “Everything that's left is here on the lawn. My boy is coming tomorrow to help me move the rest of my things. Time for you to move on as well, girl. There ain't nothing for you here now. Buy yourself a new coffee grinder. I never heard something so ridiculous. I lost everything and this girl is worried about getting a cup of coffee in the morning.”

Lily hung her head.

As though sensing the harshness of her tone, the landlady's expression softened. “You're young. You're a hardworking girl. Don't you worry, you'll land on your feet.” She glanced at Jake and back at Lily again. “You should think about settling down and having some children of your own.”

Lily was too dazed to understand the implication of Mrs. Hollingsworth's suggestion. He wasn't about to explain their relationship to the woman.

Jake stuffed his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “Did anyone see anything suspicious? Any chance the fire was set deliberately?”

“Suspicious? I already told you. No one saw anything. They were all looking out for their own hides once they smelled smoke.”

“What about the boarders?” he asked. “Do you have their names?”

“There were two gentlemen and a lady.” She rattled off three unfamiliar names. “Business has been slow this past week. Good thing, too, since Lily was gone. Had to do all the washing up by myself.”

Served the woman right. Jake had a sneaking suspicion that Lily had taken on the lion's share of the workload in the past.

“Can you describe the two gentlemen?”

“The two fellows were old. I don't know what else I can tell you.”

“This gentleman would have stood out,” Jake said. “He's extremely fair.”

“Doesn't sound familiar.” The woman shrugged. “I don't know what you mean. The fellows staying here were just regular folks.”

Jake muttered an oath. He doubted the sheriff had been responsible. If someone had deliberately burned down Lily's home, the act had been vindictive. The destruction served no purpose. There was no other reason.

“Would you mind writing down the boarders' names?” He'd check the names against Vic's known associates. Chances were slim he'd find a match, but he didn't have any other choice. “And anything you can remember about them.”

“Now, why would I do something like that?”

“In case they were involved in the fire.” He couldn't quite disguise his exasperation. How had Lily put up with this woman all these years? Which led him to another thought. “Do you have any enemies? Anyone who'd like to harm you?”

He'd only known her a few minutes and she'd exhausted his patience. He definitely didn't like the way she spoke to Lily. While he mourned the loss of Lily's plans for the future, he was grateful she was out from under Mrs. Hollingsworth thumb. Lily deserved better.

“Are you a reporter or something?” the landlady demanded. “Why are you asking all these questions? I sure don't have any enemies.”

“You can trust him,” Lily said. “If someone did this on purpose, he can find the person.”

“I don't much care why. This fire is the best thing that ever happened to me. There's insurance. I can retire.” She caught the look on Lily's face and sighed. “Don't you go looking at me like that. I didn't start the fire. None of this is my fault. I can't go on taking care of you forever. You need to find your own way.”

Jake bit off a sharp reply. “I'll take those names.”

Mrs. Hollingsworth didn't even recognize the hypocrisy of her words. She'd gone from complaining about having to do all the work, to declaring herself Lily's caretaker.

Beneath his relentless prodding, she reluctantly revealed the identity of the boarders staying in the house when the fire happened, and Jake committed them to memory.

Lily stood. “Do you need any help clearing up the mess?”

“Indeed I do.”

The landlady didn't deserve their help, but Lily was too softhearted. He called Peter and Sam from the wagon. With the help of the children, they had most of the furniture and belongings sorted in no time.

“That's everything.” Mrs. Hollingsworth planted her hands on her hips. “Everything inside is a complete loss. No use going in there.”

Jake had held out a slim hope they might discover the coffee grinder Lily had mentioned, but nothing turned up. If the item was important to Lily, there must be a reason.

He glanced to where she'd opened the rear door and stood peering into the kitchen.

“Be careful.” Jake circled his arm around Lily's waist. The fire had left everything in the kitchen black and charred. He was surprised they'd been able to save as much of the furniture as they had. “Come on. There's nothing for you here. You'll catch your death in this cold weather.”

Lily paused and glanced over her shoulder. “Regina knew.”

“What?”

“Regina knew I lived here. She probably told Vic. Do you think he's responsible for the fire? Do you think he traveled this far for his revenge?”

“I don't know,” Jake said. The conclusion seemed logical, but a lingering doubt nagged at him. “I've never known Vic to do his own dirty work, but desperation is a powerful motivator.”

Sam and Peter rolled an enormous ball of sooty black snow around the yard in preparation for a snowman.

Lily followed his gaze. “They are remarkably resilient children, aren't they?”

“So are you.”

“I'm not resilient, I'm stunned. I feel as though my life keeps getting whittled away. Pretty soon there'll be nothing left.”

“Mrs. Hollingsworth didn't deserve you.”

“She's not so bad once you get used to her. I'm happy she'll finally have that cottage near her son. She deserves a rest.”

“As do you.”

Something about the destruction teased his brain. A sense of the familiar that he couldn't quite put his finger on. While the fire might have been an unhappy coincidence, he had an uneasy sensation Vic had been involved.

They'd been delayed for two days. A lone man on horseback, riding hard, could make the trip in a day. Jake turned in a slow circle, studying his surroundings. What purpose did torching the building serve? If Vic had preceded them to St. Joseph, where was he now? What did he hope to gain?

Jake stared at the ground. Vic would be better served tracking down Emil than chasing after the children. If Vic planned on pressing his petition for guardianship, why not approach the judge? Then again, approaching the judge was risky. If he lost his plea, there'd be no turning back. Either way, something wasn't right about the sequence of events.

Jake shook off the strange feeling. For now, he needed to take care of Lily. There was nothing he could prove with his suspicions. Unless they had a name, or a sighting, everything was conjecture.