Let It Breathe (22 page)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Reese wasn’t sure what to expect from the meeting with the fire marshal. Chaos wouldn’t have been her first guess, but it also wouldn’t have been her last.

Everyone assembled in a circle as though they expected to play duck-duck-goose instead of discuss who might want to burn down the winery. Jed and June held hands on one side of the circle, while Eric sat with his arms folded over his chest and scowled. Larissa wore a neon-orange halter top Reese was pretty sure she’d donned to distract the fire marshal.

Axl beat her to the punch there.

“Be a damn shame if anything happened to that pretty white car of yours,” he said, glaring at the fire marshal. “Maybe you should just drop this whole thing and head on out of here.”

“Um—” said the fire marshal.

“Dad!” June warned. “You promised.”

“I promised not to stab him,” Axl retorted. “You see a knife?”

The fire marshal took a step back and cleared his throat.

“Um, good morning, folks,” he said. “Thanks for meeting me here on such short notice.”

“Would you like a brownie?” June offered. “Before we get started, I mean. There are brownies on the tray behind you. Baked fresh this morning.”

“We didn’t even put weed in ’em this time,” Axl added. “In case you need to pass a drug test.”

Reese sighed. “Can we just get on with it? Please? I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ve got work to do.”

“Right,” the man agreed. “I’ll just get right to it, then. I’ve given you each a copy of the preliminary report, which details our findings about the type of accelerant we found and some of the reasons we suspect arson in this case. Obviously, I’m not laying all our cards on the table—this is an active investigation, after all.”

“So why are you telling us this?” Jed asked.

“Because I want your help putting the pieces together.”

Reese picked up her copy of the report and began to skim, while the fire marshal droned on about the steps in the investigation and the time they’d need to carve out for individual interviews. Reese glanced up at that point, feeling ill as he explained how they’d all be interviewed separately immediately following the meeting, and they should expect tough questions.

The implication was clear, and it annoyed the hell out of her.

“So you think one of us did it?” Reese interrupted. “That’s what you’re driving at, right? You think it’s for insurance money or something like that?”

The fire marshal stiffened. “We aren’t suggesting anything at this point. Obviously that’s one theory we’ll consider, but it’s just one of many.”

“What else?” Eric demanded.

“Well,” he began, “for starters, I’d like you all to think hard about any unusual activity you’ve seen around here lately. Any changes, maybe someone visiting the tasting room more than normal, any strange comings or goings—”

“Dick,” Larissa volunteered. “He owns Larchwood Vineyards next door and he hates us. He’s always dropping by.”

“And he’s an asshole,” Axl added.

“What about that repair guy the other day?” Jed suggested. “The one who fixed the label machine? I’ve got his card here somewhere.”

“I met with a new barrel distributor two weeks ago,” Eric offered.

“Good, good,” said the fire marshal as he jotted something in his notebook. “Keep going.”

June frowned. “Sally Kreitzer brought me a dozen eggs from her farm the other day, but I hardly think she’d burn down our barn.”

“You didn’t give her any of the meringue cookies you made,” Axl pointed out. “Maybe she took it personally.”

Larissa raised her hand. “What about that religious group that showed up last week asking if we sold any nonalcoholic wine?”

“Didn’t you just fire one of the field hands last month?” Eric asked. “The one you caught stealing Larissa’s underwear?”

“That guy was sweet,” Larissa said. “I don’t think he’d light our barn on fire.”

“Clay,” Reese heard herself say. “Clay is new here.”

Everyone stopped talking and stared at her. Reese felt her face heat up. “What?”

“Jesus, Reese,” Larissa said.

“I’m not accusing him,” she pointed out. “I thought we were just throwing out names of people who’d been on the premises, right? New additions, strange people, unexpected visitors, that sort of thing.”

Larissa shook her head and frowned. “You really think the worst of him, don’t you? That’s what this all comes down to.”

Reese threw her hands up. “No more than Mom thinks the worst of Shirley the egg lady or dad thinks of the repair guy or—”

“Who is this Clay character?” the fire marshal asked.

“Old buddy of mine,” Eric volunteered, his gaze fixed on Reese’s face. “He’s heading up the construction crew on the new tasting room. Good guy.”

The fire marshal nodded, scribbling in his notebook. “Last name?”

“I can’t believe you,” Larissa hissed, narrowing her eyes at Reese. “After everything he’s done to try to get his life back together, to prove he’s a decent guy, and you go throwing his name out like—”

“Cut it out, Larissa,” Reese snapped. She wished like hell she’d never said anything. She didn’t really think he’d done it, did she?

“This Clay,” the fire marshal interrupted. “Is he the same gentleman who spotted the fire and called 911 that night?”

“You’re right!” Larissa gasped in mock horror. “I’m sure that means he started the fire!”

Reese rolled her eyes. “That’s not what I said. And who appointed you his defender, anyway?”

“Well, someone has to do it.”

“And you’re always eager to
do it
, aren’t you, ’Riss?”

Larissa narrowed her eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing,” Reese said, hating herself for being such a bitch but unable to put a cap on the hurt and anger that had been simmering since yesterday. “Can we just move on?”

“No!” Larissa snapped. “I want to know what you meant by that. Let’s get this out on the table now.”

Reese gritted her teeth, knowing she should just shut up. Knowing she was going to regret whatever came out of her mouth next but somehow not finding the strength to care. She took a breath.

“Fine,” she bit out. “You want to go there? We’ll go there. I think you’re letting the fact that you slept with Clay cloud your judgment.”

“Yeah?” Larissa said. “That’s funny. I was going to say the same thing to you.”

Eric sat up in his chair. “Wait, what?”

“Woo-hoo!” Axl hooted. “This is getting good.”

The fire marshal frowned. “Um, ladies, if we could just get back to—”

“And what the hell are you talking about anyway?” Larissa hurled at Reese. “I never slept with Clay. I might’ve given him a hand job once, but that was ages ago and we were both so wasted I don’t even remember—”

“So, honey,” June interrupted, reaching over to pat Reese’s knee. “I didn’t realize you and Clay had been seeing each other, but that’s wonderful to hear. You know your father and I would love it if you’d find someone special. When did this happen?”

“Kinda what I’m wondering,” Eric said. “Care to fill me in?”

Reese whirled on him. “No! Why the hell is it any of your business who I sleep with? We’re not married anymore, in case you missed the memo. You have no claim on me.”

“No, but I do have a vested interest in making sure you and my best friend don’t fuck up each other’s lives.”

“Clay and I are adults, Eric!” she yelled. “We can make our own decisions.”

“Yeah? How’s that working out for you?”

Larissa frowned. “Wait, maybe I did sleep with Clay. Was this at that party over in—”

The fire marshal cupped his hands around his mouth to form a makeshift megaphone. “Can we please get back to the topic of the investigation?”

“No!” Axl shouted back. “Are you kidding me? This is the most interesting thing that’s happened here since Leon ate pot.”

The fire marshal raised an eyebrow. “Leon?” He clicked his pen. “Does Leon have any other history of drug use or criminal activity?”

Reese put her head in her hands and wished like hell the ground would swallow her up.

Clay worked outside for the rest of the afternoon, wishing he could be there for the fire marshal’s talk with the family. He wondered what was happening, what sort of evidence they had of arson.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t even hear Eric approach.

“Hey, you’re still here.”

Clay turned to see Eric standing there with the familiar blue bandana holding back his ponytail. His expression was grim.

“Hey,” Clay said. “Are you just getting out of the meeting with the fire marshal?”

Eric nodded. “Pretty brutal.”

“Did they say what caused the fire?”

“Lighter fluid in a trash can. He didn’t actually tell us a lot. I guess they like to keep a lid on the details when there’s an investigation going.”

“And when there are suspects in the room?” Clay guessed.

Eric shrugged. “Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to guess they’d look at the family first, but they’ve gotta know that’s a dumb theory. It’s not like the insurance money is worth risking the whole damn vineyard.”

“You don’t think they had anything to do with it, do you?”

“Hell no.”

“So who else? Outside the family, who else?”

“Larchwood Vineyards, maybe. Dick’s been a thorn in everyone’s side for a long time, and his property is right over there.”

“And he’s a jerk?”

“There’s that.”

Clay scuffed his toe in the dirt and waited. Eric had something else to say, Clay could tell. He had an idea what it was, and the thought made his gut clench. He stood quietly, holding his breath, waiting for his best friend to look him in the eye and say it.

Eric wasn’t looking him in the eye. He was looking out over the vineyard, his expression somber.

“Eric?”

“Yeah?”

“Who else?” Clay asked. “Who else are they looking at for suspects?”

Eric sighed. “Let’s go grab a beer.”

Clay frowned. “Very funny.”

“Sorry. I forget sometimes.”

“No one else seems to be able to. That’s why they’re accusing me, isn’t it?”

Eric shook his head and looked away. “I don’t know.”

Clay felt something in his gut sink. Part of him had been hoping Eric would deny it, would tell him it was crazy to think his name would make the list of suspects.

And part of him really wanted that beer.

“It’s probably just a formality,” Eric assured him. “The fact that they want to talk to you—I doubt it means anything.”

Clay nodded. “What did the family say? Do they think I set the fire?”

“No,” Eric said. “I don’t think that’s the real issue here.”

“Do
you
think I did it? Do you think I’m capable of that?”

Eric hesitated, then shook his head. “You’re capable of a lot, but not that. I think you’re a guy who’s gotten a shitty deal here. You’ve screwed up a lot in the past, that’s for damn sure. But you’re trying, and maybe you’re due for a break.”

Clay didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Instead, he stared down the hill as Leon came ambling toward them, ears pricked at attention.

Eric saw him coming and stepped back, covering his groin. “Shit. Not what I need right now.”

Clay reached out and began to scratch behind the alpaca’s ears. Leon made a rumbling sound in his throat and leaned into Clay’s hand, eyes closed in bliss. Eric took a step closer and Leon opened his eyes, lowering his head to crotch level.

“Dumb animal,” Eric muttered without venom as he stepped back again.

“He’s just fickle,” Clay said. “There’s no rhyme or reason to who animals decide they like.”

“Pretty much like women,” Eric said, turning back to Clay. “There anything you want to tell me?”

Clay stopped scratching Leon and looked at him. “About the fire?”

“About anything.”

Clay frowned and went back to scratching. “Nothing I can think of.”

Eric nodded once. “Okay, then.” He turned and started to walk away, giving Leon a wide berth. Then he stopped and turned back around. “I always knew you loved her.”

“What?” Clay stared at his best friend, pretty sure he hadn’t heard right.

“Reese.” Clay watched Eric swallow, watched him breathe deeply the way he always had when he needed to say something important and didn’t know how to get it out. “When we were in college. I knew you loved her first, but I didn’t care. I wanted to date her, I wanted to marry her, and I didn’t give much thought to anything beyond that.”

Clay looked at Leon, not trusting himself to meet Eric’s eyes right then. He concentrated on scratching the delicate spot right on the back of the alpaca’s ear.

“Obviously, Reese wanted to marry you, too,” Clay said.

“We both knew it wouldn’t work. Deep down, we both knew. It was safe and friendly, and we thought that’s all it took. I shouldn’t have gone after her. That’s part of guy code, too, you know.”

Clay swallowed. “It was a long time ago.”

“Not really.”

“Things are different now.”

Eric shook his head. “No. You’re still the same guy you always were, but you’ve muzzled yourself now. You spend half your time trying not to offend anyone, and the other half trying to make up for past offenses, but otherwise you’re still the same. So is Reese, you know. And that’s not such a bad thing.”