A Tine To Live, A Tine To Die Part 25

"Yes."

Ellie snapped her head toward the back of the property. "Hey, there he is."

Jake strode around the corner of the hoop house with a yelling Stuart fighting to get loose. Jake clamped Stuart's neck firmly in the crook of his elbow and held one of Stuart's arms twisted up behind his back, making him walk in front as they skirted the engines and hoses.

"Anybody want this guy?" Jake brought Stuart to a spot a few yards away from Chief Frost.

Stuart glared daggers at the chief. "I didn't do anything," he snarled.

Frost looked from Stuart to Cam and Ellie. "Stuart Wilson locked you in the barn and set it on fire?"

"Yep." Cam shuddered. "Not just locked us in but taped us to chairs. But Ellie had her Girl Scout pocketknife, and we not only got free, but got out. And just in time."

"It's your word against mine," Stuart spat.

"Well, here's another word for you," Cam said. "Stuart told us he killed Mike Montgomery."

"He did?"

Cam looked up at the new voice. Pappas had materialized.

"Yes, he did."

"I never said that." Stuart's strident tone was defiant.

"You did so. I'm a witness," Ellie said. "I'm glad this dude caught you." She glanced up at Jake.

Pappas nodded at Chief Frost. He and the other officer took over for Jake, cuffing Stuart's hands behind his back.

"Stuart Wilson, you are under arrest for the murder of Mike Montgomery and very likely arson and attempted murder, as well." Pappas read Stuart his rights. "Let's go." He and the police officer steered a cursing, struggling Stuart toward a cruiser.

Cam extended a hand to Jake, who helped her to her feet. "Thanks. But how . . . I mean, why are you here? How did you . . ."

He blushed, looking around at the listening group before returning his eyes to Cam. "I wanted to see you again. I called your cell and your house, but you didn't answer, so I came out here, anyway. When I drove up, Stuart was just standing in your driveway, staring at the barn. Something didn't seem right."

"Boy, were things ever not right." She leaned down and rubbed the aching knee Stuart had kicked.

"When I called to Stuart, he started running away, toward the back. I smelled smoke and saw some coming from the top window of the barn. I called nine-one-one. Then I chased him out to the fields." Jake smiled. "He didn't have a chance against these long legs." He laid an arm over Cam's shoulders and gave a squeeze.

Cam winced at the pressure.

Jake drew his arm back with a quick move. "Sorry. Did I hurt you?" His heavy eyebrows pulled together.

"I banged it when I landed. It'll heal." She nudged him with her shoulder, leaning into him, until he replaced his arm.

"I'm just glad you're all right. You too, Ellie." He patted Ellie on the back with his free hand.

"Cam?" Ruth, wearing red capri pants and a white T-s.h.i.+rt, loped toward them. One twin in each hand ran to keep up with her. "What happened? I heard on the scanner as we were heading out here for the potluck that your barn was on fire."

"It's a long story, Ruth. We're fine. He's not, and that's good." She nodded her head toward Stuart, who was being carefully folded into the backseat of the cruiser.

"Mommy, why's the building burning?" Nettie pulled on Ruth's hand.

"I'm not quite sure, honey. Let's make sure we stay out of the firefighters' way, all right?" She glanced at Frost. "Hey, Chief. Everything under control?"

Chief Frost greeted her and the girls. "We got it covered."

Cam shook her head to clear it. "Chief Frost, Lucinda is free now, isn't she?"

"I would say so. It looks like we were wrong about that arrest."

Cam nodded. She leaned into Jake's solid form. The relief at it all being over-Lucinda free of suspicion, Cam free from trying to track a killer-washed through her, her legs suddenly as unsteady as hollow cornstalks.

"Cam?" Felicity tapped Cam on the shoulder. "I hate to say this, but what should we do about the potluck?"

The potluck. Several dozen subscribers were about to descend on the farm. No barn to eat in, no tables to eat off of.

"There will be no potluck here tonight," Frost said. "Ellie has to get checked out at the hospital, and you do, too, Cam. You both could have had a concussion and smoke inhalation damage."

"But . . ."

"No buts." Chief Frost crossed his arms.

"Let's just postpone the potluck until tomorrow night." Felicity bounced a little on the b.a.l.l.s of her feet.

"I need to get statements from you tonight, too," Frost added.

A bicycle bell dinged a few yards away. Alexandra dismounted. "You sure know how to light a bonfire. But did I just see that sc.u.mbag Stuart in the back of a police car?" She shed a full backpack and stuck her hands in the back pockets of overalls printed with smiling vegetables.

Cam nodded. "You can thank him for the bonfire."

"Well, good riddance. Are you all right?"

As Cam nodded, she began to s.h.i.+ver. "Maybe."

Frost looked at her and motioned to the firefighter who sat with Ellie. "Might have shock setting in here." The firefighter wrapped a blanket around Cam's shoulders.

"You're going to need help picking in the morning," Alexandra said, raising her eyebrows.

Cam slapped her forehead. "Tomorrow's share day." She looked around at the group and then gazed at the ruins of the barn. "I don't have tools. I don't have baskets. I'm not sure I'll even be able to walk tomorrow." She rubbed her stiffening knee again, and the bruise on her shoulder twinged.

Alexandra spread her arms wide. "We'll all help. It'll be a pick-your-own share day. How about that? Right, people?"

Felicity nodded. "Of course. We'll each bring tools, scissors, baskets. Whatever we have."

Wes spoke up. "I'll contact everyone tonight."

"I'll help. We can split up the list," Alexandra offered.

"Wow. Okay. You guys are the best." Cam wondered if her inner glow showed through to the outside.

Darkness crept in around the edges of a perfect June Sat.u.r.day evening. The core group of subscribers, plus Ruth, her twins, Albert, Cam, and Jake, sprawled on Cam's lawn. The remains of the barn lay dark and forlorn like some giant's abandoned campfire. One charred post still jutted bravely toward the sky.

The potluck had been a success. Wes had fetched Great-Uncle Albert and had brought a comfortable chair out from the house for him to sit in. David Kosloski had been keeping Ellie close by his side all evening. Even the ever-tasteful Irene Burr had shown up, bringing an elegant platter of tiny herb quiches in puff pastry, which, she said when complimented on them, her cook had prepared. Everyone had clapped and cheered when Lucinda arrived. Cam was the first to give her a big hug, surprising herself with the pleasure of giving her friend an embrace. Up to now, hugging had never been one of Cam's favorite activities.

"Sorry I couldn't help out this morning. To be out of jail and in my own bed was just too delicious." Lucinda looked like she could still barely believe her fortune had changed.

Cam then took a moment to explain to everybody how Stuart had framed Lucinda and what had transpired in the barn, earning another round of applause for Ellie and her.

"We got out because Ellie here is resourceful. We made a good team." Cam c.o.c.ked her hand at Ellie in a gun imitation. The girl returned it with a smile.

"Stuart's one sick dude," Jake said. "When I got here, he was just standing there, watching the barn burn. That's bad enough, but knowing you and Ellie were trapped inside?" Jake shook his head and whistled. "I hope he never gets out of prison."

"I also found out that the night of the festival, when I was so ill, that was Stuart's doing, too," Cam continued. "Whatever he put in your drink, Lucinda, he slipped into mine, as well."

Lucinda rolled her eyes, and Jake, sitting next to Cam, squeezed her hand.

The subscribers dined on the collection of dishes. They sipped beer or wine, chatted, and watched the girls run around the yard, trying to catch Preston. Jake had contributed sauteed scallops with braised spinach, Cam's favorite. Each of the rest of the dishes featured at least one ingredient from the morning's shares, even Alexandra's cheesecake with strawberries and mint spread over the top.

Cam spied little Natalie looking wistfully at Preston, stretched out on the porch steps. Cam walked to her side and knelt.

"Do you want to pet him?"

Natalie nodded.

Cam rose and took her hand. At Preston's side, she guided the girl's fingers over his luxurious fur and watched a smile invade Natalie's face.

"He'll let you stroke him. Just stay away from his tail, okay?"

Natalie nodded as Preston's purr grew louder under her touch.

Cam felt a hand on her shoulder and turned.

Ruth squeezed. "Thanks, Flaherty." She lowered her voice. "This one never gets as much attention as her fearless sister. Hey, sorry about the fire." She gestured to the blackened ruins of the barn. "You did good getting yourself and Ellie out of there."

Shuddering, Cam stared at the charred mess. She'd tried all day not to dwell on the nightmare of the day before, to stay too busy with the harvest to think about it. "It was my worst fear," she whispered.

"What do you mean?"

Cam nudged her away from Natalie and the rest of the group. They stood together on the driveway.

"Our house almost burned down when I was six. I was in it."

Ruth's eyes widened.

"My parents were out, and they left me with a teenage babysitter, a boy named Zachary. I guess he was smoking and was careless. A curtain caught fire while he was outside, talking to some friends who had dropped by. When he tried to get back in, the door was locked because he'd let it latch on the way out. I'd been playing in my room with the door closed. I was trapped, Ruthie." Cam's voice shook.

"That's terrible." Ruth's eyes sought out first one daughter, then the other. "What happened?"

"I was so scared. I kept screaming for my mother, even though I knew she wasn't there. The heat." Cam's throat thickened. "I felt it through the floor, burning my bare feet. The smoke started as little puffs under the door. Then it poured in. It choked me, stinging my eyes. I could barely breathe. I hid in the closet, but then I remembered a fireman who visited my preschool had said to get out, not to hide. I managed to crawl along the floor to the window. I knocked the screen out and jumped. Luckily, I landed on the porch roof under my window, but when I jumped off that, I broke my wrist." She extended her left arm, which still bore a faint white scar, and let out a breath.

Ruth stretched her arm around Cam's shoulders and hugged her.

"I've been careful with fire ever since," Cam said. "And then this happened. Now Ellie will have to live with the same memories as she grows up."

"I don't think so. She wasn't abandoned. You worked together and rescued yourselves. Just like you did back then, Cam."

"I've never told anyone the story. At the time, I didn't know how the house caught on fire. My father filled me in on the details later. You can bet that babysitter was out of a job." Cam smiled, surprised at how light she suddenly felt. "Time to move forward."

Ruth nodded. Natalie ran up and caught her hand.

"Mommy, Preston let me pet him!"

As Cam watched them return to the steps, David Kosloski approached her. He asked if he could speak to Cam for a moment.

"In private," he added.

"Sure," Cam said. They moved farther down the driveway, toward the road.

David cleared his throat. "I need to apologize for being rude to you on Thursday, Cam. I have been very concerned lately."

"Does this have to do with the militia?"

A dark cloud pa.s.sed over his face. "How did you know?"

"Just go on."

"They threatened me because of a mistake I made long ago. I came to this country on a tourist visa, to my relatives in Chicago. I met Myrna, my wife, there. We married, moved here, had Eleanor. I established my business, Myrna discovered she had multiple sclerosis." His eyes held years of sadness.

"I know. I'm so sorry."

"So, I was married to a citizen, n.o.body ever questioned me, but in fact I am here illegally."

"Ellie told me a boy at school said as much."

"She never told me! The poor girl. Her mother has a fatal wasting disease, and her father is a liar." The lines around his eyes deepened.

"David," Cam said, laying a hand on his arm. "Why don't you apply for your green card? I don't really know how it all works, but you have been married for what? Almost two decades?"

He nodded.

"It might take some time, but even if you have to leave the country for a little while, your business is well established, and your employees can cover for you. Then you'd never have to worry again. You could even apply to be a citizen, if that's what you want."

David took a deep breath and his face lightened, like a weight had fallen from his shoulders. "I'll think about it. Thank you, Cam. I haven't been able to confide in anyone. I don't even know why I told you, except, well, you saved my Eleanor's life." His voice thickened.

"Hey, she saved mine, too. We're even. And I promise you I'll watch out for her. I'm getting to like the kid."

"You'll have to come to our house for dinner soon, meet Myrna. You'll like her."