The Fixer's Daughter: A Mystery Novel by Hy Conrad

Author:Hy Conrad [Conrad, Hy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mason Hill Inc.
Published: 2020-09-09T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

With her jaw clenched and her hands gripping the wheel, Callie turned left from the road onto the drive. As always, the canopy of oaks framed the view, but the full view was blocked by a fire department pumper, its hose snaked along the gravel. She assumed that other response vehicles had been on the scene and that this was the last.

Okay, not too bad, she thought as she drew closer. Most of the damage was on the ground floor. The windows of her father’s study had been blown out, the frames burned away and the smoky openings in the stone facade circled in black. The front hall windows were in the same condition and the charred remains of the front door lay splintered in the doorway, several pieces of it lying in a shallow pool of water. The room on the other side of the front hall, the day room, had fared better. The windows were gone, yes, but the soot around them wasn’t as thick and there was no smoke, at least none that she could see.

To one side of the drive were State’s car and a large SUV, red and white with “Fire Marshal” printed on the side. She had expected a few news vans. Even a small fire at Lawrence “Buddy” McFee’s home would be news. But Gil must have said something to the first responders. There wasn’t a reporter in sight – except her, she reminded herself.

Her brother stood by the open rear hatch, a uniformed fire official by his side, both of them bending over something in the rear section. They straightened up just as Callie got out of her truck.

“Callie.” State rushed over to meet her. “Where have you been?”

“To see Dad and Gil of course. And then…” For the second time today she’d been caught in traffic, this time on the 35. “Sorry. Is Angus still here? He’s not in the back of the truck, is he? I’m not sure I want to see.” She backed away and balled her fists. “Does that make me bad, not wanting to say good-bye to the poor old boy? I should say good-bye.”

“No, no, no.” He opened his arms and she fell into them. “It doesn’t make you anything. Angus was a good boy.”

“He was.” The tears were welling, but she didn’t have time for this indulgence. Later maybe, alone, over a few glasses of wine. She pulled out of his embrace. “Tell me he’s not in the truck.”

“Someone from the vet’s office took him away. They’ll want to know how to… You don’t have to decide now. This isn’t the time.”

“How to dispose of his remains? Is that what you were going to say?”

“They need to know about burial or cremation.”

“Cremation of a burned dog? Oh, my God, I can’t even think about that.”

“I had the same reaction,” State said and stepped back toward the SUV. “The chief and I were going over stuff. Want to join us?”

“Sure.” It would be a welcome distraction.

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