AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Gardening refreshes the soul—and the body.”
“That’s not what I asked. And what about your wrist?” Despite the spark in her eyes, fatigue was evident in her features.
“Put away your interrogation skills with me, young man. I kept the elastic bandage on my left wrist and only used myright hand for pruning. Being out in the fresh air and working with my flowers is wonderful medicine.”
“Unless you overdo it.”
“I didn’t. I’ve only been out there for half an hour. I won’t push it until I get my stamina back, and I’ll take a nap when I need one. Like now.” She tipped her head. “You look as if you could do with a nap too. Whatever case took you out at the crack of dawn must have kept you hopping.”
“It was an eventful day.” He gripped the back of the chair beside him. “I’d like to tell you about it, unless you’d rather take that nap first.”
Her gaze flicked down to the fingers he’d wrapped around the chair. Returned to his face. “The nap can wait.” She set her gardening gloves on the table, claimed a chair, and waited expectantly.
Marc’s pulse picked up as he pried his fingers off the chair, pulled it out, and sat. “I drove to Kansas City this morning.”
Her eyes widened. “Good heavens. I thought most of your cases were in the city, or at least nearby.”
“The ones I handle for work are. This one was personal. I’ve had the file on my desktop since the day I joined the ATF.”
The flush faded from her cheeks, and a slash of pain ricocheted through her eyes. “Oh, Marc. The house fire.” She laid her hand over his.
“Yes.”
“You never let that go.”
“No. But I never found any answers, either. Until today.”
“Tell me what happened.”
He relayed the whole story, beginning with the phone call yesterday up to the moment he’d walked out the door of Joseph Butler’s house.
When he finished, Nan didn’t say a word. After a few seconds, she picked up the long-stemmed rose, walked to the sink, and rummaged around in the cabinet underneath untilshe found a bud base. Filled it with water and slid the stem in, keeping her back to him.
“Nan?”
Slowly she turned, vase in hand.
Tears were streaming down her cheeks.
His gut clenched, and he vaulted to his feet. “Nan, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—”
“Sit.” She waved him back down, carried the vase to the table, and joined him again. “I needed a few moments to take in everything you said.” She fished a tissue out of her pocket and dabbed at her lashes. “It’s quite a shock after all these years to finally learn what happened that night. I assumed we’d never find out the truth.”
“I did too, until that call came in from out of the blue.”
She fingered one of the rose petals poised to unfurl. “So your grandfather’s prayers and mine were answered.” Her voice was soft. “The person did repent. I’m glad.”
As Bri had suspected, that piece of news had given her comfort.
But didn’t the rest bother her?
While Nan examined the delicate petal, Marc frowned at the thorns along the stem, mind whirling.
Why wasn’t she angry, as he was, that the man had hidden his deed for a quarter of a century, lived a life of deception?
“You think I should be upset, don’t you?”
At Nan’s quiet question, he refocused on her. “I guess I’m a little surprised you’re not. He never paid for his crime. He went on to live a normal and happy life despite all the pain and death he caused. That wasn’t right.”
