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Oh no, she wasn’t going to let him get out a single excuse. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Sure, she didn’t have a telephone, but he knew where her apartment was, could have knocked on the door, and she’d have been up in a flash.
“It was late. I knew you’d be asleep and—”
“Don’t you think I would have wanted someone to wake me up?”
“I was helping the fire crew,” he protested, as if she couldn’t tell from the layers of sweat and grime that clung to him.
“The whole time? Ever since midnight?”
He ducked his head like a man avoiding gunfire. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry we let the library burn down without your supervision.” She glared until he added, “And I’m glad you’re here now.”
The way he smiled like he really meant it took some of the aggravation clean out of her. “Just don’t let it happen again.”
“That seems like a safe promise.” They both looked out at the library. It wasn’t in heaps, at least, though you could see part of the stoved-in roof from the street, the rest soggy from the fire hoses. Inside, judging from the state of the firemen, it was probably worse.
Still, maybe the books in the storage closet got off all right.
She tilted her head at Freddy, like she was trying to get a crick out of her neck instead of studying him a little closer. “You all right, then? I heard you were quite the hero.”
Avis, who was spared Ginny’s angry speech because she looked plumb tired out, had filled her in on some of what had happened the night before, the bits her landlady didn’t know, about saving Gio and all.
“I only wish we’d have gotten here before the fire spread.” Freddy wasn’t watching her anymore, and she followed his gaze to where Louise was talking to one of the firemen. As she surveyed the landscape, Louise looked over, nodded at them, and—wonder of all wonders—actually smiled.
Either she was happy the library had gone and burned or...
“You told her, didn’t you?” she demanded.
He nodded. “We’ve got a lot of lost time to make up. A lot of questions to answer. But you were right—it felt good to tell the truth.”
She scoffed at that. “Of course I was right. I’m always right.”
“I don’t know yet if she’ll want others to know who I am. So if you wouldn’t mind...”
Story as scandalous as that would rock a town like Derby, sure enough. Between that and the fire, they’d have enough to jaw about for years. Still, it was up to Louise. “Don’t worry about me. I can be as silent as the dead when I mean to.” At Freddy’s expression, she tacked on, “Which isn’t often, but this is serious.” No one ever accused Ginny Atkins of being a busybody.
At the moment, Louise looked too involved in conversation with the animated fire chief to do much deep thinking about her long-lost son.
“We should help,” Freddy said, which Ginny allowed was probably right. “That is, if you’re done lecturing me.”
And Ginny found that she was done, all her anger worn out in one burst. “Sorry for biting your head off. It just makes a person mad, someone destroying their home like this and all.”
Freddy raised his eyebrows. “I thought Long Island was home.”
Well, what was she supposed to say to that? “It was. Always will be.”
“But...” he prompted, his good eye gleaming far too much for her comfort.
“Maybe this can be home too. For a while.”
The nod he gave her felt like a promise. This conversation wasn’t done—but it was started. And that was something.
She shivered, wishing she’d brought a sweater. That was Maine for you. One day, it was all sunbathers and shell collectors, the next you were layering like it was twice as cold as zero. Another reminder that winter was coming, and soon Freddy would be gone.
Hamish intercepted them on their way over to Louise, handing them a tarp with only a few curt words and a gesture to tell them what it was for.
She took one corner while Freddy took the opposite, rolling it out. “Bet it’ll take months to rebuild this place.”
“At least,” he agreed. Didn’t add anything more.
