Harm's Reach

14

Ren reached forward and took a second brochure. ‘Do you mind?’ she said. The center folded out into a map. ‘Can you show me on this exactly where the car was found?’

Kenneth paused, then pointed to the northernmost part of the property. The aorta.

‘OK, thank you,’ said Ren. ‘That area borders Pike National Forest, is that correct?’

‘Yes,’ said Kenneth.

‘And to the east — at the other side of this treeline is Evergreen Abbey?’ said Robbie.

‘Yes,’ said Kristen.

‘Are you sure that the fire was accidental?’ said Ren.

‘Yes,’ said the Faules at the same time.

‘How can you be so sure?’ said Ren.

‘The kids are supervised the entire time,’ said Kenneth. ‘There is no way they could have gotten out to that part of the property without someone noticing.’

And you believe that?

‘It happened very close to Delores Ward’s cabin on the abbey grounds,’ said Ren.

‘Yes,’ said Kenneth. ‘We let the abbey know as soon as we realized. Delores wasn’t there at the time. She wasn’t in any danger.’

‘You were lucky the flames didn’t travel any further,’ said Ren. ‘Would I be right in saying that there’s a boundary dispute between you?’

Kenneth raised his eyebrows. ‘Dispute?’ He turned to Kristen. ‘I wouldn’t call it that, sweetheart, would you?’

‘No,’ said Kristen. ‘We’ve come to an agreement with the abbey, with Eleanor. Relations are very pleasant between us still.’

So no subtle threats...

Ren nodded. ‘It would be very helpful to our investigation if, along with the staff list, we could get a full list of the residents staying here too.’

‘I’m sure it would be,’ said Kenneth, ‘but you know that’s not something we can do. For confidentiality reasons.’

‘You can understand,’ said Ren, ‘that with the issues that some of your residents may have...’ She paused. ‘I mean, these are troubled kids.’

‘They may be troubled,’ said Kristen, ‘but they’re not killers or vandals... or bank robbers, for that matter.’

‘I’m not saying they were responsible for the bank robbery,’ said Ren, ‘but arson is often linked to anger, particularly in teens, and I would venture you have your fair share of angry teens at The Darned Heart.’

‘They’re in therapy,’ said Kristen. ‘They have no need to act out.’

Are you for real? ‘Really?’ said Ren. ‘And what about the kids who have run away from the ranch?’

Kristen looked away. She let out a breath. ‘That’s different. That’s a freedom thing, it’s not about destruction. Lord knows, we all climbed out our bedroom windows at some point in our teens. Didn’t mean we were going to go on a rampage.’

‘You’re very trusting,’ said Ren.

Kristen eyeballed her. ‘And I’m proud to be.’

Ren reached down into her purse and took out a pack of cigarettes that had been there for three weeks, and still had fifteen left.

The real/trick cigarettes.

‘Excuse me,’ said Ren, ‘is there somewhere I can smoke?’ Euphemism for explore...

A flash of irritation crossed Kristen Faule’s face.

‘Of course,’ she said.

‘Do you mind, Robbie?’ said Ren.

He couldn’t help smiling wide. ‘I’ll be right here when you get back.’

Kristen led Ren down a bright hallway and pushed open a back door into a small seated smoking area. She hesitated when she saw a teenage boy sitting hunched at the end of the bench, smoking a cigarette, his head bowed. He was wearing Beats headphones and hadn’t heard them come out. He had very straight, too-dark dyed-black hair that fell to the nape of his neck. He was thin, dressed in blue jeans, a pale blue check shirt, navy blue Converse. He looked like he was trying to appear casual, but failing. The jeans looked fresh from the factory.

Kristen Faule seemed torn between sitting with Ren and leaving her there.

‘Everything at the ranch is confidential,’ she said as she turned and walked away.

‘Of course,’ said Ren. I won’t tell anyone about your knitted ways.

The boy’s cigarette was coming to an end. He turned toward the trash can. He stopped when he saw Ren. He pulled his headphones off.

Words, not music.

He turned off his iPod and put it down beside him.

‘Ma’am,’ he said. Simple, polite, slight drawl.

‘Hello,’ said Ren. What are you in for? She lit her cigarette.

‘This is a beautiful place,’ he said.

‘It is,’ said Ren. What are you in for?

‘It’s peaceful,’ he said. ‘It’s right for these kids. It’s what they need.’

‘Oh,’ said Ren. ‘You’re one of the counselors?’

He nodded. ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘Just — for the summer.’

‘You look so young,’ said Ren.

His mouth smiled, his eyes didn’t. He could have been cute, except for the starkness of his hair, the advanced age in his eyes, the air of defeat.

Looks more troubled teen than counselor.

He finished his cigarette, stubbed it several times on the side of the trash can, and put it in. He pulled out a small bottle of hand sanitizer from his jeans pocket and rubbed some into his hands.

‘Well, I’ve got a lot of experience,’ he said.

He reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind his ear. Ren saw the beginning or end of at least five raised white scars under his left shirt-sleeve.

‘I know where these kids are coming from,’ he said.

Ren nodded. ‘It’s great that they have this facility, that there’s help out there.’

‘Yes, ma’am. Are you here for work?’

‘In a manner of speaking,’ said Ren. ‘I’m part of the team investigating the shooting down on Stoney Pass Road.’

He nodded solemnly. ‘That was a terrible tragedy,’ he said. ‘Hard to believe it could happen somewhere like this.’

‘Did you speak with anyone from the Sheriff’s Office?’ said Ren.

He shook his head. ‘No, but I guess Kristen has me on their list and they’ll be coming my way. A lot of my colleagues have spoken to them already.’

He bowed, looked like he was going to tip an invisible hat, and walked away.

Strange young man. And strangely familiar.

Ren arrived back into the Kristen Faule’s office. ‘Sorry about that,’ she said. ‘I’ve tried so many times to quit...’

Kristen gave a tight smile.

Ren turned to Robbie. ‘Well, I think we’re about done here, Detective?’

He nodded. ‘Yes.’

‘If you need anything else, do let us know,’ said Kenneth.

‘Oh, we will,’ said Ren. ‘How many kids are staying here? Can I ask that at least?’

Kenneth and Kristen glanced at each other.

‘Forty-three,’ said Kenneth. It looked like Kristen had no plans to answer the question.

‘Well, thank you both for your time,’ said Ren.

Ren and Robbie walked out to the Jeep.

‘My eyes,’ said Ren. ‘Everything in that room was knitted. It’s like the yarn version of Willy Wonka’s factory.’

‘Chain smoker, Ren...’

‘Yes, I know. I met one of the — very young — counselors out there,’ she said. ‘Definitely a cutter. Scars up his arms... he looked so sad.’

‘Well, they’re probably the best ones to help,’ said Robbie. They got into the Jeep.

‘Or keep you mired in your issues,’ said Ren. ‘I’d like to see hope beaming out from every pore of my counselor. One thing I know is that the Faules are a defensive pair. I am seeing headlines: Faule from Grace.’ She started the engine and drove slowly down the drive.

‘You just want these people to be corrupt,’ said Robbie. ‘You can’t deal with the wholesomeness.’

‘What?’ said Ren. ‘Wholesomeness is a huge part of my life. It is what I aspire and fail to live up to daily.’

Robbie snorted.

What is with sweet Robbie suddenly thinking I’m a cynic?

‘OK, are you ready to put your lil-ole-lady charms to work?’ said Ren.

‘Charms...’ said Robbie.

‘Stop that,’ said Ren. ‘I guess the best thing to do is drive through the abbey grounds as far as we can to the cabin of this nun-in-everything-but-name. Actually, here — take my notebook — look to the last few pages. I wrote her name down.’

He flipped through the pages. ‘Delores Ward?’ he said. ‘Cabin Lady?’

‘That’s her,’ said Ren. ‘Best-case scenario for the Faules: a spark from dying embers set off a vehicle fire. Worst-case scenario: a kid took the car for a great escape, needed an alternative ride to get any further, tried to carjack Laura Flynn, failed, killed her, returned to the ranch and destroyed the evidence.’