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“Well, I have a few things in mind, like working on a cookbook and possibly turning my love of gardening into another small business. But nothing’s been set in stone.”

Although she’d been considering all her options, the part Katherine wasn’t ready to share was her plan to free up enough time to become a wife and mother again.

“So? What do you think?”

Zach and Beth Ann looked at each other and smiled before Zach stretched out his hand to shake Katherine’s.

“I think you’ve got yourself a deal.”

** *

After Matthew and Justin left the diner, Justin turned the black and white police cruiser toward the north side of town and drove a few miles before calling dispatch.

“Meredith? This is Macomb, are you there?”

“Right here, Justin,” the female dispatcher responded. “What can I do for you?”

“Meredith, Officer Brandon, and I are headed north down Canyon Road, and with this buggered-up radio, we may be out of reach. Can you give our excuses to the Chief if he should come lookin’ for us in the next thirty minutes?”

“Will do!” she said cheerfully. “And I’ll write up another work order to have your radio looked at. I can’t figure out why that dang thing is always on the fritz. None of the others are.”

“I know, right?” Justin forced a laugh. “I guess technology is not always our friend.”

“Isn’t that the—”

Before Meredith could finish, Justin reached out and turned the radio off. Then he pulled the car to the side of the road, got out, and went to the trunk. He had it popped open and was digging around inside before Matthew caught up with him.

“What are you doing?”

Justin didn’t answer as he moved traffic cones, a crime scene kit, flares, and other police necessities out of the way. Then he pulled back the edge of the carpet to reveal the spare tire and moved it aside. Underneath was a small stack of manila folders, covered with enough dirt and oil smudges to let Matthew know they’d been there a while.

After putting things back as they’d been, Justin marched back to the driver’s side, slid into his seat, and slammed the door shut without saying a word, followed by Matthew hurrying back to the passenger side and climbing in alongside him.

“Are you gonna tell me what’s going on or not?”

Justin took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. There was a tension in him that Matthew hadn’t seen before.

“Let me start by saying that for years, I was convinced I’d never have to share this with another living soul. But I think if you’re planning to love Katherine for the rest of your days, you better know everything there is to know about the fire that took Max Chandler’s life.”

When Justin forced the manila folders into his hands, Matthew tried to hand them back, but Justin refused to take them. “Look, Katie will tell me everything I need to know when she’s ready.”

“No, she won’t.”

“Excuse me?!” Matthew raged with anger. “You don’t know her like I do. We trust each other. And she’ll be the one to tell me whatever I need to know and when I need to know it.”

“She can only tell you what she knows,” Justin said, pointing at the information in Matthew’s hands. “And that right there, she doesn’t know about.”

Matthew looked down at the stack on his lap and, for the first time, really saw what was written on the labels of each file folder.

Chandler, Maxwell Damian

Chandler, Addison Rebecca

Chandler Fire—Residence

Chandler Fire—Investigation Results

Chandler Fire—Witness Testimonies