Page 136 of Head Room

“No more questions,” Shelton snapped.“Frank Jardos, you’re under arrest for suspected arson—”

Smart to go with that now, work up to other charges.

The next few minutes followed law enforcement protocols, with Tom, Mike, and me shunted to one side as unimportant but potentially interfering spectators.

Shelton didn’t ask Jardos any questions, except if he understood after being read his rights.

Too bad.I was desperate enough to hope Shelton had a brilliant question that would bring this all together in an instant.

When the officers started back toward the path beside the vehicles, Tom said, “Frank, I’ll call James Longbaugh, like I said.”

“Go ahead,” the prisoner said.“But he’ll say to keep my mouth closed.I can do that myself.”

As Richard led him away, respectfully, but handcuffed, Jardos looked back over his shoulder.

“Tell the colonel I’m fine.”

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

He’d have totell Colonel Crawford that part himself.

I’d call the colonel to say Jardos was alive and in police custody, the rest was up to the sergeant.

Shelton turned around and glared at us.A beat.Three beats.Seven.

Shelton finally turned and followed Richard and Jardos toward the official vehicles.

Still, Mike kept his voice low when he asked me, “Do you believe he didn’t talk to anybody else?”

“I do.”

“Because his denial was sharp enough to say he hadn’t wanted to involve anyone else?”

“That contributed, but mostly, who would he have talked to?Connie?She might have been a good choice, but we know from her that he didn’t.Hiram Poppinger?No way.”

“The vets?”

“I don’t see it.He sees himself as taking care of them.Probably the same reason he didn’t confide in Connie.The one person I could imagine him turning to, with his wife dead, is Colonel Crawford.”

“And if he had, Crawford wouldn’t have come to you,” Mike said.

“More accurately, to Shelton.”I expelled a breath and turned to my husband-to-be.“Tom—”

“You want to talk to Victor and Zeke again.I’ll see what I can do.”

****

Before I calledthe colonel, I had a question for Tom.

He was driving me to the western edge of the Circle B, hoping for another encounter with the vets.

Mike was heading back to the station.

I’d already made a quick call to Zeb and Iris, asking them to bring Shadow to a meeting point on our route.

Time to ask Tom, “Did Jardos contact you?”

“No.Got an idea yesterday and followed it up.”