so either Ben had the insurance card in his wallet or in the car’s glove compartment.
“Of course.” Ben grimaced. “I guess I’m more rattled than I thought.”
“It’s understandable,” Mack said. He glanced over his shoulder to be sure he wasn’t needed elsewhere and noticed that Andrew McHale, the fire investigator, had arrived. Before he could point him out, Andrew disappeared around the back of the house.
“How long will it be before we can go back in the house?” Charlotte asked. “I do hope everyone will be gone by five—that’s when Ben likes to watch Judge Judy.”
“Mom,” Olivia said, gently patting her mother’s hand. “You won’t be able to go back in the house. The kitchen’s going to need a complete overhaul. It might be several weeks before the house is livable again.”
“We can’t go back in the house?” she asked in confusion. “For several weeks? Why not?”
Mack realized that Charlotte hadn’t taken in what Olivia was saying.
“The kitchen’s been destroyed,” Will said, speaking slowly and clearly.
“I know that, dear, but the rest of the house is fine.”
“Still, you can’t live there until the damage to the kitchen has been repaired.”
“But …” Charlotte turned to Ben as if asking him to plead her case.
Mack understood that she was bewildered and uncertain; she didn’t seem to understand the gravity of what had taken place.
“But … where will we go?” Charlotte asked helplessly.
“Depending on the type of insurance coverage you have, the company might pay for you to stay in a hotel while the repairs are made,” Mack explained.
“A hotel?” Charlotte shook her head as though the very idea was repugnant to her.
“Mom, you can stay with me,” Will said. “I’m close to the house and—”
“Not a good idea, Will,” Olivia cut in. “You’re living at the art gallery. That’s no place for Mom and Ben. They’ll stay with Jack and me.”
The moment Olivia mentioned her husband’s name, he drove up—almost as though he’d been summoned. The town’s newspaper editor, Jack Griffin also did reporting duty when required; in this case he would have recognized the address. Accompanied by a cameraman, Jack headed in their direction, his ever-present raincoat billowing out from his sides as he strode across the lawn.
“I suppose you’re wondering why I called this meeting,” he said, introducing a bit of humor.
Mack smothered a laugh.
“Jack, this is no time to joke,” Olivia said, then hugged him. She seemed relieved that he’d come.
“Oh, Jack, they say we can’t go back inside,” Charlotte wailed. “I’m afraid this is all my fault.”
“No one’s blaming you,” Will said.
“I want Mom and Ben to come home with us until the house is repaired,” Olivia insisted.
“By all means.” Jack reached for his reporter’s pad, a spiral-bound notebook, and had his cameraman get photos of the firefighters as they prepared to leave.
“Jack!” Olivia glared at her husband.
“What?”
“You’re not going to interview my mother, are you? Can’t you see she’s distraught?”
“Ah …” Jack Griffin had the good grace to look sheepishly at his mother-in-law. “I am a reporter, Olivia, and this is news.”
“I don’t mind, dear,” Charlotte said, placating her daughter by patting her arm. “Ben was our hero, saving Harry and me and … oh, dear. Where is Harry?”
“We’ll look for him, Mom.” She turned to her husband. “Why don’t you talk to Mack,” Olivia suggested. “He can explain about the fire.”
Mack shook his head. It would be more appropriate if Jack talked to the squad commander. “I’m sure Chief Nelson would be happy to answer your questions.” He motioned toward him, and Jack left them, hurrying toward Chief Nelson, pen in hand.
Mack saw Jack scribbling furiously during his conversation with the chief, nodding several times. Once he glanced over his shoulder at his mother-in-law and frowned, which told Mack that the cause of the fire had most likely been attributed to Charlotte—just as he’d guessed. She must have been distracted and left something, maybe the soup she’d mentioned, on the stove. He remembered that she’d talked about reading a magazine.
“You’ll be coming home with us,” Olivia was saying when Mack returned his attention to Ben and Charlotte.
“But, Olivia …”
“Mom, you can’t stay here and you can’t stay with Will. Where would you sleep?”
“It would probably be best if you went with Olivia,” Will concurred as Ben nodded. “My apartment’s pretty small with only the one bedroom. I’d sleep on the sofa if necessary, but frankly, it makes more sense for you to go home with Olivia.”
Charlotte nodded. “I’ll need to collect a few things. Ben,” she said, “will you find Harry?”
“I’ll go in with you,” Mack offered. “It’s better if you don’t go anywhere close to the kitchen until after the fire investigator’s had a chance to finish his report and the insurance people have come by.”
Then Mack joined Ben in looking for the cat. They found him a few minutes later, cowering under the front porch.
“It’s all my fault,” Charlotte was saying when they returned, shaking her head as if to erase the memory of that afternoon. “Harry!” She held out her arms for the cat. “Oh, my sweetie …” She nuzzled his broad head and then raised her eyes to Olivia. “I’m still not clear on what happened….”
“Don’t worry, Mom.”
“If Ben and I are going to be with you for several weeks, I’ll help you as much as I can,” Charlotte promised. “I’ll clean and cook and I won’t be a bother.”
“Mom, you’d never be a bother.”
“I’ll bake for Jack,” she said, her eyes lighting up with anticipation. “You know how he enjoys my baking.”
“Jack doesn’t need you baking for him, Mom.”
“Then I’ll cook him a pot roast. Jack’s fond of my pot roasts.”
“Jack’s fond of food, Mom,” Olivia said. “The fact is, I can’t think of a single thing you cook that he doesn’t dig into like a starving man.”
Charlotte beamed with pride. “Jack’s
