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pull up the old case file. He took out his phone and called her.
    "What's up, Sean?"
    "I need your help."
    "Seriously? You never need anyone's help. What's wrong?"
    "Nothing's wrong. I just have a question. Are you at home?"
    "On my way. I should be there in about ten minutes."
    "I'll meet you there."
    "See you then."
    He hung up the phone and walked quickly back to his car. It might be smarter to leave the Emery fire in the past. On the other hand, he'd already tried that, and his emotional reaction today had only reminded him that he'd never completely gotten over what he'd seen that night.
    But how Stacy had ended up in the middle of that inferno was something he'd never really questioned. Was there more to know?
     
    * * *
    Jessica spent a half hour in the attic and soon realized that the job was going to be long and tedious. She'd only looked in a couple of boxes, but it became quickly apparent that Mrs. Emery had dumped piles of papers into boxes without any attempt at organization. Jessica would need to pace herself. Twenty years worth of junk wasn't going to get cleared out in a day.
    Grabbing one of the smaller boxes, she headed downstairs. She'd peruse the contents while having a glass of iced tea and one of Lynda's sandwiches. After that, she would focus on getting her own life settled before digging any further into the past.
    She had just reached the first floor entryway when the doorbell rang. Her pulse quickened. Had Sean come back? She couldn't imagine who else would be calling on her.
    She set the box down and opened the door. It wasn't Sean on the porch, but an attractive middle-aged woman with dark red hair and bright green eyes. Despite being dressed in workout clothes, she had on a thick layer of make-up, and a pair of diamond earrings sparkled in the sunlight.
    "Hello," Jessica said. "Can I help you?"
    "I'm Sally Watson. I live next door." She tipped her head to the white two-story house on the other side of Jessica's driveway. "Are you Helen's new tenant?"
    "Yes. I'm Jessica Schilling."
    "It's nice to meet you, Jessica."
    "You, too."
    "I'm so sad that Helen had to move out. I'm going to miss her so much. We've been neighbors for twenty years. She's such a sweetheart, practically a grandmother to my children. Anyway, I wanted to come by and say hello. This is a nice neighborhood, and we try to watch out for each other. Helen told me that you have a child?"
    "A six-year-old son. His name is Kyle."
    "That's such a cute age. I miss having little kids around. My husband and I have had an empty nest for two years now. Our three girls are in their twenties. You'll probably see Christie at some point. She's our middle child and only lives a few miles away. She's about your age—twenty-five?"
    "I'm twenty-seven," Jessica said.
    "You had your little boy young."
    She shrugged, not really wanting to get into the whole story of how she'd come to be Kyle's stepmother. Instead, she said, "Are there any other children in the neighborhood?"
    "There are a couple of kids. Not as many as when my children were small. Times have changed."
    "I thought I saw a boy across the street."
    "That's Grayson. He's eight. He's Brett's stepson."
    "Brett?" she queried.
    "Brett Murphy, our local hero, at least that's what he thinks," she added, an edge of bitterness in her voice. "He's lived here for years, mostly alone. His first wife, Natasha, left him a long time ago. Adrienne and Grayson are his second family. Of course Adrienne is young and beautiful. Brett always goes for the trophy." Sally's gaze drifted across the street, and for a moment she seemed lost in thought. Then she gathered herself together and said, "Anyway, there are a couple of other children at the end of the block. I'm sure your boy will find some friends to play with."
    "I'm sure he will." She didn't know what to make of Sally. The woman's friendly smile didn't quite ring true. "Thanks for stopping by."
    "No problem. So, Helen told me you're going to clean out her