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water.”
    “No trouble.” She reappeared, a ten ounce bottle in her hand. “Emmy’s at preschool, so I’m glad for the company.” She unscrewed the bottle and poured the contents over the ice cubes before handing the glass to me. Then she poured herself some wine, sat beside me, and lifted her glass. “Are you sure you wouldn’t like something a little stronger?”
    “No, thank you. This is fine.” I took a couple of swallows before setting down my drink. “I should be getting back soon. I borrowed my friend’s car.”
    “Of course. Just a second. I wanted to talk to you about something.” She guzzled the rest of her wine then hopped up to grab the wine bottle from the built-in wine cooler under the counter. This time she didn’t pour herself more; she brought the bottle with her, sat, and refilled her glass. “Sorry. I’m so thirsty. I had nachos for lunch. Salty.”
    Carrie was drinking a lot, considering how early it was. Was that normal for her?
    “Sure. What did you want to talk about?” Watching her down a second full glass of wine, I took a handful of swallows of cola. It was cool, crisp. Just right on a muggy day like this. Before I realized it, I was staring at a glass full of ice—only ice. I licked my upper lip.
    “Hmmm.” She scrunched up her nose. “I don’t know how to say this...”
    “Say what?” A shiver of unease burned up my spine. One part of me wanted to leave. But then again, this was Clay’s sister. They had a rough relationship. And yet she’d been so nice to me when I needed help. I might be able to help smooth things over between them. Wouldn’t that be a good thing? “It’s okay, Carrie,” I reassured her.
    “I can trust you, can’t I?”
    “Absolutely.”
    “Okay.” She sighed. “It’s about the fire. At Silver Sage.”
    I perked up. Had she heard something? A rumor? Earlier, when I’d told her about the fire, she’d acted as if she hadn’t known anything.
    “What about it? Do you know who did it?”
    She nodded. “I do.”
    My heart literally did a triple-flip in my chest. “Then you have to tell the authorities. It was arson.”
    “Yes. It was.” Her throat worked as she swallowed.
    “I’ll go with you if you’re afraid,” I offered, sensing she was reluctant to tell me what she knew. “Were you threatened if you told what you knew?”
    “No. It’s nothing like that.” She inhaled. Exhaled.
    I waited, my breath caught in my throat.
    Carrie knew! I was a second away from finding out who had torched my house. And maybe she’d even know why.
    The bad guy wasn’t going to get away with it. Not this time. For once, the bad would be punished. And the innocent protected. I’d learned in life that this kind of justice didn’t come around very often.
    And I had Clay’s sister to thank for it.
    “Um, the person who started the fire…?” she said, softly. “It was…me.”
     

 
     
     
     

Chapter 5
    Everything went black for one, two, three seconds. Or was it hours? I didn’t know. I was literally struck dumb with shock.
    Carrie had set fire to my house? Carrie ? Clay’s sister?
    That couldn’t be true.
    I’d misunderstood.
    Or she was lying.
    Or…or she’d done it by accident.
    No, she was lying. She had to be.
    But why?
    Carrie smiled.
    Oh, she was joking !
    It was a rotten joke. A cruel joke.
    I shook my head. “Do you think this is funny?”
    “No. I’m sure it isn’t funny. Not for you.” She patted my knee.
    “Why would you say that, then? Why make such a stupid joke?”
    “It isn’t a joke. Whatever gave you that idea?” She stood, snatched our glasses and carried them to the kitchen.
    I stammered, uttering nonsense syllables as I watched her. It wasn’t a joke? Carrie did start the fire?
    Why?
    No, it didn’t matter why! She was a bitch! An arsonist.
    “Why!” I blurted as I scrambled to comprehend what was going on. “I don’t understand. Why would you do this to me? Why?”
    “I wasn’t doing anything to