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sure. “You must be Frank,” I said, grinning at him,
remembering Julia on the phone talking about a cake.
    He returned the smile and added a wink. “I am and you
must be the new girl I heard about.”
    “My name is Megan.”
    “It’s nice to meet you, Megan,” he said as he was
about to walk away. I placed a second sandwich on his plate. He looked up at
me, surprised.
    “Happy birthday.”
    He smiled again, nodded and continued down the aisle.
    “Are you going to tell me, or are you going to make me
guess?” Eddie prodded, still waiting for my answer.
    “I didn’t do anything to him. Why?”
    “Because he doesn’t seem to like you and I’ve never
seen him that way with anyone before. I’ve been coming here for two years,
since I was the getaway driver in a corner store robbery. Like you, I had to do
community service here. He was extremely helpful and kind. He really helped me
get my life together and even signed me up for a scholarship for college.” He
paused when a short bald man approached him, wanting some salad. He placed some
on his plate and continued. “I’m just finishing my first year. I’m going to be
a lawyer. A public defender actually, I want to help people. Nate has that way
about him. He inspires others to do their share. Actually, a lot of people that
volunteer here don’t come by choice.”
    I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Why was Nate
being so rude to me when he was so great to Eddie and the others? They were
here for the same reason I was. “I don’t know why he doesn’t like me. We go to
the same school, but I hadn’t spoken to him until last night.”
    “Last night?” His brow furrowed. “Oh, you’re the chick
who burned down that house.”
    I dropped the metal tongs I was holding just as I was
about to pick up a sandwich for a little girl with midnight-black ringlets.
“What are you talking about? I never started the fire.”
    “Don’t worry, I won’t judge, given my history.”
    I had picked up the tongs, but now I slammed them on
the table. The metal smacked against the wooden surface. “I didn’t. Why do you
think that?” I yelled, causing some of the other volunteers, especially Mia, to
stare in our direction.
    His face turned to confusion as he held up both hands
in surrender. “Hey, don’t look at me. I heard it from Nate. He said you told
him that.”
    “I never said anything to him.”
    “Then why are you here?”
    I sighed, hating that my life was turning into a B
movie. “The police think I know who did it and are punishing me because I won’t
give them their names.”
    “ Been there . I wouldn’t squeal back then
either. Today I might.”
    I saw Nate standing near the door of the game room.
“Can you cover for me, Eddie?” I asked, handing him the tongs I was using.
    “Sure. Give him hell.”
    “Oh, I intend to.” I marched over to Nate and shoved
him. He fell back a bit, a look of surprise on his face. “How dare you tell
people that I started that fire,” I said in a low growl. I was mad, but I
didn’t want to draw any more attention to myself.
    His familiar scowl crossed his face. “Get back to the
serving line,” he said with a dismissive tone, turning away from me.
    I grabbed his arm, making him face me again. “Why do
you think I started the fire?” I whispered.
    “You told me you did last night.” He placed his arm
against the doorjamb and the smug, I’m better than you look he was
famous for returned.
    Now I remembered Detective Carver telling me that a
witness had stated that I admitted to starting the fire. It was Nate. He was
the reason I was handcuffed, fingerprinted and spent most of the night in a
police station. I wanted to hate him for what he did, but instead, I felt the
need defend myself. I didn’t want him or anyone else to think I could do such a
thing. “No, I didn’t.”
    He rolled his eyes and sighed like he was dealing with
a four-year-old having a temper tantrum “When I stopped you from