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building.
    The lights in the cabin blinked on and off a few times. Eventually, they stopped and stayed on steadily again.
    “I think you have a short somewhere,” John said. “Sometimes snakes get into the wiring if a house sits empty too long.”
    “Snakes?” She looked around and shuddered at the thought. “I don’t think I like that idea.”
    He laughed. “You mean Chief Stella Griffin is afraid of something? I don’t believe it.”
    “Yeah, well, there’s a big difference between wildlife and fires.” She moved a little closer to him. She definitely needed a gun.
    “Don’t worry. I’ll have someone come out tomorrow and look around. It’s probably nothing. This place may not look it, but it’s been empty as long as I can remember. I’m amazed it’s in such great shape. The firehouse was built the same year as the cabin. Eric Gamlyn built them both, mostly by himself, from what my daddy told me.”
    “Eric Gamlyn. Tagger mentioned him tonight.”
    “The old fire chief. My dad was a member of the original Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade back about forty years ago when Gamlyn was chief.”
    “So I’m living in the old fire chief’s cabin?”
    John told her a little about his father and his memories of the old fire brigade until the two-cup coffeepot was ready.
    “Yep.” John stirred milk and sugar into the coffee that Stella had poured for him.
    “What happened to him? What happened to Eric Gamlyn?”
    “He was killed in a fire right before the county took over fire services for Sweet Pepper. Dad said Chief Gamlyn fought hard not to let that happen. When he died, the whole fire brigade fell apart. The county stepped in after that. Service to this end of the county was always spotty. We’ve needed a new fire brigade for years.”
    The lights in the cabin went wild, flashing on and off for a few minutes before finally going off completely.
    “You really have a problem up here. It could be that your alarm isn’t working right because your electric system is messed up. Maybe you should pack a bag and stay in town for the night until someone can look at your wiring.”
    The lights immediately came back on—along with some bluegrass music on the stereo.
    “It’s okay.” Stella studied the floor for movement. “I’m not really afraid of snakes.”
    “I hate to overrule you, Chief, but as a member of the fire brigade, I have to remind you that there could be an unsafe short in the wiring system, which could cause a fire hazard.”
    “You’re right,” she admitted, proud of her student. “Where will I stay on such short notice?”
    “At Flo’s bed-and-breakfast.”
    “I hope Flo will be all right with me showing up this late. She doesn’t really know me yet.” Stella could barely recall meeting Flo when she first got there.
    “Flo’s used to it. Besides, everyone in Sweet Pepper knows you, Stella. I’m sure you could tell that by all the attention you’ve gotten.”
    Stella went into the bedroom and grabbed one of her saddlebags. She stuffed a T-shirt, clean jeans, and underwear into it. It occurred to her that John hadn’t told her why he was there.
    “By the way, John, what made you come up here so late? Not that I’m complaining, since you may be saving me from snakes and other intruders,” she said when she got back into the living room where he was waiting.
    “Oh yeah. Sorry.” He took the saddlebag from her. “I almost forgot. It looks like you were right about Tory. The coroner said she’d been dead awhile before you found her. It looks like she didn’t die because of the fire.”

Chapter 5

    S tella let John convince her to leave the Harley since she wasn’t sure where Flo’s bed-and-breakfast was located. He told her he’d either come back or send someone for her in the morning. She walked out of the cabin with him and it made the forlorn sighing sound that she was getting used to. Probably just the wind blowing through the eaves, she guessed. She didn’t believe in