Page 79 of Exposure of Murder

“Sit,” Jane instructed. “I’ll get your sandwich. Water or juice?”

Bucky chuckled. “I’d really like a beer, but I guess that will have to wait a couple of days. Juice will be fine.”

Jane busied herself with getting his sandwich and a glass of juice and placed it in front of him.

“When you’re finished, I’d like to get your statement,” said Ethan.

Bucky nodded as he took a bite of his sandwich, chewing slowly.

Jane brought out the brownies and made coffee while he finished eating.

“Jane, that was delicious, thank you,” Bucky said. He blew out his breath and looked at Ethan. “I’m ready. Ask away.”

Ethan took out a small notebook. “What do you remember?”

“I was cleaning out the chicken house,” Bucky began. “I put the spent hay in the wheelbarrow and dumped it in the compost pile. Then I went up to the hayloft and threw down a bale of straw to put in the boxes for the hens.”

Bucky’s jaw tightened. “That’s when I heard a whooshing sound from the greenhouse and ran over to see what was happening. I saw a small fire and quickly ran to fill a bucket with water.” He closed his eyes as if reliving the memory. “I felt a rush of air at my back, and as I was going to turn, my world went black, and I woke up in the hospital.”

“So, you didn’t see anyone in the barn or running from it?” Ethan asked.

“No.” Bucky frowned and shook his head. He bit his lip in thought and then continued. “But there was something strange. I thought I saw a shadow lurking near the greenhouse earlier. But when I looked again, it was gone.”

“That’s all you can remember?” asked Ethan.

Bucky nodded.

Ethan rubbed his neck and leaned forward. “Do you think the shadow was a person? A man or woman?”

“A man. The shadow was too big to be a woman. And it wasn’t an animal,” Bucky replied.

Jane questioned if Bucky truly saw a person or if he just imagined it. Then the question of who would want to destroy the greenhouse crossed her mind. Was the fire accidental, as she hoped, or was someone targeting her? And if so, for what reason?

Bucky was lucky they saw the fire and rushed over to the barn. Otherwise, he would have died. She was anxious to hear what Scotty discovered but couldn’t help wondering what was next.

Forty

Scotty knocked against the kitchen door while they were finishing lunch. Jane let him in and asked if he wanted something to eat.

“No. I just came over to tell you that I believe someone fiddled with the regulator. I saw signs of tampering and suspect foul play.”

“Oh, my.” Jane gasped and started hyperventilating. Ethan rubbed her shoulders, and she relaxed.

“What’s next?” he asked.

Scotty rubbed his soot-covered face. “I’ll have some of the guys come by and pack it up. The insurance company might need to inspect it.”

“Thanks, Scotty,” said Ethan, standing up to shake hands with the fire chief before he left.

Jane was gazing into her coffee cup when he returned to his seat. “Jane, we’ll figure out what happened. I have my deputies working full-time on this.”

She nodded. “I know, but it’s too painful to think someone would be so malicious.”

“Well, I didn’t want to say anything before.” He hesitated and looked at Jane. “My brother Sean owns a security company in Burlingham. I’ve asked him to come down and install security cameras around the property.”

“Great idea,” said Bucky. He stood to take his plate to the sink. “Sorry to leave, but I’m exhausted.”

“It’s no problem,” replied Jane as she stood and took the plate from him and put it in the sink. “Have a good rest.” She stood at the sink, staring out the window.

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