Page 56 of Twin Jeopardy

“No. I’m hoping we’re done with all that. Whoever it was has moved on to bothering someone else.”

She slipped her hand in his and they walked on, their lighter mood from earlier subdued. But they had a whole afternoon to regain that lighter feeling. And fireworks tonight, which never failed to lift her spirits.

“I need to stop here for a minute,” she said when she spotted the restrooms. She slipped away to the ladies’ room, leaving him waiting outside. When she emerged a few minutes later, Vince was talking to a dark-haired woman—one of the other search and rescue volunteers, Tammy remembered.

At Tammy’s approach, the woman looked up, then hurried away. Tammy stared after her. “Who was that?” she asked.

“Bethany Ames. She’s with search and rescue.”

“Why did she run away when she saw me?”

Vince made a face. “I think she was embarrassed. She asked if I wanted to watch the fireworks with her tonight. I told her I was going with you. She stammered an apology and left.”

Amused, she slipped her hand in his. “I didn’t realize I had competition.”

“No competition. Bethany isn’t my type.”

“She’s cute.”

“Yeah, but...she’s a little too intense, you know? Something about her puts me off.”

“How long have you known her?” Tammy asked.

“Not long. She just moved to town and joined the group.”

Was it a coincidence that this woman had moved to town and taken an interest in Vince at the same time someone had started harassing him?

“What is it?” Vince asked.

“Nothing?”

“Are you sure? You look worried.”

“It’s nothing.” No sense worrying Vince. She would do a little digging on her own to see what she could find out about Bethany Ames before she said anything. “Let’s go back to the music stage,” she urged. “There’s supposed to be a bluegrass band there at four. I’ve heard good things about them.”

The band deserved the praise she had heard, and she and Vince were soon tapping their toes and nodding their heads in time to the lively music. She was so engrossed that she didn’t realize Vince had received a phone call until he moved away. One look at his expression set her heart racing, and she hurried to his side.

His eyes met hers, stricken. “It’s my dad,” he told her, then spoke into the phone again. “Are you and Mom okay? All right. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

He ended the call, then pulled Tammy away from the crowd that had gathered to listen to the music. “My parents got home, and there were fire trucks lining their street. The fire was at their house.”

Chapter Eighteen

“I’m coming with you to your parents’,” Tammy said. It wasn’t a question.

“You don’t have to do that.” He dug his keys out from his jeans pocket. Was there anything else he needed to do before he left?

“I want to come,” she said.

“What about the fireworks photos?”

“Russ can take them. I want to be with you. And your parents.”

He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “Thanks. That means a lot.”

He thought she understood what he was saying. After Valerie had disappeared, Vince had been left alone, his parents distracted by grief. It became a point of pride to get through things alone. Not having to do that anymore was a special gift.

They started walking toward his car. “Dad said the fire is out and most of the damage is to one upstairs bedroom,” he said. “The rest of the house is okay except for smoke damage. He and Mom are waiting for the fire department to give them the green light to go inside.”

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