Read Online Trial by Fire by Norah McClintock - Free Book Online Page B

Ashleigh said. “She’s spending the night at my house. She’s not leaving
town. You two can get together another time.”
    “Can we?” Charlie asked me shyly.
    Suddenly I felt just as shy. He was cute. He was fun. And he was spunky enough to
have taken on Mike Winters.
    “Sure,” I said. “You know where I live.”
    We said goodnight and walked back along the beach to Ashleigh’s house, where we settled
down for the night. I called Aunt Ginny, who promised to drop off my bike the next
morning so I could get back home—she had to work. Ashleigh was snoring softly almost
as soon as her head hit the pillow. I lay awake wondering what would happen when
I went to the police station to try to press charges against Mike Winters for trashing
Mr. Goran’s stall. I wondered too how it might affect Aunt Ginny, who was doing her
best to get accepted.

EIGHT
    Ashleigh’s parents were welcoming and unobtrusive, and her mother was a great cook.
She made waffles for breakfast, with maple syrup and fresh fruit.
    Aunt Ginny arrived exactly when she said she would and insisted on meeting the Wainwrights.
They welcomed her as warmly as they had me and offered her breakfast. Aunt Ginny
looked longingly at the waffles and genuine maple syrup and sniffed the freshly brewed
coffee even more longingly. But she glanced at her watch and said, “I have to be
on duty in five minutes.”
    “Oh. Are you a nurse?” Mrs. Wainwright asked.
    A look of annoyance flickered across Aunt Ginny’s face.
    “Police officer,” she said. “Detective.”
    “How interesting,” Mrs. Wainwright said. “You and Riley will have to come to supper
sometime, and you can tell us all about it.”
    Aunt Ginny looked at the waffles again. Although she was a terrible cook, she had
an eye for expertly prepared food, so I’m sure she relished the prospect of dining
with the Wainwrights. What she would never relish, however, was discussing her job
with a couple of mere civilians. I wondered if it would deter her from accepting
an invitation.
    I thanked Ashleigh’s parents and left with Aunt Ginny. She started to unload my bike
from the back of her car, but I stopped her.
    “I need to go to the police station first,” I said.
    “What for?”
    “I want to get someone charged with…” What would be the proper charge? Vandalism?
Destruction of property?
    “With what?” Aunt Ginny’s eyes narrowed. “Did something happen at that party last
night?”
    “No.”
    “Riley?” She wasn’t going anywhere until I answered her, even if it meant she would
be late for work.
    I told her about meeting Mike Winters and that he was the ringleader for what had
happened at the market.
    Aunt Ginny sighed. “You should talk to Brian Shears. He took your report, didn’t
he? Let him arrest this boy.”
    “I don’t think he’ll do it.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because he’s Mike Winters’ uncle.”
    Aunt Ginny gave me a sharp look.
    “Are you saying you don’t think a police officer will do his job because his nephew
is involved?”
    “He didn’t take me seriously when I reported the incident. I bet he knew it was Mike.”
    “He’s a cop. He’ll do his job. But you’re not the person to lay charges. It was Aram’s
property. He should do it.”
    “Okay. So let’s call him.”
    “Riley, I don’t know if you understand what’s going on here, but from what I gather,
the Gorans aren’t exactly in the running for neighbors of the year. There’s a lot
of resentment against them.”
    “So?”
    She shook her head. “So nothing, I guess.” But the reluctance in her voice made me
wonder. “We’ll call Aram from the station.”
    We drove to the police station, and I followed Aunt Ginny inside. I spotted Brian
Shears almost immediately. He wasn’t in uniform. Aunt Ginny called to him.
    “ Detective McFee.” There was something grating about the way he emphasized her rank,
as if he were mocking her. “Who have you got here?” He shifted his eyes to me.