Read Online Vineyard Blues by Philip R. Craig - Free Book Online Page B

myself.”
    Zee smiled at him. “You want a ride to the church tonight?”
    â€œNo, thank you. Some ladies from the guild are going to pick me up and bring me back.”
    â€œFine. I hope we can get in. I think they may have a lot bigger congregation tonight than usual.”
    â€œI’ll save you a couple of seats in the front row.”
    â€œSuper,” said Zee, and we drove away.
    As we approached Arbutus Park, I could smell the sour stench of smoke. It got stronger as we turned up the bumpy sand road that led away from the highway and into the woods.
    â€œI hope the girl is okay,” said Zee. “Fire scares me more than most things. Do you know where you’re going?”
    â€œThere’s an old farmhouse up here a ways that always looked to me like a typical Ben Krane place.”
    â€œYou mean it looks like a dump and every summer it’s filled with college kids.”
    â€œThat’s what I mean.”
    â€œI guess you’re right. There’s a fire truck.”
    We stopped on the road across from the blackened ruins of the house. There wasn’t much left. A few wisps of smoke still drifted into the air, watched by some of Edgartown’s volunteer firemen. One of them was Frank Costa. He came over.
    â€œWent up like a torch,” he said. “Good thing nobody was at home.”
    â€œWhat started it?” asked Zee.
    â€œToo soon to say. Could be anything. Cigarette, bad wiring, you name it.”
    â€œArson?”
    The possibility didn’t seem to surprise Frank. “Could be, I guess. No hydrants anywhere close, pretty isolated spot, so nobody much would be around after the kids went off to that party. We had a bunch of arsons in places like this a few years back. You remember them?”
    â€œI remember.”
    He yawned. “I been here all day. I’m ready to hit the sack.” He turned and looked down the road, and when he did I could hear the sound of a car. “Well, well,” said Frank. “Here comes the owner, I do believe.”
    I looked in the rearview mirror and saw a new Land Rover coming up the road. It parked behind us and Ben Krane got out and looked angrily at the ruin.
    He was a tall, handsome man with a face like a hawk’s. He was twice divorced, but, according to gossip, women who weren’t married to him found him fascinating. He always seemed to have an attractive one around, anyway, though rarely the same one for too long. He and I bumped into each other now and then, and I had no fault to find with him other than his profession as slumlord.
    Zee’s views were stronger. She considered him a creep.
    â€œNot much left standing, Ben,” said Frank.
    â€œWhen’s the fire marshal going to get here?” snapped Ben.
    â€œNot much he can do till things cool down and he can get in there,” said Frank.
    â€œThe sooner the better. One of those damned kids probably left a cigarette someplace. I ought to make them take out insurance!”
    â€œTrust Ben to come up with another way to squeeze money out of somebody,” hissed Zee. “Come to think of it, I’m surprised he doesn’t already do that. He could do it through his own company and make money coming and going.”
    â€œDown, Fang. Maybe he’s just a shocked landlord, distraught with grief.”
    â€œBen Krane has never been distraught about anything in his life. You have to have feelings to be distraught!”
    Ben glanced our way, then came over to the car and leaned down. “Hello, J.W., what brings you out this way? Hello, Zee. Haven’t seen you for a while.”
    â€œHello, Ben,” said Zee. “No, it’s been a while. Did I hear you say you burned this place down for the insurance?”
    He managed to place a thin smile on his falcon face. “Same old Zee, always quick with the quip. These your kids? Pair of cuties. Little girl looks just like you, Zee. She’s going to