Alex Barclay - Harm's Reach

‘She may have been coming here speculatively,’ said Kenneth. ‘That’s happened before. People become aware of the ranch for whatever reason and they drop in their résumé, but it’s unusual.’

‘Obviously, we get emails...’ said Kristen.

‘Would you mind checking your inbox, just to confirm that?’ said Ren.

‘I can do that right now,’ said Kristen, going to her desk. She called up her email. ‘OK, I’ve typed in her name — nothing here.’

She sat back down beside her husband.

‘How many staff do you have working here?’ said Ren.

‘Twenty-eight, not obviously all on at the same time,’ said Kristen. ‘That includes canteen staff, cleaners, myself and Kenneth. In terms of the residents, we’re obliged to have a ratio of one staff member to every four.’

‘We provided the Sheriff’s Office with a full list in the last half hour,’ said Kenneth.

‘We appreciate that,’ said Robbie.

‘We’d also like to talk to you about the burning vehicle,’ said Ren.

‘Oh,’ said Kristen.

‘What happened?’ said Ren.

‘It was a disaster,’ said Kenneth. ‘We have a fire pit that the kids sit around certain nights, you know, sing songs, tell stories, that kind of thing. Whatever happened, I guess the fire was still smoldering after last night, Kendall’s car was too close, it went up.’ He shrugged. ‘It was an accident, and we’re going to compensate Mr Kendall.’

‘Well, we’ll see what the lab comes back with,’ said Ren.

‘With respect, I think that’s probably a waste of resources at a time like this,’ said Kenneth.

Hello?

‘A car was found burnt out after the robbery at Conifer,’ said Ren. ‘That’s only a few miles from here. And with the shooting of the young woman...’

Kenneth glanced at his wife. ‘OK... I’m sorry. I guess so.’

‘So, are you having construction work carried out at the ranch?’ said Ren.

‘Yes,’ said Kenneth.

‘We’re building a theater,’ said Kristen, her eyes bright. ‘We’re going to expand our drama program. And we’d like to invite traveling theater companies or bands or singers to come here and perform for the kids.’

‘That’s wonderful,’ said Ren. ‘Could you email us the names of all those who are working on the site?’

Sorry to burst your bubble, Disney girl, but I’m not here to chat about Glee club .

Ren reached forward and took a second brochure. ‘Do you mind?’ she said. The center folded out into a map. ‘Can you show me on this exactly where the car was found?’

Kenneth paused, then pointed to the northernmost part of the property. The aorta.

‘OK, thank you,’ said Ren. ‘That area borders Pike National Forest, is that correct?’

‘Yes,’ said Kenneth.

‘And to the east — at the other side of this treeline is Evergreen Abbey?’ said Robbie.

‘Yes,’ said Kristen.

‘Are you sure that the fire was accidental?’ said Ren.

‘Yes,’ said the Faules at the same time.

‘How can you be so sure?’ said Ren.

‘The kids are supervised the entire time,’ said Kenneth. ‘There is no way they could have gotten out to that part of the property without someone noticing.’

And you believe that?

‘It happened very close to Delores Ward’s cabin on the abbey grounds,’ said Ren.

‘Yes,’ said Kenneth. ‘We let the abbey know as soon as we realized. Delores wasn’t there at the time. She wasn’t in any danger.’

‘You were lucky the flames didn’t travel any further,’ said Ren. ‘Would I be right in saying that there’s a boundary dispute between you?’

Kenneth raised his eyebrows. ‘Dispute?’ He turned to Kristen. ‘I wouldn’t call it that, sweetheart, would you?’

‘No,’ said Kristen. ‘We’ve come to an agreement with the abbey, with Eleanor. Relations are very pleasant between us still.’

So no subtle threats...

Ren nodded. ‘It would be very helpful to our investigation if, along with the staff list, we could get a full list of the residents staying here too.’

‘I’m sure it would be,’ said Kenneth, ‘but you know that’s not something we can do. For confidentiality reasons.’

‘You can understand,’ said Ren, ‘that with the issues that some of your residents may have...’ She paused. ‘I mean, these are troubled kids.’

‘They may be troubled,’ said Kristen, ‘but they’re not killers or vandals... or bank robbers, for that matter.’

‘I’m not saying they were responsible for the bank robbery,’ said Ren, ‘but arson is often linked to anger, particularly in teens, and I would venture you have your fair share of angry teens at The Darned Heart.’

‘They’re in therapy,’ said Kristen. ‘They have no need to act out.’

Are you for real? ‘Really?’ said Ren. ‘And what about the kids who have run away from the ranch?’

Kristen looked away. She let out a breath. ‘That’s different. That’s a freedom thing, it’s not about destruction. Lord knows, we all climbed out our bedroom windows at some point in our teens. Didn’t mean we were going to go on a rampage.’

‘You’re very trusting,’ said Ren.

Kristen eyeballed her. ‘And I’m proud to be.’

Ren reached down into her purse and took out a pack of cigarettes that had been there for three weeks, and still had fifteen left.

The real/trick cigarettes .

‘Excuse me,’ said Ren, ‘is there somewhere I can smoke?’ Euphemism for explore...

A flash of irritation crossed Kristen Faule’s face.

‘Of course,’ she said.

‘Do you mind, Robbie?’ said Ren.

He couldn’t help smiling wide. ‘I’ll be right here when you get back.’

Kristen led Ren down a bright hallway and pushed open a back door into a small seated smoking area. She hesitated when she saw a teenage boy sitting hunched at the end of the bench, smoking a cigarette, his head bowed. He was wearing Beats headphones and hadn’t heard them come out. He had very straight, too-dark dyed-black hair that fell to the nape of his neck. He was thin, dressed in blue jeans, a pale blue check shirt, navy blue Converse. He looked like he was trying to appear casual, but failing. The jeans looked fresh from the factory.

Kristen Faule seemed torn between sitting with Ren and leaving her there.

‘Everything at the ranch is confidential,’ she said as she turned and walked away.

‘Of course,’ said Ren. I won’t tell anyone about your knitted ways.

The boy’s cigarette was coming to an end. He turned toward the trash can. He stopped when he saw Ren. He pulled his headphones off.

Words, not music.

He turned off his iPod and put it down beside him.

‘Ma’am,’ he said. Simple, polite, slight drawl.

‘Hello,’ said Ren. What are you in for? She lit her cigarette.

‘This is a beautiful place,’ he said.

‘It is,’ said Ren. What are you in for?

‘It’s peaceful,’ he said. ‘It’s right for these kids. It’s what they need.’

‘Oh,’ said Ren. ‘You’re one of the counselors?’

He nodded. ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘Just — for the summer.’

‘You look so young,’ said Ren.

His mouth smiled, his eyes didn’t. He could have been cute, except for the starkness of his hair, the advanced age in his eyes, the air of defeat.

Looks more troubled teen than counselor.

He finished his cigarette, stubbed it several times on the side of the trash can, and put it in. He pulled out a small bottle of hand sanitizer from his jeans pocket and rubbed some into his hands.