A Second Chance House

by Stacey Wilk

  He hated leaving Cash behind in Heritage River, but the boy was practically a man, and Blaise had to start trusting him sometime. His son deserved a second chance.

  He turned up the heat on the water and let it scald his skin. When he couldn’t stand it a minute longer, he hopped out and wrapped a towel around his middle. His phone lay quiet, and he tried to ignore the disappointment taking up residence in his chest from the lack of communication from Grace. Had she left yet? He wanted to call her, but he couldn’t give her what she needed. She deserved a man who could be with her all the time. That wasn’t him at the moment.

  He dressed and went downstairs. He’d stop at the steak house down the street and get a porterhouse and mashed potatoes smothered in gravy. He’d top it off with dessert. Too bad he didn’t drink. He wanted to wash it all down with a beer.

  One step at a time. Focus on this moment. He looked down at his hands. Everything he needed, he had. Bullshit.

  ****

  “Let’s make some noise for your favorite band and mine. Savage!”

  The crowd’s roar shook the walls, threatening to blow off the roof. Blaise stepped onto the stage with Colton, Patrick, and Troy. The lights were blinding, but he could make out the seats up at the back of the theater. The place was packed. A smaller place than they used to play, but the fans had showed.

  His insides vibrated. There was no place like the stage. Nothing in the whole world compared to the crowd chanting his name. They waved to the audience, and Colton let a chord rip. Blaise climbed up behind his oversized drum kit and rolled his sticks between his fingers.

  It was good to be back.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Grace blinked her eyes open. The lake surface glimmered from the glow of the night sky filled with stars and a half moon. The ground was hard and cool beneath her. She pushed herself up and shook sand from her clothes. Her neck groaned when she turned it. She was too old to be doing stupid things like falling asleep on the hard earth.

  It was time to go back and face the music. She slid into the car and turned her phone back on, secretly hoping Blaise had called.

  Her screen lit up. Chloe had called three times but hadn’t left a message. Grace turned the ignition key and eased the car back down the dirt road.

  Her phone lit up again. “Chloe, what’s up?”

  “Mom, oh my God. The house. It’s on fire. You’ve got to come home right now.” Chloe yelled into the phone over the sounds of sirens and shouts.

  She hit the brakes. “What? How is the house on fire?” There must be a mistake. Was this a joke? She slammed down the gas pedal, and the car lurched forward.

  “Can you hear me? The house. It’s on fire. Where are you? I’ve been trying you for like thirty minutes. When are you coming home?”

  “Are you all right? Were you in the house when it started?” Grace yanked on the wheel to turn left, and the tires squealed in protest.

  “I’m fine. When I got here, I saw the smoke and called nine-one-one. The sheriff and the fire department arrived at the same time.”

  “I’m so glad you’re okay. I’m on my way. I’ll be there soon.”

  ****

  Red and blue lights threw up their brightness all over Dogwood Drive. Sheriff vehicles and two firetrucks blocked the road. Grace swerved to the curb and jumped out of the car, leaving the door open, and ran. The smell of burnt wood permeated the air. Smoke drifted up through the branches of the poplars. Neighbors, wearing their pajamas, lined the sidewalk across the street from her house. Her house.

  She pushed through some of the deputies and firefighters standing back.

  “Hey,” someone called after her.

  “Chloe.” She grabbed Chloe by the shoulders and turned her around. “My God. Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine, Mom. Really. The house is another thing. All that work for nothing.”

  “What happened?”

  “I don’t know. Cash and I were having dinner at Jake’s. We had a stupid fight. He left. When I realized he wasn’t coming back, I came home. You know the rest.”

  “Excuse me, ma’am. I’m Captain Hanover. Are you the owner?” A tall man with black curly hair and the greenest eyes she had ever seen stood beside her. He wore his full firefighter gear, and his face was smudged with soot.

  Was she technically still the owner? “I live here.”

  “She’s the owner.” Beau’s voice traveled over the noise.

  Grace turned to him. “What are you doing here?”

  “Ma’am, we’ve contained the fire. There was only some damage to the kitchen and one bedroom. Could’ve been a lot worse.”

  “What started it?”

  “We’ll start looking once things cool down a bit. For tonight, you’ll want to find another place to stay. We don’t want you inside until we can search the place. We’ll be back in the morning.” He turned and walked to the group of firefighters now rolling up the hose and stripping pieces of their gear off.

  “Hanover, over here,” a male voice shouted from somewhere near the house.

  Captain Hanover ran in the direction of the shouts. Grace scanned the crowd still standing and gaping at the house. Jud stood huddled with some friends, their heads bent together.

  “You two can stay at my place.” Beau’s voice dragged her gaze away.

  “Thanks, but I think we’ll just get a hotel room.” She wasn’t ready for his kindness. His words still stung. She hadn’t even had a chance to tell Chloe what she knew.

  “Nonsense.” He glanced at Chloe, then back at her. “We’re practically family.”

  “Mom, I don’t want to stay at a hotel.”

  Of course she doesn’t. Grace’s head hurt. She needed time to think and make a plan. “Someone should call Hoke and tell him about the house. He’ll need to be involved.” She hoped their things hadn’t been completely ruined. Would they be able to get in the house tomorrow to grab them? She still wanted to get on the road. Now there was more reason than ever.

  “I’ll call Hoke in the morning. For now, come back to my house.” Beau put a hand on Chloe’s shoulder, ready to lead her away.

  Cash came running down the street. “What happened?” His chest heaved in between words.

  “The house caught fire,” Chloe said.

  “Who would set the house on fire?” He rubbed his side.

  “That’s what we want to know.” Captain Hanover returned holding up a gold lighter smeared with soot. He eyed Cash dressed head to toe in black, his thick eyeliner smeared from sweating. “Found this by the kitchen. It’s what started the fire. Whoever did this wasn’t trying too hard to hide it.”

  “That’s my grandfather’s lighter.” Cash reached out and wiped the soot away to reveal an engraved S.

  “He likes to play with fire,” Jud shouted from his spot on the sidewalk. His buddies bent over laughing and slapped him on the back. Yeah, hilarious.

  “Ask the loser about it.”

  “Jud, shut up.” Grace said.

  The sheriff sauntered up to them and glued his stare on Cash. “Where you been tonight, boy?”

  “He was with me.” Chloe jumped in.

  “I’d like to hear it from him, miss.”

  “I was with Chloe until an hour ago. Then I was just walking around. I sat at the park for a while.”

  “In the dark?” the sheriff said.

  “I needed to think.”

  “Sheriff, he didn’t do this,” Grace said.

  The sheriff hitched up his pants. “I’m not saying he did. I just want to know where he was.”

  She stood between Cash and the sheriff. “You don’t need to know any such thing. He isn’t a suspect because he didn’t do it.”

  “He’s started fires before. Why not this one?”

  “I didn’t do this. Are you crazy?”

  The neighbors had moved in for a closer view. Grace wanted to scream at them to go back in their homes. Mind their own business. Someone had taken a picture with their pho
ne.

  “You’re the pyro, cousin. My money’s on you.” Jud had moved in closer.

  “Jud, go home.” Grace gritted her teeth. She yanked her phone out of her pocket and dialed Blaise. It rang and rang, finally landing in voice mail. Damn. She hung up.

  “Jud, you think this boy started the fire?” The sheriff spoke to Jud as if he were an authority.

  “I think he did. He started a fight with me the other day and got me fired. He’s always causing trouble. He set that house on fire back where he lives, and he got sent here to do community service at the library. Who else would do it?”

  Cash clenched his fists. “Why would I set Grace’s house on fire? I like her, and my dad likes her.”

  Jud shrugged. “Maybe it was ’cause her daughter didn’t like you.”

  Cash lunged. Beau grabbed him. Jud jumped back. “See? See? He’s always starting something. Why not another fire?”

  The sheriff grabbed Cash by the collar. “Let’s go to the station and talk this out. Give you some time to cool down from whatever it is got you pissed off. You can tell me more about that lighter.”

  Cash yanked away. “You can’t take me in. I didn’t do anything.”

  “You can’t talk to him without his father present. Cash is still a minor.” Grace jumped in again.

  “He can call his father from the station. We’ll conference him in.” The sheriff led Cash away.

  “I’ll go with him,” Beau said. “Try Blaise again.”

  Grace called Blaise three more times. “Answer, please.” But the call ended in the voice mail again. He must’ve been on stage by now. Or he just wasn’t answering any calls from her.

  The crowd had thinned out once the fire trucks had left. Jud and his friends stayed until the last person walked away.

  Grace turned to Chloe. “What did you two fight about? Tell me because his life could depend on it.” The idea that Cash could get in trouble for this was choking her. She had to prove to the sheriff it wasn’t Cash. Never would be.

  “He’s still mad at his dad for leaving. I tried to make him understand, but he didn’t want to hear me. I said he has to learn to accept his dad for who he is. Focus on the good stuff Blaise does and not the bad stuff. I mean, Blaise went back on the road for Cash, didn’t he? That’s what I’m trying to do with Dad. He’s not perfect, but he’s still my dad.”

  Grace’s heart swelled. “You’re one smart young lady. I’m so proud of you. Let’s get down to the station and see if we can’t help out. I’ll keep trying Blaise.”

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Colton stood on stage under the hot lights, ripping the best guitar solo Blaise had heard him perform. His big brother just got better with age, and Blaise was proud of him. No one was as talented as Colton.

  Blaise wiped his face with a towel and downed a full bottle of water. He had a few minutes before Colton was done and they had to go back on stage. He went to his dressing room to have some time alone. His phone hadn’t stopped vibrating against his leg the whole time he was playing. Something was going on.

  Four missed calls from Grace. Had she changed her mind about him? She knew he was working tonight. Would she really have called so much knowing he couldn’t answer?

  The final call and voice mail had his hand shaking. He hit the voice mail icon. “Dad, I need your help. Grace’s house caught on fire. They think it was me. They dragged me down to the sheriff’s station. I’m here with Beau and Grace. Please call.”

  What the fuck? What was he thinking leaving his kid again? And Grace’s house? What was going on? He had to get back to Heritage River. Now.

  He ran onto the stage and gripped Colton’s shoulder. Colton almost lost his guitar. He swung around with a look ready to kill the person messing him up. He stopped short. The playing stopped.

  Blaise whispered in his ear. “Cash is in trouble. I’ve got to go. I’m sorry.” He ran off the stage.

  ****

  The car dumped Blaise off outside the Heritage River sheriff’s station. Beau’s beat-up truck and Grace’s car were in the parking lot. The sun poked its head above the trees. He’d taken the first flight he could. A car waited for him when he got off the plane, and a note from Colton. Kick ass.

  Blaise barreled through the glass doors. “Where is my son?” He nearly threw himself on the front desk. Jason Thompson was manning it. He wasn’t much older than Cash.

  “Sherriff’s got him in holding. No one’s talked to him. Grace won’t let the sheriff near him. She’s a pit bull that one.” He pointed the way.

  Grace was watching out for Cash. The idea made Blaise’s insides heat up. He’d been a stupid ass. He was going to change things.

  His breath caught in his throat. Cash sat behind bars. His head hung low. Beau was asleep in a chair. Chloe curled up on the floor, also sleeping. Grace sat straight up in her chair, eyes wide, ready to pounce.

  He wanted to cross the room in two strides and scoop her in his arms, but he stayed in place. “Hey.” He must stink from the sweat dried on his skin. He hadn’t had time to change or shower. He’d been up all night and was probably a mess. Grace would hate that.

  She stood and smoothed her wrinkled shirt. Dark circles surrounded her eyes. Her hair stuck up on the side, but she never looked more beautiful. “Hey. I’m glad you’re here. The sheriff found Cash’s lighter at the scene. He thinks Cash did it. I made them wait to question him until you got here. He didn’t do it, Blaise. I know he didn’t.”

  He pulled her to him. She relaxed against his chest. “Thank you for helping him. I’m sorry it wasn’t me.”

  She looked up at him with understanding in her eyes, and his heart skipped a beat. “Go to him,” she said. “We’ll wait for you in the lobby.”

  She roused Beau and Chloe awake. Beau wiped his face with his hand and shook his head. He patted Blaise on the shoulder and limped out. Chloe pushed up off the floor. The lines of her purse had left marks on her face.

  Blaise approached the cell. “Cash. Cash.”

  Cash slowly looked up. It took a second before he realized Blaise was standing before him. “Dad.” He jumped up and grabbed onto the bars. “Dad, you came. I didn’t do it. I swear.”

  “I know. I’m sorry, Cash. I never should’ve left you. I was stupid, but I’m here now and we’ll make this right.”

  “No, it’s okay. I understand you went for me. You want to give me a good life. But just being with you is enough.”

  “Yeah, well, it might have to be. I just lost us a whole lot of money I really needed. But that’s not what’s important now. Tell me what happened.”

  Cash filled him in with what he knew. The question was who had taken the lighter to start the fire. There was only one answer, and Blaise didn’t like it.

  “I’m sorry I never believed you about Jud. He always seemed like the perfect kid.” Blaise had thought he could trust Jud, and he was wrong.

  “That’s what he wants you to think. But I know he’s not that great. He deals drugs. That’s what the fight at Christmas was about. I caught him, and he didn’t want me to tell on him.”

  “Why didn’t you?”

  “No one would’ve believed me.”

  Cash was right about that. Blaise certainly wouldn’t have. “I would believe you now. I don’t know how we’re going to prove it was Jud.”

  “I don’t care as long as they don’t pin it on me.”

  “That was your lighter.”

  “It’s been missing for a month. I lost it that night at Aunt Savannah’s. Jud must’ve taken it.”

  “Your word against his.”

  “Grace knows I didn’t do it.”

  “Yeah, but can she prove it?”

  Blaise’s phone buzzed. “It’s Uncle Colton.” He turned his attention the phone. “What’s up?”

  “I called Savannah. She’s on her way with Jud.”

  “Why did you do that?”

  “I wanted to know what happened that would have you ending a show. It had
to be pretty bad. You know I would kill you otherwise. She told me about the fire. I made her put Jud on the phone.”

  “You did? Did you know?”

  “I had a hunch. I knew it wasn’t Cash. That’s for sure. Anyway, when Savannah threatened to beat him with a rolling pin, he caved.”

  The big bad southern rocker, Colton Savage, could never admit he wanted to offer sound advice and guidance, just as their father did for them all those years. “Thank you.” The words choked Blaise.

  “Yeah, well, don’t go ruining my image, okay? Give the kid a hug for me. I’ll see you in a few days. You can meet us in Texas.”

  Blaise took a deep breath. This wasn’t the best time, but it couldn’t wait. “Colton.”

  “Oh for fuck’s sake. You’re going to fuck up the whole tour, aren’t you?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You’re making a mistake, brother. Don’t do this. We’ll work things out.”

  “I’m done, Colton.”

  Colton ended the call.

  ****

  Savannah arrived at the sheriff’s station with Jud. The sheriff let Cash out of the cell with a look of disdain and led his sister and his nephew into the interrogation room that doubled as the supply closet. Savannah could handle it, but did Blaise tell her about the drugs? Not today, but one day. Maybe.

  When they stepped outside, the sun was wide awake and heating up the day. “Thanks, everyone.” The words weren’t enough, but they took some of the tension in Blaise’s body with them.

  “I’m going to get my weary bones home. The offer still stands, Miss Grace.”

  “What offer?” Blaise said.

  “They need a place to stay until the house is fixed and they can move back in,” Beau said.

  “I’m not moving back in, Beau. I’m taking my things and going back to Jersey.”