Free Hayburner (A Gail McCarthy Mystery) by Laura Crum

to this, just kept meeting my eyes.
    I sighed. "No, she didn't say anything like that. It is pretty much standard procedure to suspect the owner in a case of arson, though."
    "That's ridiculous," Doris Bishop said sharply. "We have absolutely no reason to do such a thing."
    "I'm sure you don't," I said, in what I hoped was a mollifying tone.
    "This young woman is extremely out of line. Wasting time when she should be tracking down the real culprit. Bart is sure he knows who did this thing."
    I looked inquiringly at Bart.
    "Neighborhood kids," he said laconically. "Three of them have been hanging around a lot. One in particular, kid named Marty, is a real troublemaker. I've caught him stealing Cokes, and once, a six-pack of beer, out of the barn refrigerator. The last time I saw him I ran him off, told him not to set foot on the place again. He threatened me, said I'd be sorry. Not a week later we had this fire. What would you think?"
    "I don't know," I said truthfully. "I thought you thought it was the hay."
    "Not after what that fire investigator guy told me. Seems like it has to be arson."
    I nodded.
    "And since I know I didn't do it, I figure the only likely candidate is this kid Marty. But your detective friend is so interested in investigating me, she doesn't even seem to hear what I'm saying. All she wants to know is whether I've got some kind of hidden insurance policy, which I don't, since even she can see that what we're insured for isn't close to what that barn is worth to us in income. And of course, she wants to know exactly where I was that evening."
    "You were right here with me," Mrs. Bishop said.
    "Yeah, Mom." Bart looked at me. "But of course, I went out and checked around the barns, had a look at all the horses, before I went to bed. I always do."
    I believed him. It was just what any conscientious manager of a boarding stable would do.
    "Did you see anything?" I asked.
    "No." Bart shook his head ruefully. "I wish I could say I did, but I didn't. I didn't actually look in the part where we stack the hay; I had no reason to, but I'm sure I would have noticed if there was a fire going in there. I walked right by it. On the other hand, those kids could have been hiding back there and I never would have seen them."
    "Do you think they were?" I asked him.
    "I don't know. It's no secret that I check around every evening between nine and ten. Anybody could figure it out. Including those kids. They live right across the street in Lushmeadows. I'm sure they know all my routines." Bart sounded strained and weary as he said it; I could feel his frustration from across the table.
    Glancing at Clay, I was surprised to see him looking down at his plate, taking no part in the conversation, not even making eye contact with his brother. Clay had been very quiet ever since we'd walked in here, I'd noticed, only speaking to tell his mother how good the stew was.
    Doris Bishop was talking now; I heard her say to Bart in what was meant to be an aside, "If you'd only be clear with this detective, dear, and explain what you mean, I'm sure she'll understand. "
    Taking a final bite of my stew, I leaned back in my chair.
    "Finish your stew, dear," Mrs. Bishop said to Bart. "And try to get a little more sleep tonight. You look tired."
    I felt like ducking, as if a barbed arrow of a comment might impale me, if I got in the way. No wonder Clay was quiet.
    Bart continued to give no sign that his mother bothered him. He finished his stew as directed and rose obediently when she admonished him that the table needed clearing, all without a word.
    Once we were settled in our places with apple cake and ice cream in front of us, I asked another question. "Are you worried about these kids trying it again?" I addressed myself mostly to Bart, but included the room at large.
    "Do you suppose they will?" Doris Bishop's sharp, querulous tone sounded even shriller with surprise.
    "Hard to say." Bart met my eyes. "But I'm ready for them."
    "What do you