Free Neighing with Fire: A Mystery (Colleen McCabe Series) by Kathryn O'Sullivan

had finally had enough.
    “The people next door said they heard arguing between two men some time before the house caught fire,” Colleen said.
    “There you have it,” Pinky said.
    Bill sighed. “Have what?”
    “Isn’t it obvious?”
    “Isn’t what obvious?” she asked.
    “This,” Pinky said, gesturing to his ruined property, “has Denny Custis written all over it.”
    “That’s an odd choice of words,” Bill said.
    “It’s his style,” Pinky said.
    “It’s also your style, if I’m not mistaken.”
    All three knew that Bill was referring to Pinky’s old habit of burning debris as a way of luring Colleen to pay a visit to his trailer.
    “Look, Sheriff,” Pinky said. “If you want to know who set this fire, then put out an all-points bulletin for Custis. I guarantee he’s behind this in some way. Now, if there’s nothing further, I have to call my insurance company.”
    “Not so fast,” Bill said, blocking Pinky with his arm. “How much insurance did you have on this place?”
    “Is he serious?” Pinky asked Colleen.
    She nodded.
    “It’s a common motive for arson,” Bill said. “Were you or were you not at the house arguing with Denny Custis this morning?”
    “I don’t understand why you keep coming back to that.”
    Colleen noted Pinky’s perplexed expression. Could it be? Had Pinky not heard about Denny’s demise in the fire? “He doesn’t know,” she said to Bill.
    “I don’t know what?”
    “Don’t go anywhere,” Bill said, and abruptly walked away.
    “What’s going on?” Pinky asked.
    Bill made his way into the crowd. Moments later he emerged with the woman and boy who had witnessed the man arguing with Denny before the fire. Bill pointed at Pinky and Colleen. The boy and his mother looked in their direction.
    “Why do I feel like I’m in a lineup,” Pinky said.
    Because you are, she thought, and held her breath. Seconds later the boy and mother shook their heads, and she let out a silent sigh of relief. Pinky was not the man that had been fighting with Denny. Bill patted the boy on his back, shook the woman’s hand, and rejoined Colleen and Pinky.
    “They couldn’t make an ID,” Bill said to her.
    “He’s going to find out,” she said. “Isn’t it better he hears it now than on the evening news?”
    “You know, I’m right here,” Pinky said, waving his hand between them. “Would you two stop being so cryptic and tell me what’s going on?”
    Bill paused and then said, “Someone perished in the fire. Colleen thinks it was Custis.”
    Pinky’s normally tan face paled.
    “Are you okay?” she asked. Pinky took a deep breath, nodded, and color returned to his cheeks. “Any idea what he might have been doing in your house?”
    “He’s vandalized my properties before, mostly stealing copper piping and tools, but I never thought he’d…”
    The sound of the ocean filled the silence.
    Pinky cleared his throat and collected himself. “I’d like to go if that’s okay with you.”
    Bill studied Pinky a moment and then said, “Do us a favor. Don’t mention any of this to that reporter. We still haven’t had an ID from the medical examiner’s office.”
    “Of course not,” Pinky said. He forced a smile at Colleen and then disappeared around the side of the house.
    Pinky was many things, but he wasn’t a murderer. Right now, however, he was the only person with a strong motive.
    “You think Pinky’s right? That Denny’s responsible for the fire?” she asked.
    “I don’t know. But I do wonder what he was doing on Salvatore’s property.”
    She poked at the sand with her foot, lost in thought, and kicked a piece of litter into the air. She noted the garbage and was annoyed to see that it was three attached matches. Now who would smoke and throw that on the ground with dune grass nearby? Didn’t they realize it could start a fire? Her eyes widened. She squatted and examined the spent matches. “I think Agent Morgan will want to see