Free Trial by Fire by Norah McClintock

“Well,
if it isn’t the girl from the market. Did you have any luck tracking down the alleged
vandal?”
    “She did,” Aunt Ginny informed him.
    Shears’s gaze flicked back to Aunt Ginny. “Moving up from kittens and puppies, Detective?”
    “Riley is my niece, Constable. ” Aunt Ginny could give as good as she got.
    “So I hear.”
    “And apparently your nephew is the one who vandalized the Gorans’ market stall. Riley
can positively identify him.”
    “I’d love to help, but I’m off duty today, Detective. You’ll have to stick-handle
this yourself. Have a great day, ladies.”
    As he left the squad room, Aunt Ginny muttered something under her breath. “Come
on,” she said. She led me to a desk and logged in to her computer. After a glance
at the screen, she picked up the phone and dialed. “Mr. Goran?”
    I listened as she explained why she was calling. Then there was silence as she listened
to Aram.
    “You’re sure?” she asked finally. More silence. “Okay. It’s your decision.” She hung
up. “That’s that,” she said. “Let’s get your bike unloaded so I can get to work.”
    “What happened?”
    “He doesn’t want to press charges.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because, as I said, there’s been enough bad blood around here already without him
pressing charges against Ted Winters’ son.”
    “But—”
    “I’m just telling you what he said, Riley.”
    “So Mike gets away with being a bully and destroying other people’s property?”
    “It was Aram’s property. So it’s his decision how to proceed. He doesn’t want to
press charges. There’s nothing I can do.” I followed her out to the parking lot, where she unloaded my bike. “I don’t know if I want you getting too involved with
the Gorans.”
    I couldn’t believe what she was saying. “Why not?”
    “There’s been enough trouble. Besides, it doesn’t look like they’re going to be around
for much longer. If Mr. Goran survives and manages to dodge jail, it’s doubtful he’ll
be able to go back to farming. And I’m sure Aram has a life to get back to. You and
I, however, have to live in this town.”
    “Are you worried about what people will think?”
    “I didn’t say that.”
    “Aram didn’t commit any crime. Mike did.”
    She set my bike onto the pavement. “It’s quite possible Aram’s father did too. A
serious one. And Aram’s not going to be here for much longer. I don’t see any reason
to get involved in a situation that is so heated and so temporary.” She handed me
my lock. “I’ll see you at supper.”

    I didn’t go home right away. Instead, I dug out my cell phone and looked up Charlie’s
home phone number. He sounded surprised to hear from me.
    “Do you want to meet up for a coffee or something?” I asked.
    “How about ice cream? I’ll meet you at Chuck’s. It’s next to the pharmacy on King
Street.” King Street was the main commercial street.
    Charlie got there before me. He beamed when he saw me but was disappointed when I
opted for a soda instead of an ice-cream cone or a sundae.
    “Ashleigh’s mom made waffles,” I explained. “I think I ate one too many.”
    We sat on a bench outside Chuck’s.
    “Charlie, what do you know about the Gorans and the Winters?”
    Charlie slumped a little. “I thought you wanted to see me.”
    “I did. I do. I called you, didn’t I? But if Mike Winters is going to give me a hard
time, I want to know everything about him.”
    “Besides the fact that he’s a jerk?”
    “Yeah, besides that.”
    “Well, Mr. Goran bought the farm nearly two years ago, but Mike and his dad still
haven’t gotten over it. Whenever Ted sees Mr. Goran in town, he makes a point of
crossing the street to avoid him. Mike does the opposite. He doesn’t avoid Mr. Goran.
He accidentally-on-purpose bumps into him, hard if Mr. Goran is carrying something.
He keyed Mr. Goran’s truck a couple of times—”
    “You saw him do that?”
    Charlie shook his head. “He