The House on Hancock Hill Read Online Free PDF

most of the night wondering about that, coming up with scenarios of how a house could go up in flames in the middle of winter.
    “Hmm,” Henry said, noncommittally.
    “I mean, it’s been empty for years, and you’ve had snow up here since, what? November? It’s just weird, that’s all.”
    Henry had opened his mouth, eyes wary, when Colleen called over. “Mr. Wood? You can go through.”
    Henry straightened. “Do you want me to wait here?”
    I stood and looked down at him. His expression was grave. “No.” I hesitated. “I mean, you can wait if you prefer. It’s up to you.”
    He searched my face and worry began to niggle at my gut. What was going on? “I’ll go with you.”
    Colleen buzzed us through.
     
     
    B EHIND THE door was a row of offices with walls that were half glass. Through them, we could see a man in uniform wave us in as he talked to someone on the phone.
    “I’ll call you later,” I heard the sheriff say. He made an exasperated face and tried to hide it by turning away. “Yes,” he said between his teeth, “I’ll be home for dinner.”
    I hid my snort as the sheriff hung up, but Henry did no such thing. He reached across the desk as the sheriff stood and said, “Mrs. Curtis giving you trouble, Sheriff?”
    Taking Henry’s hand in a firm grip, the man smiled wryly. “One too many late nights, you know how it is.” The sheriff cut his dark eyes in my direction. He was a handsome man with hair so black, I’d have guessed it came out of a bottle if not for a few distinguished gray streaks around his temple. He had impressive eyebrows and sharp cheekbones. I guessed he was in his late forties or early fifties, the type of guy you wanted to trust on sight: a useful quality in a sheriff, I was sure.
    “This is Jason Wood.” Henry introduced us, and I wondered if he knew everyone around here. “Jason, this is Sheriff Ben Curtis.”
    “Nice to meet you, sir,” I said, shaking his hand as he studied my face with expertise.
    “Mr. Wood.” He indicated the two spare chairs opposite his desk and pressed an intercom button. “Ron, can you come to my office, please?” Releasing the button, he sat and looked at me. “I heard about the accident. Are you doing all right?”
    “Thanks to Henry, yes. It could’ve been a lot worse.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Henry duck his head. The fabric of his coat made a soft rustling noise.
    “It sure could’ve. I take it you know why you’re here?”
    “I don’t, actually.” I was a bit surprised by the look he gave me. “But I’m getting the feeling it’s not just an accidental fire.”
    “It’s not, no.”
    A guy who was huffing slightly, as if he’d been jogging, joined us, and we were introduced to Deputy Ron with a damp handshake. Ron was a little soft around the middle, but in a way that made him approachable. He had kind eyes and sweat marks under his armpits. He was about a head shorter than me and at least five years younger. In fact, he looked too young to be a deputy already, but a small northern town like this probably didn’t attract a lot of interest from career-seeking cops.
    “So the fire was deliberate,” Henry said. “Vandalism?”
    “It’s possible,” Curtis said, leaning back in his chair. “But not probable.”
    “Why’s that?” I asked, and a tense silence fell. Beside me, Henry shifted in his chair.
    “Because we found a body in the ashes.”
    My mouth dropped open, and my stomach swooped like I’d toppled off the edge of a roller coaster. “A what ?”
    “A deceased person.” Deputy Ron looked serious.
    “Yes,” I managed. “I know what you meant, but… what? Who was it?”
    “We sort of hoped you’d be able to tell us.”
    “Excuse me?”
    Voice gentle, Henry said, “They want you to identify the body, Jay.” Wow, no one had called me that since I was nineteen.
    “Holy shit,” I said.
    Henry gave me a rueful grin. “Language, buddy.”
    “Funny,” I croaked, and then