Chapter 63

Ryley went back to school with Leigh. He'd spent three days with Jen and Joe. Joe took him out fishing and hunting rabbits. Ryley had been very excited and exhausted at the end of each day. Fortunately, he had no incidents, and Leigh was grateful for the rabbit stew they sent home with Ryley.

She knew Jim was up to his neck. She didn't know any more than the rest of the town, but everyone knew the lodges had burned and more than one person blamed the First Nations people. Tension in town hadn't been so high for more than a year. It didn't help loud mouths on both sides proclaimed the obvious guilt of the other side. Ellers pointed to the fires as proof indians were stealing his fuel. The Chief on the reserve just outside of town claimed the fires were an insurance scam meant to cash in on the lodges while blaming innocent First Nations people.