“Of course,” Marcy agreed, “but isn’t the purpose of us being here to try and make some sort of peace with what’s happened, so that we can all move forward?”

Claudia was about to respond when the door opened and Dan beckoned them back inside.

Once they were seated Dan murmured something quietly to Archie before Archie fixed his eyes to Marcy’s. “I’ll tell whoever needs to know,” he said, “that I’ve had contact with Marcus Huxley-Browne in the past and I’ll also say that I think he was behind the fire.”

Marcy gave a blink of surprise; beside her Jasmine hissed a yes under her breath; she didn’t know how Claudia was reacting, because her gaze was still on Archie.

“I can’t say it for certain,” he continued, “because I don’t know. I’ve never had any direct contact with him over it, I just reckon you’re right, it was him.”

After clearing her throat, Marcy said, “Thank you for that, Archie. It means a lot to us that you’re willing to help keep us safe from my son-in-law—and I hope you believed Andee when she told you that everything will be done to make sure your mother is safe too.”

His eyes went down, and seeing the way his mouth twisted and tightened she realized he didn’t believe it, but he’d given them this anyway.

Dan said, “I think we’ve accomplished what we set out to do today. Does everyone agree?”

They all nodded, apart from Archie, who didn’t look at anyone as he got up to leave the room.

A WHILE LATER, as Andee drove them away from the prison, Marcy realized she was feeling so low that she almost regretted coming. It had been a strain on them all, but on Archie too, she thought, and how was he feeling now about giving them this tenuous connection to Marcus?

She sighed and pressed her fingers to her forehead. “So, we all get to go home to our comfortable lives and families, while he goes back to a prison cell with no one to talk to or even to care how he’s been affected by the day—or to bother about what harm comes to him.”

Jasmine murmured, “I know what you mean. I’m having a problem with it too.”

“But what can we do?” Claudia demanded. “We could hardly take him with us, and at least he has the solace of knowing he did the right thing in the end.”

“If he believes that,” Marcy said.

“I think he does,” Andee assured them.