“Mrs. Jensen,” the officer said, sticking to her easier last name as he climbed onto the deck, his hand outstretched. As she leaned forward to shake it, her boot popped loose, and she stumbled forward into his arms.

“Steady there!” he said as he helped her catch her balance. He glanced at her shoes with a raised eyebrow, but didn’t say anything.

“I’m sorry,” she muttered, embarrassed.

“Don’t be. Damsels in distress come with the territory. I’m Detective James Murray, New Falls PD.” He was lanky and slightly slouching in his suit, with sunglasses and curly brown hair. His face was serious, but it looked like he might break into a smile at any moment. “This is your home?” he asked.

“It is. I mean, it will be. We’re building it. I’m from New York.” She cringed. Why had she said that? People here probably hated when New Yorkers came down and invaded their town. Police officers always made her nervous.

But the detective just smiled. “I’m sorry about the house,” he said. “I guess this isn’t quite the housewarming party you imagined.”

Maja laughed. “No, it’s not.” She looked down at the red Solo cups that littered the deck. “I was thinking we’d use actual glassware. I just don’t understand how something like this could happen.”

“Looks like a party that got very out of hand. Could have been local kids, but it’s too early to say for sure.”

Maja nudged the butt of a half-smoked cigarette with her toe, and saw that it had left a welt in the wood as it smoldered to ash. “I’ve never seen a party like this. Maybe in the movies. You think kids did this?”

“Well, again, we don’t have anything solid yet,” Murray said. “But as a matter of fact, we picked up a few kids not far from here on Friday night, up on River Road. We get a lot of the local high school students drinking beer down by the river, or in the woods, especially this time of year. It’s like spring hits and they start their mating dance. Except instead of bird calls and feather displays, it’s all about texting and who can get cheap beer.” He glanced at her, checking to see if he was being too casual, and then continued: “This was one of the prime spots. Before your house was here, of course.”

“You were here on Friday night?” Maja asked, confused. “John told me he found the damage this morning. Why wasn’t I called on Friday?”