A lump formed in her throat. She crossed the floor to sit down at the table, thinking she didn’t want to be standing for this. “Who did it?”

He came to sit across from her. “Your uncle Kenneth’s twin grandsons.”

Bella’s hand flew to her chest. “But they’re only fourteen years old.”

“Yes, but the footprints outside your window and the fingerprints on the rock matched theirs. Not to mention that the kerosene can they used to start the fire at your ranch belonged to their parents.”

Bella didn’t say anything. She just continued to stare at him.

“Evidently they heard their grandfather’s grumblings about you and figured they were doing him a favor by scaring you away,” Jason said.

“What will happen to them?” she asked quietly.

“Right now they’re in police custody. A judge will decide tomorrow if they will be released into the custody of their parents until a court date is set. If they are found guilty, and chances are they will be since the evidence against them is so strong, they will serve time in a detention center for youth for about one or two years, maybe longer depending on any prior arrests.”

Jason’s face hardened. “Personally, it wouldn’t bother me in the least if they locked them up and threw away the key. I’m sure Kenneth is fit to be tied, though. He thinks the world of those two.”

Bella shook her head sadly. “I feel so badly about this.”

A deep scowl covered Jason’s face. “Why do you feel badly? You’re the victim and they broke the law.”

She could tell by the sound of his voice that he was still upset. “But they’re just kids. I need to call Uncle Kenneth.”

“Why? As far as I’m concerned this is all his fault for spouting off at the mouth around them about you.”

A part of Bella knew what Jason said was true and could even accept he had a right to be angry, but still, the thought that she was responsible for the disruption of so many lives was getting to her. Had she made a mistake in moving to Denver after all?

“Don’t even think it, Bella.”

She glanced across the table at Jason. “What?”

“I know what’s going through your mind, sweetheart. I can see it all over your face and you want to blame yourself for what happened but it’s not your fault.”

“Isn’t it?”

“No. You can’t hold yourself responsible for the actions of others. What if you had been standing near the window the day that rock came flying through, or worse yet, what if you’d been home the day they set fire to the house? If I sound mad it’s because I still am. And I’m going to stay mad until justice is served.”