Page 202 of Daddy’s Fortitude

“You bet,” the cameraman replied.

“Branson,” Ammo called out as the other man walked toward him. “They got that all on camera.”

“Good,” Branson said and spoke to them briefly about getting a copy. Then he turned to where Ammo still stood with Aimee shaking next to him. The insurance adjuster and his team were still there as well.

“Were you following her?” Ammo asked. “Did you have some idea that she was the one that had set fire to this place? And why didn’t you tell me.”

Branson shrugged. “I had nothing I could act on. I was always a bit suspicious of her after Aimee mentioned her, especially after she’d just entered the house like she owned it. But she wasn’t number one on the list. However, one of my guys discovered that she filled up a canister of gas the other day.”

Not much to go on.

“She doesn’t own a car,” Branson added. “Then one of the neighbors down the block reported a young woman running along the road about the time of the fire. Unfortunately, none of that was enough for a search warrant. And I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to act on what was just a suspicion. I didn’t have the resources to put someone on her, but I was coming here to talk to the insurance adjuster and saw her. Thought I’d stay back and just see how things played out. Eddy was waiting back further. Didn’t want her to see him.” He nodded at the officer who was standing by his car.

The insurance adjuster stepped forward to talk to Branson, and Ammo started to move Aimee toward his truck. She’d had enough. She needed to get home and have some rest. He could feel how hard she was shaking.

Poor girl. They’d just come here for a doctor’s appointment and to meet with the insurance person, not for a confrontation and an arrest, as well as a meeting with a reporter. He should have told her about that video that was circulating. Miles had sent it to him, but he hadn’t mentioned it. He hadn’t really thought it was worth it.

“I’m really sorry, Aimee.” Yvonne stepped in front of them. Ammo drew Aimee back half behind him, protecting her from the other woman. He knew Webb was behind him, watching their backs.

“You don’t need to protect her from me. I’m not going to do anything,” Yvonne said to Ammo before turning to Aimee. “I just want to tell you that I’m so sorry for listening to Kelly-Anne, for believing her. When I told her that I’d seen her the other night, she said she’d just gone to talk to you, wanting to speak to you about the house, and that you’d thrown her out, that you’d gotten really angry at her. And I believed her. I’ve known her and her family for years, though. She asked me not to say anything to anyone.”

“You might have known her for years, Yvonne, but that doesn’t make her a good person,” Aimee said tiredly.

Yvonne shook her head. “You’re right. I know you’re right. We always thought that Charlie and Kelly-Anne belonged together, and I think we were right. Because they deserved one another. I know it’s bad to speak ill of the dead, but Charlie shouldn’t have treated you the way that he did.”

Aimee stared at Yvonne in shock. She’d never expected the other woman to say something like that to her.

She’d have just been happy if Yvonne had stopped harassing her about her house and yard. It had to be killing her to have to look out at this current mess every day.

But Yvonne had done more than that.

She had actually apologized and also acknowledged that Charlie wasn’t the stand-up guy that people liked to pretend he was.

“That actually means a lot to me,” Aimee told her as Branson headed back to them. “Did you call and tell her that we were here?”

Yvonne gave her a guilty look. “I did. I called the reporters too. They asked me to call if your friend here ever came back.” Yvonne gave Ammo a nervous look.

Aimee had had enough. All she wanted to do was get out of here, to go back to the cabin, and maybe do some coloring, or play with Kevin, or cuddle with Ammo, and forget about everything that had just happened this afternoon for a while.

It was a huge relief to know the truth about what had happened to the house. But all of this had taken a lot out of her.

“It seems that you have a good idea of what is going on around here,” Branson said to Yvonne.

“Yes, I do,” she said. “I’m the head of the HOA.”

“You should have made it clear when my officers were canvassing that you had seen Kelly-Anne here.” Branson crossed his arms over his chest.

Yvonne gave him a guilty look. “Yes, I know. You’re right. Am I in trouble?”

Branson narrowed his gaze at her. “Well, luckily you did come clean, and there is something you might be able to help me with.”

“Of course, anything.”

“Aimee has been receiving threats from a strange man. He was here waiting for her the other night and confronted her, telling her that Charlie owed money to his boss.”

“Oh my God,” Yvonne said. “That’s terrible.”

Was it wise for Branson to tell Yvonne all of this? The other woman wasn’t exactly known for keeping her mouth shut. Luckily, the reporter had already left, probably to go get her story ready, and the insurance adjuster and his team were standing too far away to hear.