Against the Fire Read Free Page B

Cliff. You were seen last night at the fire. I need to know what you were doing all the way down at the Towers.”
    His blunt brown fingers twitched on the top of the table. “I was just driving around. I saw the fire and I stopped to watch, just like everyone else. That isn’t a crime, is it?”
    Mattie ignored the remark. “The police say you may have been there with someone else. Who was it?”
    Angel shook his head. “It was just me. And I didn’t set the fire.”
    “All right, you didn’t set the fire, but I can see by the way you’re behaving you aren’t telling me everything that happened. I can’t help you unless you’re honest with me.”
    He swallowed and for an instant his eyes glistened. “I didn’t set the fire.”
    Mattie sighed in frustration. “Then tell me—”
    “Time’s up, Ms. Baker.” A policeman stood in the doorway. “I’m afraid you’ll have to leave.”
    She was surprised they had let her see him at all, since she wasn’t a member of his family or his attorney, but Captain Daily seemed moved by her staunch defense of the boy and her obvious concern.
    “I’ll get you a lawyer,” she told him as she walked out the door. “And I’ll be back to see you as soon as I can.”
    Mattie left the small room and was crossing the waiting area when the front door swung open and a familiar black-haired woman rushed in. Angel’s mother, Rosa Ramirez, spotted her instantly and ran forward, her ten-year-old daughter, Elena, and her seven-year-old son, Manny, hurrying along, trying to keep up with her.
    “Mattie! I am so glad you are here. The police came to the house this morning. They have arrested Angel. They think he set a fire in some building downtown.”
    “The Dallas Towers. Yes, I know. Angel called me.”
    Rosa’s thick black eyebrows shot up. “You talked to him?” She was a large, big-busted woman, but short like her son. “Did you tell the police he is innocent?”
    “I spoke to Angel just a few minutes ago. Unfortunately, someone saw him at the fire last night. That doesn’t look good for him.”
    “Dios mio.” Rosa crossed herself. “He didn’t do it. I know he didn’t. The fire he set before… He was just a boy acting out against his father. But he learned his lesson. He is getting good grades in school. He wants to go to college. He wouldn’t do it, Mattie.”
    “I don’t think he did it, either. But I need to know why he was there and who was with him. Can you help me?”
    Rosa shook her head, moving the braid hanging down her back. “I thought he was home. I did not know he left the house.”
    “What about the friend he may have been with? Any idea who that might have been?”
    “Angel has lots of friends.” She looked down at her children. “Do either of you know who your brother might have been out with last night?”
    They solemnly shook their heads, their attention focused on the uniformed policemen walking around inside the building and the people being led into the back of the station.
    “I want to see him,” Rosa said.
    “Talk to the lady at the desk. She’ll be able to help you. I told Angel I would get him an attorney. As soon as bail is posted, we’ll be able to get him out of here.”
    “Bail? I have no money for bail.”
    “It shouldn’t be too high. I’ll take care of it, Rosa.”
    Rose grabbed hold of her hand and pressed it against her lips. “Gracias. Thank you, Mattie. You have always been good to our family.”
    Mattie nudged the stout woman toward the counter. “Go on now, tell them you want to see your son.”
    Turning away, Rosa herded her children toward the desk. Mattie was convinced that she had been right and Angel was innocent, yet certain there was more to the story.
    Was he covering for the person who actually set the fire? If so, who was it?
    And why would Angel risk himself that way for an arsonist?

    Mattie was still pondering the boy’s predicament as she arrived at her downtown office building. She crossed