Two days later, the sheriff came by the White’s house to see Derek. In the interim, Derek helped Janet around the place as much as she would let him while Nolan was at work. In the evenings, after supper, they went out in back where he and Nolan worked on the garden then the three of them sat on the porch, drinking iced tea or lemonade, until it was time for bed.
“I have some news for you,” the sheriff said, after Janet let him inside and called for Derek to join them. “A burned out car was found by a hiker about a month ago just a few miles west of Jefferson, which is a town a good sixty miles south of here, as the crow flies—a hell of a lot longer by road. Anyway, the hiker reported it to the State Highway Patrol and they checked it out.”
“And?” Derek asked, leaning forward, his gaze l
