CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Mid-morning, the door to the store was pushed open and Cole stepped in.
“Sorry, dear, but as you can see, we’re very much closed,” Trixie said, stepping over all the soot-covered rubbish and walking toward him.
“I’m here to see Aggie,” he said. “What the hell happened here?”
“Fire, some scoundrel set the place on fire,” Ted said, rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand, leaving a black soot mark.
“s**t,” Cole whispered. “Is Aggie all right?” he asked, his eyes scouring the place for some sign of her.
“She’s fine, she’s fine. Fortunately she wasn’t here. She was with us,” Trixie said. “I’m Trixie, her mother,” she held out her hand. “And this is Ted, her father. And you are?”
Shaking her hand, Cole stepped forward. “I’m Cole, a friend. We just met recently
