32
AARON
Blue and her mom lived in a small ranch-style home on the outskirts of Coos Bay, but by the time we got there, there wasn’t a whole lot left of it. The roof had caved in, and soot-blackened water ran out of the open front door. Even though the fire had been extinguished, acrid smoke still tainted the air, clawing its way into my lungs. Made me damn glad I’d paid the extra to install a sprinkler system at Deals on Wheels.
“Mom!”
Blue leapt out of the car and ran to the far side of the lot where half a dozen women were poking around the overgrown bushes. One woman stepped back, her face red and tear-streaked. The two embraced. Usually, Blue talked about her mother with irritation rather than fondness, but when it came down to it, family was family.
“Thanks for driving us,” Romi
