Mama Jeanie and Ava came outside and stood on the porch, Mama Jeanie’s face a mask of disbelief as she tucked Ava against her side. “I never.”
Emma had never seen anything like it, either. She knew these teens came from troubled backgrounds—clearly—but to set fire to the camp, to try to hurt Max so intentionally when all he’d done was want the best for them...it broke her heart.
She could only imagine how he felt—and on top of the personal whammy she’d already handed him, no less. Guilt crept up her insides like the flames crept up the barn toward the roof.
“I’ve got him!” Brady came around the far side of the flaming building, Jarvis’s arm caught in Brady’s unyielding grip. “And his book of matches.”
Max’s lips pressed together in a firm line as he took the book from Brady. “Take him to his room please, and have Tim monitor him.” He met Jarvis’s gaze, which didn’t hold for long as the boy lowered his eyes in defeat. “I’ll deal with you—and your parents—later.”
Jarvis shuffled off with Tim, but not before sending Cody a scalding glance. Cody met his gaze head-on and didn’t back down—neither did he puff up, ready for a fight.
Emma leaned to whisper to him. “You did the right thing, telling Max—I mean, your dad—about the fire.”
“I know.” He shrugged a little, eyes still focused on Jarvis’s back. “Doesn’t make it easy.”
“That’s true.” She watched Max step back as the firefighters arrived and took over the scene, took in his crestfallen expression as he stood with his hands resting on top of his head. “Right is rarely easy, baby.”
* * *
Hours later, Max and Emma sat under the starlit sky on the porch, surrounded by leftover plastic cups of cider, remnants of chocolate chip cookies and the lingering scent of smoke. The fire, while contained to one portion of the barn thanks to the quick discovery and the prompt arrival of the fire department, only did minimal damage. The campers had all gone to bed for the night, way past their scheduled time, with grim faces. Jarvis’s family had taken him home a little while ago, juvenile detention the next stop on his particular journey. It seemed the teen’s choices had shaken them all up, especially Katie, who came to Emma after the chaos had dimmed.
“I have a confession,” she’d whispered, her red hair dusted with ash that continued to float from the barn roof. “I haven’t been honest with Max.”
She’d gone on to admit that she’d been a part of a gang back home for years and couldn’t get out. She’d gotten busted initially for repeated shoplifting, which was what sent her to Camp Hope in the first place—but only after she intentionally shoplifted all the more, hoping to be sent away to safety.
“I can’t carry the secret anymore, Miss Emma. Not after watching Jarvis do something so stupid. I mean, if he reaches his limit and tries to burn down a barn, what am I capable of? I don’t want to break.” She’d looked so scared and so young that Emma had gathered her in a hug and assured her that the truth was always best. She’d stood by her side while Katie told Max, and he’d promised her an extra-long One4One session the next morning where they’d set everything straight and look into long-term options to keep her safe.
“This day has been unreal.” She leaned her head back against the porch swing beside Max. “Tonya leaving. Cody’s discovery and breakthrough. Jarvis’s freak-out. Katie’s confession.”
“So many secrets.” Max rocked their swing in a gentle rhythm. “You were right about Jarvis. I’m sorry I didn’t heed your advice sooner. We both knew all along something was too good to be true about Katie, though, didn’t we?”