"While we wait, how soon do we want to start decorating for Halloween?" Peggy asked.

"Most of the stores and restaurants are already into it," Mirabelle said. Arlo next door already has a serial killer theme going. Fit's with his butcher shop like a glove. The Wiccan Grimore across from us has their herbal remedies on sale and a huge spell book in their display window."

Peggy nodded, "It was nice of Rowan to let you know which herbal teas make healthy combinations. I'm surprised she knows so much about them."

"Maybe we can go with simple pumpkins. Everyone loves the spices, and maybe we can do something with the history and a carving contest," Mel suggested.

"We can do some children's story time readings on Saturday mornings," Mirabelle said. "They were a hit last year. And we continued with them right through to Christmas."

"Ralph, would you do the readings again?" Peggy asked.

"No problem. The kids are such fun and I have a ball doing them. I'll see what I can find that's new for kids this year." Ralph started clearing the plates and cups as he spoke.

Mel studied his face as he worked. She had no idea how she felt about children. One of the girls in her accounting class was working as a nanny and taking night courses to get her advanced bookkeeper's certificate. Alison said kids were the best and she wouldn't trade her job for anything. Did she want children? Maybe. She liked Ralph for his excitement and eagerness to help.

"My youngest great grandchildren love to come to story time. You don't cater to the pre-schoolers like so many libraries. It's different when you're reading chapters from books for the older kids," Elvin said.

"That would be our baby sister's children," Greg said. "But back to Mel. What did you say? You figured out some things?"

Ralph came back to sit beside her, and his hand clasped hers again.

"I don't think the figure in black was my Uncle Hans. He's tall and skinny. I woke up to see them lighting a pile of paper in the corner of my room. And they said something I heard in my dream the other night."

"Well, what was it?" Lana prompted.

"I couldn't tell if the voice was a man or woman's. They were dressed all in black including a balaclava. Whoever it was, really didn't want to be recognized. By the time I woke up the curtains were already catching in my room."

"What did they say?" Agnus inquired.

"God be praised, let the blight be cleansed. By my holy duty I will fulfill his command," Mel told them. "I wish I remembered sooner."

"Interesting. Is the male they referred to real or a delusion?" Dr. Elizabeth questioned. "It could be sick mind, or a very unhealthy relationship behind those words. Was there anything about their body shape to suggest whether they were male or female Mel?"

"Bulky clothes. Like they were dressed for outside. Remember there was fresh snow and how cold it was. I had the beginnings of frost bite when the policeman found me, right?"

Lana nodded. "It's in the medical reports. And the only words said before you quit talking were, I don't want to die."

"They turned around at the edge of the forest. The moon was full, and the stars were so bright. They turned and said, 'You will pay for what you did. It's your fault.' My teeth were chattering, and the wind was strong. The snow was still drifting."

"You were found wearing your pajamas and a pair of bright pink winter boots," Agnus said. "There were no footprints other than the ones you made, according to Officer Grumman's testimony."

"They jumped and rolled into the forest. There was a big drift and they flew over the top. I could barely see over it."

"He never put that in his report," Lana said.

"I tried to tell him but he told me to shut my mouth. He said, 'I know who set the fire. Little witch, you are not going to get away with this.'"

"According to the court evidence records, they found you almost an hour after the first fire engine got there," Agnus said.

"And I'm assuming whoever made the footprints coming out to the road, which I saw," Anson said, "was picked up by your Aunt before she went to talk to Grumman. No one checked to see if she was alone. She left the car idling, which I thought was strange."

"Umm, quick question, Anson," Agnus interjected. "Did you try to get Grumman to listen to you about any of this?"

"I tried a couple of times. He told me to mind my own business. The case was cut and dried. I tried with the prosecutor as well. Again, no luck. He said, 'The kid was running away and that is enough for me.'"

"I followed in their footprints. And they scared me. I thought it was my fault. I didn't stop them, and I was so cold I couldn't move anymore. I curled up and tried to stay warm. The officer who found me yanked me by my arm. He said, 'Don't even try to tell me you didn't do it. You're a lying little witch.'" Mel explained. "And by the time they got me to the hospital, I was in a daze and just shook my head whenever anyone talked to me." Mel shredded her orange napkin leaving the pieces in a heap in front of her.

"You followed in their footprints? Do you remember if it was easy or hard to do?" Greg asked.

"I had to stretch, but it was better than getting my boots full of snow if I didn't try. I missed a couple of times."

"A conveniently missed fact, as well," Anson said.

"I can't believe they got away with it," Agnus said. "Is Grumman still with the Sheriffs?"

"Last I heard, yes," Elvin said.

"He shouldn't be." Ralph protested. "Incompetent idiot."

"No kidding," Mel agreed. "So, what are our next steps?"

"I'll look into unsolved arsons in Colorado. Telluride might have a few, but there's no telling if it was Garth or Deloras who set this particular fire. I'm inclined to think it was Garth, but that's a good guess at the moment," Agnus said.

"Garth," Greg insisted. "We need to find out more about the boy. I'll take that on. The jump over the drift is an athletic move. And if we know where he is, and find out where he moved, likely for university, we might find matching unsolved arsons wherever he was."

"Makes sense." Lana said. "I don't think Deloras was very fit. She had quite a few extra pounds on her when she took the witness stand at the trial. I wonder what her relationship with her oldest son was like?"

"Can we track down her younger two?" Peggy asked. "Maybe Helga or Herbert can shed some light on it? If she favored the oldest, they might be willing to let some of the family skeletons out of the closet."

"They were older than me and younger than my brothers," Mel said. "I'm not sure, but they might be twins too. Like my aunt and my father."

Silence descended on the group as they considered the new information. Melinda felt a surge of anger thinking of her brothers and parents. None of them deserved what happened, and the sloppy assumptions on the day of the fire were inexcusable. She had to know who was under the black clothes.

"Will more details come back to me?" she wondered out loud.

"Possibly, Mel. They're going to come in spurts, and probably not all of them will be about the night of the fire. I hope you find some happy memories in all of this as well," Dr. Elizabeth said.

"I already have. My oldest brother Michael, he used to push me on the swing we had in the backyard. It was attached to a sturdy branch of one of the trees and the seat was a tire. He used to twist it and the let it unwind and I would scream because it was such fun and I would get so dizzy." She grinned as she spoke. "He would laugh so hard."

"Hang on to those moments, Mel." Greg said. "They are the most precious things we have."

She nodded. "I'm starting to understand that. Those are the footprints I want to remember, the footprints on my heart. I know there's more."

"Do we meet here in a couple of weeks?" Agnus asked.

"Sure. It works for all of us," Peggy said.

"I'll finish cleaning up then." Ralph stood and began collecting the last remnants of their impromptu brunch.

"I'll just head up to my apartment. I have a lot to think about," Mel said.

"If you need to talk, you have my number," Dr. Elizabeth reminded her.

"I think I'm good." Melinda said. She watched as Mirabelle unlocked the door to let them out. And caught a shadowy movement out of the corner of her eye. Was she seeing things? Dressed in black, she could almost hear the words. "It's all your fault."

"Did you see that?" Mel asked.

"What?" Ralph asked.

"The guy in black out there. Maybe I was seeing things."

"I didn't, but that doesn't mean anything. Say something the next time you see them." Ralph said.

"I hope it's nothing," Mel said.

"We'll make sure it is." Ralph put the last dirty glass in the dishwasher and started it.