.. was... , “ Bob stumbled to a halt.“It was what?” I demanded impatiently.“It was caused by a fight. One of us got into a fight with several ...thers and candles got knocked over and set the straw on the floor on fire. The fight was intense enough that no one noticed initially, and by the time they did, it was too late to put the fire out even with Magic. The building burned down, but the sword was saved along with the scabbard. It was moved here, and has been here ever since.” he told me. I. There was still interior work being finished up, but that wasn't much to cope with. Denny elected to cut short his police career in favor of joining the family business.Brian and Polly Spruell also moved into the family compound with their new daughter. Brian also elected to quit police work, with the exception that he was an auxiliary deputy in El Dorado County. He was called on rarely, usually for search and rescue duty.Val married Zack Simpson in a ceremony that was half pomp and grandeur. .”“Enough!” I laughed. “You start school in two weeks, right?”“Yes. I want to work on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, plus Saturdays. Will that be OK?”“So long as you keep your grades up, yes.”She smiled and turned back to her workstation, just as Julia came to the door.“Steve, I need you.”“You aren’t the only one,” Penny muttered under her breath, just loud enough for me to hear.I ignored Penny and followed Julia to the conference room where Dave and Elyse were waiting. Dave was dialing the. "It is of little consequence. He was useless even before the semester began, and I am sure he is as equally useless to you and the Harbingers."Heather said nothing. She had not been asked a direct question or ordered to do anything. She could choose not to reply."In fact, it is of so little consequence that I will not bother discovering how he found out about our 'arrangement.' Consider yourself fortunate, for I am confident I would have found another reason to punish you further. And, truth be.