Everything erupted.
Men jumped from tables.
Abigail screamed from the corridor.
Matilda ran.
Or moved as close to running as her body allowed.
Her knees screamed under her weight.
The hallway filled with smoke.
Jedodiah reached the office first.
Door locked.
He hit it once with his shoulder.
The frame cracked.
Second time.
The door burst inward.
Smoke rolled out.
Abigail stood beside the desk.
A metal wastebasket burned.
Papers inside.
She held another bundle over the flames.
Jedodiah knocked it from her hand.
Not hitting her.
The bundle scattered.
Matilda reached the doorway.
She saw numbers.
Ledgers.
Old letters.
One envelope with her mother’s name.
“Water!”
Jedodiah shouted.
Men arrived with buckets.
The fire died quickly.
Smoke remained.
Abigail stood against the wall, coughing.
The office floor was covered in wet ash.
Matilda bent slowly.
Picked up one half-burned page.
At the top:
ACCOUNT OF ELEANOR HART.
Below:
Room charges.
Medical charges.
Funeral.
Boarding.
Child care.
Then a line:
Assignment of outstanding Black Ridge interest as settlement—
The bottom had burned away.
Matilda stared.
Abigail lunged.
“Give me that.”
Jedodiah stepped between them.
Abigail stopped.
Matilda looked up.