Nothing left but a pile of ashes and part of one wall. This would delay the sale of the farm for sure. The first light of dawn peeked over the rolling hills of the property as Jason turned toward the house to see what state it was in. Kingsville fire chief, Steve Hamilton, descended the porch stairs as Jason approached. Fatigue etched the lines of Steve’s face. He was probably finishing the tail end of the midnight shift. Jason strode over to him, noting a dejected Shep lying on the porch. “Hey, Steve. How bad is the damage in there?” Steve looked up from his clipboard, his face grim. “Main floor’s not bad, but the second story will need extensive repairs. The roof over the far bedroom is gone.” Maxi’s room. “Lots of water damage, too,” Steve continued. “Looks like Charlie let the batteries wear out on the smoke detectors." Jason shook his head, not wanting to think ill of the dead, but it was typical of Charlie. “So the family won’t be able to come back yet?”
