"What time was that?"

"Four forty-four."

"That's pretty exact, Mr. Meissner."

"Digital clock," Meissner says. "You remember things like that. I called right away. But too late."

"You did what you could."

"I'm thinking Pamela is out of the house because Leo is."

"Leo, Leo."

"Leo was outside?" Jack asks.

"Yes."

"When you heard him barking?"

"Yes."

"You're sure about that, Mr. Meissner?"

"Pretty bird, pretty bird."

Meissner nods. "I saw Leo standing out there. Barking at the house. I thought Pamela…"

"Did Leo usually sleep outside?" Jack asks.

"No, no," Meissner says, like dismissively.

Jack knows it's a stupid question. No one's going to leave a little dog like this outside at night. He's always seeing signs for lost Yorkies and cats, and with all the coyotes around here you know it's like "B Company ain't comin' back."

"Coyotes," Jack says.

"Of course."

Jack asks, "Mr. Meissner, did you see the flames?"

Meissner nods.

"What color were they?" Jack asks.

"Red."

"Brick red, light red, bright red, cherry red?"

Meissner thinks about this for a second, then says, "Blood red. Blood red would describe it."

"How about the smoke?"

No question about it, no hesitation.

"Black."

"Mr. Meissner," Jack asks, "do you know where the rest of the family was?"

"It was Nicky's night with the kids," he says. "A blessing."