Harm’s Reach. Alex Barclay

said Kristen. ‘They’re my favorite feature.’

      ‘And they must be custom file cabinets,’ said Ren.

      She nodded. ‘They are. I hate the metal look. I wanted everything to have as natural a finish as it could.’

      Instead of sitting at her desk, she guided them over to two facing sofas. They were all halted by the mountains of cushions on top.

      ‘Just move them out of your way,’ said Kristen.

       How many times a day do you have to say that to people?

      Ren rolled her eyes at Robbie as they both plucked up cushions and set them on an empty console table.

      The room overlooked a flagstone courtyard bordered by blue spruce.

      ‘I know you had detectives from the Sheriff’s Office here yesterday to let you know about the homicide,’ said Ren.

      ‘Yes – how terribly sad,’ said Kristen.

      Ren nodded. ‘She was only twenty-six years old.’

      Robbie leaned forward and took a brochure for the ranch from a stack on the table. ‘Do you mind?’ he said.

      ‘Not at all,’ said Kristen.

      ‘The Darned Heart …’ said Robbie.

      ‘It’s a play on words,’ said Kristen.

       No way!

      There was no doubt she had explained this a thousand times, but there was clearly no loss of enthusiasm. ‘These kids – or their parents – often feel like they are damned,’ said Kristen, ‘which is a terrible thing when they’re still in their teens. The kids have the strangest type of independence; it’s independence without the emotional maturity to handle it. And without the respect for authority that allows them to accept guidance from people who do. They want to do everything themselves and don’t want to listen to anyone. And then something happens in their lives and they break.

      ‘It doesn’t matter what their financial circumstances are, they are all, in some way, broken. Their hearts are broken. And we like to think we can help mend that. Darn it.’ She smiled. ‘It’s in honor of my grandmother, who always said you could “knit a problem away”.’