Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 75907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
“No. There were no fingerprints, and the cameras didn’t see their face. They were dressed in black, with a hoodie pulled low. Couldn’t get a good look at them.”
“Jesus, Sarah.”
“I know. But, Tanner hasn’t let me out of his sight unless I’m at work or with the girls, so I’m never alone. It’s really annoying.”
“You have to be careful,” he says.
“Now you sound like Tanner.”
“So, you’re back with him, huh?”
“Yeah.” I nod, watching him. His own shoulders have relaxed since I got here. He’s so handsome, muscular, and tall. I bet the girls clamor for him. “You always liked Tanner, back in the day.”
“Still do,” he says. “He’s a nice guy. He was stupid when he was young and broke it off with you, but most guys are stupid at that age.”
“Even you?” I raise an eyebrow and watch as he laughs.
“Especially me.”
“Are you seeing anyone?”
“Nah. I work crazy hours at the firehall. It’s a tough job to have and maintain a good relationship. Unpredictable and dangerous.”
“I think you speak from experience.”
Our salads are set in front of us, and our water glasses refilled, and Scott continues.
“I’ve had a few girlfriends. I think chicks think the fireman thing is hot, no pun intended.”
“Oh, yeah. I can vouch for that.” I lick ranch dressing off my thumb. “Super hot.”
“But in reality, it’s being gone for days at a time, getting called in on your days off, and just generally not having a life of your own.”
“You make it sound so glamorous.”
He grins at me, and I can feel the shift in us. Things are going to smooth out and be fine. It might take some work, but I think I finally have my brother back.
“There’s something else I have to tell you,” he says, his face set in serious lines now. “And I don’t know how you’re going to take it.”
“Am I an aunt?”
He smirks. “No. Mom died, Sarah.”
I blink at him and drop my fork onto my plate. “What?”
“She died. I just got word yesterday. I guess it was a few weeks ago. They found her in her car, about a hundred miles away from where she’d been living.”
“What happened?”
“Foul play, but I don’t know what kind because they wouldn’t tell me. It’s an ongoing investigation.”
“Where’s Dad?”
“He wasn’t with her. Authorities found him passed out in their camper, stoned and drunk. He claimed that he kicked her out months ago. Didn’t care where she was or if she was dead.”
“Jesus,” I breathe and stare down at my salad. “What did they do with her remains?”
“Cremated her. They’re sending her here, and I guess I’ll bury her with her parents.”
“June bought the property with the cemetery. No new internments.”
Scott sits back at the news. “She bought a cemetery? Why in the hell would she do that?”
“It’s attached to the church, and she’s going to turn that into a house.”
“Who would want their backyard to be a cemetery?”
“You’ll have to ask her. The point is, I don’t know if we can bury mom there. Maybe June will make an exception for us.”
“She probably will,” he murmurs. “I wasn’t sad, Sarah.”
My gaze returns to his. “What do you mean?”
“When I heard she was dead, I wasn’t sad. I didn’t feel much of anything.”
“Why should we be sad? Sure, she gave birth to us, but she was not a mother to us in any way that counts. They barely kept a roof over our heads. Our friends’ parents raised us, Scott. If they hadn’t, we’d likely be just like them.”
“I know it.” He takes a bite of his salad. “I’ll do the right thing and bury her, but I haven’t heard from her since I was fourteen. That’s longer than you were gone.”
I cringe, and he shakes his head.
“I didn’t say that to make you feel guilty. It’s just the truth. Like, did she even remember that she had kids?”
“She didn’t care. We were there to fetch them things and to make sure they didn’t OD.”
“You did most of that,” he admits.
“Honestly, I’m surprised they’re still alive. Well, you know what I mean. I figured they’d have passed a long time ago from the drugs and hard life they lived. I knew they were bad people from the time I was small. But when they walked away from this town, from you and me, and never looked back, I wrote them off.”
“I know. No wonder we have abandonment issues.”
“You’re not wrong. I didn’t help that.”
“No, you didn’t. But it also wasn’t the same. You wanted to come back for me and couldn’t. Mom and Dad didn’t give a rat’s ass.”
“You won’t take care of her alone, Scott. We’ll figure out the burial together. I’ll speak with June and let you know what I find out.”
“I appreciate it. And for the record, I didn’t ask you here today because of Mom. Yeah, I needed to tell you, but I wanted to see you so I could apologize.”