“Our parents are in California and last I heard, they’re fine. And Trevor didn’t really have any close friends. Just me.” His voice broke and he looked away again.
“I need to ask you a question that’s going to be hard to hear,” Jake said. “But do you think your brother would have taken his own life? Had he ever talked about suicide?”
“No!” Wade jumped up. “No way! Are you saying that’s what happened? Because it didn’t.”
“There weren’t any skid marks or any indication that the car swerved to avoid anything,” Jake said. “And the first responders who retrieved your brother’s body said there was a strong smell of alcohol.”
“No.” Wade shook his head. “Trevor wouldn’t do that. I know he wouldn’t.”
“Is everything all right here?” They turned to see Scott stalking toward them. He had a short stride, but covered ground quickly, arms swinging.
“Mr. Sprague, they’re saying Trevor killed himself,” Wade said. “You know him. He wouldn’t have done that.”
Scott put his hand on Wade’s shoulder. “Trevor was a good man, no doubt about it,” he said. “But we can never really know what another person is thinking, can we?”
“Scott, did you see Trevor when he was here yesterday evening?” Jake asked.
“I saw him working with the others to get the bonfire ready,” Scott said. “I may have said hello, but I didn’t speak to him.”
“Did you get an impression as to his mood?” Aaron asked. “Was there anything unusual about his demeanor?”
“No. But I was busy making sure the bonfire was organized. It takes a lot of preparation to make sure the campers have a good time, but are also safe.”
“Can I see my brother?” Wade asked.
“Someone will call you,” Jake said. “And Dwight Prentice says to get in touch with him about collecting your brother’s belongings.”
“I’ll help with any arrangements,” Scott said. He was still gripping Wade’s shoulder. “Why don’t you take a couple of days to pull yourself together and do whatever you need to do? And remember, we’re all here to help.”
Wade nodded. He stared at the ground, looking miserable.
Jake handed Wade a business card. “Call me if you think of anything we should know, or if you have any questions. I’m very sorry for your loss.”
Scott led Wade away and Aaron and Jake headed back to the parking lot. “I know people never like to think their loved one committed suicide, but Wade seemed really shocked by the idea his brother might have taken his own life,” Aaron said. “And driving into a canyon doesn’t seem like the easiest way to go.”
“Still, it happens,” Jake said. “Maybe the autopsy will tell us something, or they’ll find some malfunction on the car when they haul it up.”
“Maybe so.”
“Not the best way to begin the week.” Jake nudged him. “Still, you met Willa. You should ask her out, though I hear she’s turned down everyone else who’s approached her.”
Hearing this didn’t make Aaron feel any better. Had he hurt her so badly she couldn’t bear to get involved with anyone else? Not that he had jumped back into the dating scene, either. Hetold himself it was because he’d been busy—with the move, and a new job.
But really, the thought of starting over, with someone who wasn’t Kat, made his chest hurt. Now that he knew she was here, the pain had started up again. No sense going out of his way to make it any worse.
Chapter Three
When Willa arrived home from running errands Sunday afternoon, Gary was just coming out of the shower. Neither of them could afford rent on their own, so sharing a place had made the most sense. Plus, it allowed Willa to keep an eye on her little brother. He would have protested that, at twenty-three, he didn’t need her to look after him, but she needed to reassure herself that he was all right.
“How was your day?” she asked as she put away groceries.
“Okay.” He rubbed his shoulder. “I had to dig, like, a mile of ditch for a water line.”
“By yourself? That sounds horrible.”
“I was supposed to have help, but the guy didn’t show up. And it had to be done today. Supposedly there’s a big storm coming in tonight.”
“Maybe you should look for another job.”
