Bobby waved me through the front door. He had a scrub brush in one hand, a sudsy baby bottle in the other, and it smelled like he hadn’t changed his shirt in seven to ten business days.
Or showered.
“Yeah, well, you don’t look like you’re gonna be on the cover ofMen’s Healthanytime soon, either.”
I chuckled. “Is she doing okay?” I asked, pointing at the closed door to Molly’s room.
“One ear infection turned into three this month, and I’ve resorted to bargaining with demons to get her to sleep, but otherwise, she’s fine. I don’t know how Jade or I are alive, though.”
I cringed. “That sounds awful. Can I help with anything? Sit here and make sure she stays asleep while you shower, maybe? Or nap?”
He set the half-washed items down on the kitchen counter and crashed onto the sofa. I settled into the armchair opposite.
“No,” he sighed. “Other than Jade, I feel like I haven’t had a real, normal adult conversation since you’ve been at the lookout. I’d rather do this, if you don’t mind the smell.”
I smiled as wide as I could. “I never have.”
He flipped me the bird and grinned back. “So, what happened at the trailhead?” he asked.
“How do you know about that?”
He shrugged. “I’ve got a police scanner. Keeps me entertained when I’m stuck inside taking care of the baby. Makes me feel like I’m still up on what’s going on around me.”
I grunted. That just sounded like extra anxiety no one needed, but to each their own. “Well…” I sighed. “We, that is,Ifound a body on my hike out this morning. I called Tate, and now the place is crawling with law enforcement. I’m pretty sure the FBI’s involved.”
“Holy fuck,” he said. “Oh, my God. Do you know who it is?”
“I mean, I’m not positive, but from what I could tell, I think it’s Janine.”
“Fuck,” he repeated, shaking his head. “I’m sorry. Can’t believe they finally found one of the bodies.”
“Mmhmm.” I studied his face some more. “How are you? Really?” I asked.
He dragged his fingers through his hair. “Stressed. Really stressed. Jade’s job has been crazy the last few weeks, so I’ve been up with the baby most nights, and it’s killing me. I need sleep, but I’m so delirious I’m not even sure Icouldsleep, ya know?”
“Not really, but I can imagine how hellish that is.”
He grunted. “And I didn’t tell you before now, but Mom and Dad are getting a divorce, and it’s not going well.”
“What?” I asked, baffled. “I just talked to your dad the other day; he seemed fine.”
“They’re both being difficult about assets and who gets what in the split. Dad won’t budge on a few pieces of land that really should just be sold off,” he finished with a wave. “It’s tough feeling like I’m in the middle.”
I nodded. “I’m sorry.”
“Meh, you went through this as a kid, that’s gotta be worse.”
“They weren’t consulting me on who I thought should get the house and shit like that, though. You’ve already got enough going on.”
“Yeah…” he sighed. “So, what did Tate say about the body when you talked to him? Do they know anything? What’s the FBI’s involvement?”
I shrugged. “He didn’t say much, really, other than they don’t know if it’s a copycat or the same guy as before.”
Bobby’s eyes sharpened. “You mean they think the same guy’s still around? And he started killing people again after all these years? Why? I thought they’d pinned the last ones on that lookout who went missing.”
“It wasn’t him,” I said, the words falling out of my mouth on instinct.
“Did Tate tell you that? How do they know? Do they have DNA or something?”
