My arm automatically wraps around his shoulder. Oh no. He’ll never reconcile with his brother. Probably why Candace, or Candy, has been so distant and defensive with me. She probably thought I knew. I thought she was just giving Lucas space to figure out his family.
Erika makes a small growling noise in the back of her throat. “What is her name again?”
“Candy Thibeault.”
“I know her as Candace Anderson.” I pull the pillow with the unstitched flower onto my lap. “She came onboard about a year ago. Highly decorated Air Force veteran. A few stints in Iraq, includingDesert Storm. Lucas recommended her. Phil hired her after our last head of security retired. She’s never been very friendly.”
“Why do you need a head of security, anyway? It’s not like you work with actual money.” Erika’s face is bent low over her laptop, which she’d left on the coffee table. Does she have messaging apps on her computer? We probably should have checked. These devices are given out by the school, and we have no access or any reporting on what the kids are doing on them.
I sigh. “You’re right, I don’t deal in cash. Security isn’t for that.”
Erika doesn’t press the matter.
“How long have Lucas and Candy been married?” Clint asks. His face looks like it pains him to continue to talk about them.
“I think just a few years, but he never told me he knew her from when you were kids. Made it sound like they met out in San Diego.”
“Yeah, not surprising.”
“I found something.” Erika slides to the floor with her laptop on the coffee table in front of her face.
“What is it, honey?” Clint seems to be crawling back into dad mode. This day has taken a toll.
“An article in theWindham Eagle.”
“Our local newspaper.” Clint smirks. “Usually stories about the Rotary Club and tree lightings.”
“This one is different. It’s about Candy Thibeault. It’s about how she got into some fight at a bar in Arizona while in the Air Force. She avoided a court-martial, but her brothers did time.” Erika whistles. “This article is fierce.”
“In theWindham Eagle? Doesn’t sound like their usual.” Clint leans over to look at the screen. “Who wrote it?”
“Kim Rourke.”
Clint slowly nods. “Not surprising. Another victim of Candy’s. She was a year above me in high school.” Clint suddenly stands. “Ithink we should get out of here. I need new walls. Actually, I need no walls. Who’s with me?”
Erika and I both rise to our feet.
I almost cry in relief at the resolve etched into my family’s faces and then realize we will likely need every ounce.
38
CLINT CHECKS HIS WATCH AND SCOWLS.
“It’s getting late; we still need to pack and probably think about dinner.” I glance toward the kitchen.
“We could still leave tonight and likely drive around in the dark looking for this cabin. But how about if instead we eat dinner, pack things up, and then we can pick up Reid on our way to the cabin in the morning?” He looks back and forth between us both.
“Fine with me.” Erika scoops up her laptop. “Not like we’re on the run or anything.”
Her words make me freeze. My fingers go instantly cold. I make fists, tucking them under my thumbs, trying to warm them. No, we’re not on the run, but should we be?
“We’ve got that chili in the freezer.” Clint walks toward the kitchen.
“I’ll, uh, whip up some corn muffins, so why don’t we eat in about half an hour?” I can’t let irrational fear take over.
Erika nods and then shuffles from the room, her laptop hugged to her chest. “Back in a sec.”
Alone in the kitchen with Clint, I can’t help but press on his memory of Candy. “I had no idea someone else was involved in your brother abandoning you and your mom.”
