Lawson wasn’t sure anyone other than Knox and his sisters would be interested in the find, but everyone stayed, including Charlie and little Ella, who played with all theoggieson the floor beside Olivia and Nash.Burke had called in from his office.Which meant the man was working late.Again.
First, Lawson laid out the car photos.“I’m guessing these were cars owned by families and friends.Or Jay himself.Here’s a picture of him with the new truck.”
Jolie smiled.“He looks so happy.And like Fox.What happened to the photo albums we used to have?”
Amber smiled.“I’ve got a couple.They’re in a closet up at the inn.I should have dug them out before this, but with trying to get the inn running, I haven’t had time.I should have scoured them for clues to the mystery about Fox and Jay, but I haven’t been brave enough.”
Her voice trembled, and Gray’s arm immediately went around her.Boomer left the game of fetch and rested his head in Amber’s lap.Gray’s soft voice probably didn’t reach everyone, but with Amber at Lawson’s side, it was easy to hear his friend.“You’re a kickass woman, Amber, brave enough for anything.Never forget it.”
Hoping to give them a moment, Lawson shifted his attention to the shoebox.“I didn’t look at the notebook or newspaper clippings yet.I’m not sure they even have anything to do with Jay.”
Knox reached out.“There's only one way to find out.”He passed the notebook to Lawson and divided the clippings between himself and their sisters.
They’d set up the phone with Burke beside Lawson.He held the notebook so his brother could see it.Before he opened it, Jolie’s gasp filled the room.“These are copies of newspaper announcements.Of the accident that took Mom and Dad.And their obituaries.”
Amber’s voice shook as she added.“These are the articles written about Burke’s graduations.”She held up the ones showing their eldest brother as valedictorian in high school and college, and another one showing him earning his master’s degree.
Burke’s voice was thick.“Shows he knew about us.He kept track.I wonder if he did that on his own or if Fox shared the information.No, forget that.If Fox had been sending him things, he would have talked about it.There’s no way he would have kept that secret.”
Across the table, Knox nodded.“I agree.But this proves he kept track of our family.I’ve got a copy of the wedding picture Mom and Dad put in the paper.”
That brought on lots of swallowing emotions as they passed around the paper.
Knox continued.“There’s also an article about Jolie getting that grant when she was working in South Carolina.And one showing all of us during one of the Abenaki festivals up in Swanton.”
Lawson swallowed.“He kept track of us.He knew about us.”
Amber frowned.“Looks like whatever drove them apart happened before Burke was born.Or maybe even before Mom and Dad were married.”
Lawson angled the notebook so Burke could see with him.Burke spoke first.“Holy shit.This is a list of dates and events.Starting with Fox’s wedding to Janica Kelvin.”
Lawson looked at Dani.“She was our grandmother, but she died before Burke was born, so none of us knew her.”
More dates followed, including Mato’s birth to Fox and Janica, and the dates of Mato’s graduation, and his marriage to Halona.
Then, the births of each of the kids.Deaths of Mato and Halona.Graduations for the five siblings, including the schools and the degrees.
The dates each of them started new jobs, the dates he and his brothers had entered the army, and when they retired to move on to civilian life.
And dates with no names.Three dates, but no details.Two when Jay and Fox would have been in their twenties.One about a decade before they’d inherited the farm.
All the garages where Lawson had worked.Amber’s hotels.Jolie’s environmental jobs.Burke’s accounting firm.Knox’s bodyguard job.
Lawson had to swallow.“He has phone numbers listed for some of our jobs.Did he want to reach out to us?”
Dani leaned on his arm, and he looked up to find her eyes misty.Same with the others, while Amber and Jolie had tears tracking down their faces.“I think he did.Why else would he have the numbers?”
Lawson flipped through some blank pages and then found more notes.“Holy hell.Sorry, guys.Don’t repeat that, Charlie.I don’t think your sister heard me.”
Charlie grinned.“She’s not paying attention, and I know that word.What did you find?”
Lawson flipped the book around for a moment to show everyone.“Jay wrote some ways to approach us.Hello.I’m your great-uncle Jay Malssum.I’m Fox’s brother, and I don’t know if you know I exist.”
There were more.All halting, awkward phrases that he crossed out before trying again.Like he was trying the figure out the best way to approach them.
Lawson read them all, then flipped through the rest of the book, finding nothing further.
He set down the notebook, and they all sat in silence for a few moments, absorbing everything they’d discovered.
