“Did anyone bring anything good or is it all casserole?” Frankasked.
“I think it’s mostly casserole,” Karensaid.
“Gross. Throw that crap out. The kids won’t eat itanyway.”
“Frank—”
Thunder exploded over their heads, followed quickly by a bright flash of lightning and they allflinched.
“You guys should go before the storm gets really bad,” Breesaid.
Another crack of thunder rent the air and lightning lit up the dark sky visible through the small kitchen window. The lights flashed, but stayedon.
“Come on. Let’s get in the car and on the road,” Franksaid.
“Hang on. Sarah keeps candles in the kitchen.” Karen pulled open a drawer and pulled out several small candles and a box of matches. She closed the drawer and looked down at the counter. “Kept. She kept themhere.”
She brushed a tear away and took a bracing breath. “Let’s go.” She turned and hugged Bree. “Tell Denise and kids we’ll see themtomorrow.”
“I will,” Breesaid.
Chris remained leaning against the counter and swirled the last of the tea in his glass. It was time for him to go as well. It would be weird if he hung out with Jase and Bree to wait for Denise to return. He couldn’t make the offer to stay in case the kids woke up since they barely knew him. Besides, it went against the decision he’d made only a short while ago to give Denise herspace.
He finished the last of his drink and placed the glass in the sink. “I’m going to head out,” he told them when they returned to thekitchen.
“You sure? You can hang out here for a while,” Breesaid.
“No. I’m going to go before the storm gets worse. I’d say thanks for having me, but…well.”
Bree nodded. “Yeah. But thank you for cominganyway.”
He shook hands with Jase and dashed out to his truck, parked several houses down the street. A driving rain pelted him with fat drops of water, soaking him through his suit jacket. Unlocking his truck, he launched himself into the driver’s seat and slammed the door. A blast of cool air chilled him when he started the truck and he adjusted the vents away fromhim.
He loved the south, but damn there were times he could do without the weather. Peeling his jacket down his arms, he threw it into the back seat and loosened his tie. His shirt was just as sopping, so he peeled that off with the tie, leaving him in nothing but his v-neck undershirt. His dress shoes were probably ruined aswell.
He glanced over the seat to see if he had an extra bag in the back. Murphy apparently didn’t have anything against hunters because he found a pair of hiking boots in a duffel on the back seat. There wasn’t much he could do about his wet feet, but at least they weren’t encased in wet socksanymore.
Gripping the steering wheel, he tried to convince himself he was waiting for the windshield to finish defogging and not trying to think of an excuse to go after Denise. She didn’t need him and she’d made that crystal clear. Shaking his head, he checked his mirror and pulled onto the street. He’d help her by finding Eddie Perry and putting him back injail.
Fifteen minutes later, the wipers were on full speed and barely keeping the windshield clear enough for him to see. His phone rang and he answered it with the Bluetooth button on the dash. “This isNolton.”
“Chris? It’sBree.”
He could barely hear her over the pounding rain on the metal of histruck.
“Is somethingwrong?”
“Can you check on Denise?” she asked. “I’ve texted her a couple of times, but she hasn’t answeredme.”
“Uh. I don’t think I’m the best person to do that, all thingsconsidered.”
“Right now, you’re the only one that can. Jase isn’t going to let me drive out there by myself in thisweather.”
There was a short pause and he could hear Jase’s voice, but not what he wassaying.
“I need to be here in case the kids wake up since they don’t know Jase aswell.”
“Bree—”
