“Something seemed off.” Fin shrugged
“Off how?”
Fin thought about that.How was she different? “Like she’s lost her sparkle.”
“She just arrived back and has likely been traveling a while. My guess is that would be enough to dull anyone’s sparkle.”
“Whatever, but my point here is she looks different, Joe, and is acting weird.”
“How long did you talk to her to come to this realization, Dr. Phil?” Joe bent to tweak Benjamin’s hat down over his ears.
Parents, Fin had noted, were always doing that. They saw stuff too. He’d always thought Joe unobservant, but he could spot if his kids or wife needed him a mile off.
“Not long, but I know I’m right.”
“It’s been two years. It’s likely she’s changed some, and let’s be honest, Maggs always had a little weird in her—as we all do. So maybe that’s just come out more?”
“That makes no sense, bud.”
“And you do with all that sparkle talk?”
“True.” Fin looked down the road again even though he knew Maggie was gone.
“You always come back weird after a brush with your dad. Maybe it’ll take her a while to settle too.”
“I do not!” Fin felt the tightening inside his chest he always got at the mention of his father.
“So do. And you always do something totally out of character before you return.”
“Buying a Harley Davidson is not weird or out of character. You know I always wanted one.”
“And no one knows that more than me, but the point here is—”
“By all means, don’t let me stop you getting to the point.”
“Is that you told me you were saving to buy Ted’s land before you left.”
Fin had visited his sister a month ago, and his father had been there. The man made him irrational; there was no other word for it.
“Whatever, and I have the money for the land sorted. Not sure how it turned around to me when we were talking about Maggs.”
Joe made a humming noise in his throat as he pushed the buggy back and forth. “That whole terrorist thing must have been terrifying. I imagine that rocked her. Maggs just needs time to settle back in, Fin. She’s lived a different life for a while. She’ll be grabbing your ass before you know it.”
Maggs had been involved in an incident in London, unharmed but shaken. Fin had read about it, and it had left him cold how close she’d come to being badly injured or killed.
“Maybe, but don’t you think it’s odd she’s back and none of us knew she was coming?”
“Bailey doesn’t know, and that’s weird. But maybe she wanted it to be a surprise.”
“Yeah, that could be it, and she said as much.” But Fin didn’t think so. Something felt off, and it wasn’t good.
“Mind you, Bailey said she lost contact with her six months ago suddenly. She’s called her a few times, and Maggs never picked up. She left a shouty all-capitals message when she texted her, and Maggs replied saying she was okay, just busy.”
“But Bailey didn’t buy that?”
“She felt something was off, but didn’t know what,” Joe said, pulling out his cell phone.
“It’s rude to talk on your phone while conversing with someone.”
