“Their belongings. Aimee and Derek, and the kids. I just…shoved it all in the garage and left it. After…the crime scene clean up guys were done. And well…It just never felt right to sell their things. Not with their killer still out there. I tried to get ahold of Asher, but…I guess he’s busy. And I got a realtor coming in two days to talk.”
“Would it be okay if I came over and looked at what you have? Just…to cover all the bases?”
“I suppose so. I…will be here all day. Fixing trim in the bathroom and things. Just…come whenever you want.”
Chapter 36
They were predicting another two plus inches of snow in this region of southern Indiana over the next twenty-four hours. It reminded her of home, this little town. They’d spent ten nights there. Miranda was ready to go home. After this case wrapped, she’d have to get to Masterson, get Bentley and get him back into their routine in St. Louis before Brynlock Academy started up again. This was one of the longer stretches of time she’d been away from him—and she was starting to feel antsy. One reason she’d also taken the cold case unit was that these long cases away from home were promised to be fewer than when she’d worked the Complex Crimes Unit.
Knight was already making noises about sending her back to St. Louis to get started on a new case that had just come in. He thought she didn’t know what he was up to, but…when it came to Bentley’s needs, or Jac’s girls’, Knight was a bit of a marshmallow. She made sure not to take advantage of it, too much, she was the co-head of the unit and that meant responsibilities she would never shirk on, but…Bentley had to return to school in three days. And there had been some insanity in Masterson County again. She wanted to go home, check on her family.
She pushed all that aside, when Bryan Stenson pulled in the drive. He’d obviously plowed the driveway at some point, but there was another half-inch of powder or so. He climbed out of his truck with Stenson Properties, LLC on the side and stood there for a moment, his cell in his hand. She wanted to smile—he really did remind her of some of the ranchers from Masterson. It was the way he held himself—it said he would do what had to be done, get the job done because that was what a man did. Bryan was also a family man. And she suspected that was the major part of his identity. “Hi, Bryan, how are you today?”
He gave a tired smile. “Frozen. Pipe burst in one of the buildings I own on Main. Had to do what I could do until the plumber got there. It can be a never-ending thing with real estate.”
“Yes, I can understand that. My family owns an inn in Wyoming. There was always something going wrong. Do you know how many toilets I have unclogged in my lifetime? And we won’t even talk about the kitchen fires I have dealt with. I am the oldest of twelve cousins. Eight of us grew up in that inn together. It was chaos.”
“That…actually sounds kind of crazy. Your parents must have been saints. My four are enough to keep me on my toes.”
“It was a strange set-up, but it worked for all of us. My father is a retired ambassador, and we lost my mother when I was eleven. My grandparents raised me and my sisters, and my uncle’s four, as well. All girls. I did love it, though. My little boy is almost seven. He’s currently in Wyoming at the inn with my dad, on school break. I love that he gets to be a part of it.” And he was relaxing right in front of her. Exactly as she’d intended.
“My youngest boy is eight. He was a bit of a surprise. The other three are all teenagers, now. Tristen Cruz. He loves books and wants to try martial arts down in Jasper.”
“I do martial arts. Time willing. I also want to write books. Mostly about small towns. They are a passion of mine.”
“I always thought I wanted the big city. But my mom got sick and I came home. My brothers at the time, none of them could just drop everything and come home. But I could. They were all in the military. I was working construction with a contractor up in Indy. I…just…came home. Bought my first rental. Met Cass at the hospital when I cut my arm open—she’s a nurse—and…yeah. I like the small town better. It feels safer for my kids.” He looked at the house. “Except for…this. I am going to sell it. I should get enough to get my kids started on what they want to do in life. I always knew I’d end up selling at least one or two houses to do that. I think…now is time. Cass asked me why I am holding on to it. I couldn’t answer. Except…their stuff is still here. It just didn’t seem right.”
But the ghosts were haunting him. It was probably time. But that was a decision he needed to make for himself. “Well, I’m here, we can take a look. See if anything stands out.”
“I tried to get ahold of Asher. See if the sister…wants some of it. Or…I don’t want to just yard sale it, so the curiosity seekers come pick through it. Maybe…donate it somewhere, where people who really need it can use it.”
“Pierce is following up a lead today over in southern Illinois. He should be back in about half an hour; he plans to join me here, too.”
He led the way to the garage. “I just put everything in here and left it, after the cops said I could. That the scene was clear, or whatever they say. I check the building once or twice a year for structural issues or problems, but…I just left it all.”
Tried to hide it from himself. Because of the hurt. She understood.
He turned and slipped the key into the lock, just as…someone walked around the corner.
Miranda tensed then relaxed when she realized it was a child. Bryan stepped toward the girl, a puzzled look on his face.
“Daddy!”
Chapter 37
Bryan pulled his daughter aside. “Why are you here, young lady? You should be in school right now.”
“Mom was supposed to text you. School got out two whole hours early because of the snow. It would be snowing when the buses were on the roads so they let us out early and stuff.”
He checked his phone. He had missed a text from Cass in there, right during the chaos of dealing with the plumber and the renters.
She looked at him like he should have known, the look she had most definitely gotten from her mother. “Mom knows I'm here. Headed toward the skate park. She said I can come and play until I called you and you come get me. But my wheel just broke. I have to change it again. I think I need new wheels, Dad. And they are expensive; I only have half the money I need. Unless…I can get a job or something. I can help you hang drywall stuff, maybe?”
Never going to happen—unless she suddenly grew a bit more. But all of his kids had done extra projects for money for him, when they really wanted something. They knew they had to work to get what they wanted sometimes. He’d figure out something she could help him with soon. He knew how much that skateboard meant to her.
There was such a hopeful look in her eyes. His daughter knew how to play him. No denying that. She hesitated for a moment; a weird expression went across her face. That’s when he knew the skate park was just a ruse. He knew his daughter well, after all.
“What’s wrong?”
