“What do you want?” his brother demanded in a hard tone.
“Dad died this morning. I don’t know anything else. I’m headed there in the morning,” Owen said, waiting for his brother to respond. When Wyatt didn’t speak, Owen said, “Wyatt?”
He checked his phone and saw his brother hung up on him.
“What an asshole,” he exclaimed, already tired of his brother’s bullshit, and he still needed to make two more calls. Calling the fourth, Owen stood, pacing the small deck. A woman answered.
“Hello?”
“May I speak with Mason, please?” he asked nicely.
“May I ask who’s calling?” she asked.
“I’m Owen, his brother.”
“Oh,” she said slowly. “Just a minute.” He listened as the woman walked, calling his brother’s name. Children squealed in the background. Did Mason have kids? The knot in his stomach grew tighter as he realized he didn’t even know when he became an uncle.
“Owen,” a guarded voice answered.
“Mason. I’m calling to inform you Dad died this morning. I’ll be there tomorrow.”
A slight chuckle came over the line. “I wondered when I’d get a call from you or Dad telling me the other died. You made it clear when you left youwanted no part of the family. Why did you contact me now?”
“Because damn it, Dad died. He’s your father, too. I thought you might like to know,” he nearly shouted.
“He hasn’t contacted me in years, just like you. I reckon he didn’t consider us family any more than you did,” Mason said quietly. “Thanks for calling. I have my own family and don’t plan on rehashing the past. Take care, Owen,” he said before the phone clicked.
“Why in the hell did you have so many kids?” he yelled up to the sky. “They’re all assholes.”
Angrily punching the last number, he waited for Elias to pick up.
“Hello,” he answered.
“Elias, it’s Owen. Before you hang up, I’m calling to tell you Dad died this morning.
“What happened?” his brother asked quietly.
“I don’t know,” he said, surprised Elias even asked. “Gunny called with the news. I’m driving to his place tonight and then over to Wolfe Mountain in the morning. I guess I’ll find out then.”
“I can’t get there until tomorrow afternoon,” Elias said, surprising Owen.
“Uh, good,” he said, still in shock at Elias’ acceptance. “We can get settled and then go from there.”
“Will the others come?” Elias asked.
“No. It’s only us,” he admitted.
“I’ll see you then,” his brother said before he hung up.
Owen returned inside, turned off the coffee pot, and washed the few dishes in the sink. He entered his bedroom and took out the only suit he owned, a couple of pairs of jeans, shirts, underwear, and socks. He’d go to Wolfe Mountain, handle the funeral, and sign the paperwork. After all, there was nothing to keep him there.
CHAPTER 2
Owen pulledinto the driveway and saw Rucker, Gunny’s daughter, run out to greet him.
“Owen,” she exclaimed. “I can’t remember the last time I saw you. It must be..”
“Ten years,” he finished. “It’s nice to see you again, Rucker.” A man eyed him up and down, and as he wrapped an arm around his childhood friend.
