Burton rarely stopped by.
Especially lately.
The older man came up the porch steps carrying his hat in one hand.
He looked tired.
Maggie wasn’t with him.
That alone told Burke this wasn’t social.
“You got a minute?” Burton asked quietly.
Something in his tone shifted the whole room.
Caitlin and Izzy exchanged a glance.
“Yeah,” Burke said carefully. “Come on in.”
A few minutes later, everyone sat around the farmhouse kitchen table.
Coffee steamed quietly between them.
Rain tapped softly against the windows.
Burton sat at the head of the table, turning his hat slowly between rough hands.
Nobody rushed him.
Finally—
“There’s something I need to tell y’all.”
The room went still.
Burke leaned back slowly in his chair.
Burton exhaled hard.
“When Clara Vale came to me back in ’ninety-nine, she was terrified.”
Izzy looked up immediately.
“She told me she’d seen something out near Hollis property.” Burton’s jaw flexed once. “A plane. Men loading what she thought was a body.”
Quiet settled heavily across the table.
“She said they saw her,” Burton continued quietly. “Said they chased her through the woods trying to catch her.”
Caitlin covered her mouth.
Burke frowned.
“Dad, you already told us about the plane.”
“No.” Burton looked up sharply. “You only heard part of it.”
The room went quiet again.
