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Conversations with Cooper were always like this. Even so, Zack adored his younger brother. Although he did worry about him occasionally. At some point, Cooper needed to get serious about a career and life. At least a little bit.
“I assume you’re staying at the house,” Cooper replied. “And that’s going to be a problem. You know good ol’ Joel isn’t going to give up trying to get you to come back and work for the family firm.”
“Never in a million years. I’m not doing it. But you do have a point about staying there. I tried to get a hotel, but they were all booked. I assume with guests for the wedding. I waited too long.”
Job issues had taken most of Zack’s attention for the last six months.
“You can stay with me. I have a spare room. It’s not much, but Dad has never even darkened my door. I think it’s safe to say that you won’t run into him there.”
“Deal,” Zack replied immediately. “I appreciate the offer. I won’t be a terrible house guest.”
“It’s no problem. It will be fine. Go get your luggage. I’ll meet you at the apartment. It’s the only one above the old movie theater.”
“I know where that is. I can run back to the house and get my suitcase. I haven’t unpacked yet. I didn’t get the chance before me and Dad were already into it.”
“No surprise there. Come over when you can. We’ll go out tonight and grab a bite to eat.”
Zack’s phone buzzed in his pocket, and he checked his text messages. Since quitting his job, he rarely received calls anymore. Most of his friends thought he was insane. He was beginning to realize that he hadn’t made many true friends in New York City. Just work friends. Now that he’d left, they’d moved on.
He wasn’t going to get all maudlin about it, but it made him think about how superficial his relationships had become. They’d all just skimmed the surface, never digging in too deep. Maybe because all his work friends simply didn’t have the time or energy. Real friendship was a luxury.
The door to the kitchen swung open and Tate rushed back to the bar, his face pale as if he’d seen a ghost. Zack couldn’t remember a time in the past when his brother had looked this spooked.
“We have to go right now.”
Zack and Cooper exchanged a puzzled glance.
“What are you talking about? Where do we need to go?”
“They’ve found a skeleton. A body.”
Zack was suddenly glad that he’d come home.
4
By the time Zack and his brothers arrived at the site on the outskirts of town, there were already several police vehicles, a couple of fire trucks, and an ambulance. Yellow tape was strung between some trees, marking off the area, and the cops were taking statements from the young couple that had found the body.
The man and woman, along with their dog, had been hiking in the forest when their dog began digging in a spot near a fallen log. They’d told him to stop as he was getting muddy - there had been a great deal of rain in the last week - but when they’d tried to pull him away they’d seen something. Upon further investigation it had turned out to be a bone. Afraid that it might be human, they’d called the sheriff’s department.
A body. Human remains.
When he’d heard the news, Zack’s heart had fallen to his feet, his stomach twisted into knots. A cold sweat had broken out on the back of his neck despite the over-cooled air in the bar. He simply hadn’t been prepared for his brother’s declaration. He’d raised a shaky hand to his chest, and to his shock, it was still beating. His fingers had gone numb, but his heart was squeezed painfully in his chest.
It might be their mother - Lily Winslow.
Memories of his mom flooded his brain, each one more vivid than the last. She’d loved her children fiercely, and she’d brought a happiness into their home that he’d never forgotten. Everyone had described her as a ray of sunshine when she entered a room. Even now, he could remember how she’d smile and give him a hug when he came home from school. She’d want to hear about their day, the teachers, their friends. She’d been to every teacher conference, every Little League game, and his graduation. She’d made every holiday special.
And then she’d been ripped away suddenly. Disappeared. No answers. Only questions.
Could it be after all of these years? Would they finally find out what had happened to their mom?
Was their decade-long nightmare over?
He wasn’t any calmer than he had been back at the bar. His heart was still galloping in his chest at the thought they might have found his mother. It had been a decade, and now they might find out the truth.
Finn, the local sheriff, with Deputy Blake at his side ducked under the tape when he saw Zack, Cooper, and Tate.
“I understand why you’re here, but you need to stay on this side of the yellow tape. This is a crime scene now.”
