Page 1 of Easton Island

Chapter 1

Mrs. Arnsby reached into the refrigerator and removed the bento box, snacks for Tristan to munch on after school before his soccer match. “I know you weren’t fond of the hummus, so I swapped it out for peanut butter. You can put it on the snack crackers or sliced apples.”

Tristan fidgeted on the barstool, wiggling back and forth. “Can I have string cheese too?”

“You most certainly can.” Easton Estate’s cook promptly added a package of cheese, tucking it in alongside the grapes and next to the baby carrots young Tristan had decided were now one of his five favorite foods because of his fondness for carrot cake.

Morgan leaned her elbows on the counter. “I take it you still like kicking the soccer ball around.”

“Yep. Mr. Chilton, the instructor, said I have a good eye and aim.” Tristan grew quiet and then suddenly blurted out, “Brett is taking me hunting this fall. I’m saving up to get a crossbow.”

“It looks like the afternoon chores you’ve been doing to help Jax and Ben will come in handy.”

He nodded enthusiastically. “I’m getting better at waxing the cars, too. Pretty soon Ben said I can help him wax Burnie, Great Grandmother Ainsworth’s car.”

Brett’s son, a boy who had arrived on the Easton family’s doorstep months earlier, on Christmas Eve no less, was settling in, seeming to thrive. Surrounded by family and the estate’s staff, the transition hadn’t been without a few hiccups along the way. Most of them centered around the boy’s emotions. He still grieved his mother’s death as well as missing his Uncle Jeff, who traveled extensively.

Morgan jangled her keys. “We had better hit the road or you’ll be late for school.”

Tristan sprang from the bar stool. He grabbed the bento box from Mrs. Arnsby, giving her a quick hug goodbye on his way past.

Morgan followed him out of the kitchen and across the driveway to her SUV. During the short drive to Easton Harbor’s school, he talked nonstop. Spring had sprung. Soon it would be warm enough for Brett to teach his son how to kayak and paddleboard. Backwoods hiking and other Easton Island activities were also on Tristan’s extensive “to-do list.”

Her nephew’s arrival had been like a breath of fresh air, filling the Easton family’s lives with a child’s wonder. His enthusiasm about anything and everything had rubbed off on Morgan, who was tickled pink he’d found something new to embrace almost every day.

Thankfully, he’d become friends with two boys—brothers who were close to his age. Morgan had met them a few weeks ago when Tristan invited them to Easton Estate to fly his drone and work on a school project together.

Despite his enthusiasm, she’d noticed a subtle change in him recently. He seemed, at times, withdrawn. Brett, noticing the change as well, had chatted with his son privately. He insisted everything was okay, but clearly there was something going on Tristan wasn’t admitting to.

“We’re here.”

He waited for Morgan to pull alongside the curb before grabbing his backpack. Tristan reached for the doorknob and abruptly stopped.

A boy and a girl, a few years older than her nephew, passed by on the sidewalk. They slowed when they got near the SUV’s front bumper. The boy turned back and sneered at them.

He said something, but because the windows were rolled up, Morgan couldn’t hear what it was. The boy nudged the girl. She stuck her finger on the end of her nose and pushed up, making a pig face.

Laughing out loud, the two walked off, looking back once before they entered the school.

Tristan let go of the door handle. He shrank back against the seat. “My stomach hurts.”

“You were fine a few seconds ago.”

He closed his eyes, mustering up a look of pain. “It must have been the breakfast sandwich.”

“Since when does a breakfast sandwich give you a stomachache?”

Tristan coughed loudly. “My throat is starting to hurt, too.”

“What you’re saying is that you don’t feel well enough to go to school.”

“Uh-huh.”

“What about your soccer match? You were so excited.”

“It’s okay if I miss one.”

Morgan was on the fence about calling him out about the kids who were laughing and pointing at them. She wisely decided to let it slide. “I’ll take you home.”