Chapter 17 #2
“I know that, and that she’s told others now, but she hasn’t told anyone else her father’s name,” Dan said.
Finch wasn’t surprised that news had gotten out even though Nina had only told the group in The Gnat today. Nothing in this town was a secret for long.
“Nice haircut, by the way,” Dan added. “And yes, Falcon is bad. He was involved in all kinds of things, and, to my knowledge, his name is connected with two murders. There is no record of his daughter, which is something, at least.”
“What worries me is that when she left, Nina’s mom may have taken something he wanted without realizing it, and now he’s out, he wants it back.”
Dan did look at him then. “That’s a leap.”
“Nina said that, too, but that’s how my mind works.”
“You’d make a good cop,” Dan said.
“Absolutely not,” Finch argued.
Dan snorted. “If he’s got people looking for her, they’ll find those name-change records eventually, even in a country as big as this. We need to keep an eye on who arrives in town, and on Nina too.”
“I will,” Finch said before he thought better of it.
“Good.” Unlike other members of this town, he said nothing further about Finch putting his hand up to watch her. “Now, let’s go look at your future.”
“I didn’t say I wanted to buy it, just look at it.”
Dan tapped his nose, then got out of his pickup and climbed into his cruiser. Shaking his head, Finch followed him down the driveway.
The home was a single-story farmhouse, painted yellow. Not a soft buttercup yellow. No, this was bright and loud. His mother would love it. There was a large barn to the left, its sliding door open. Dan parked his cruiser, and Finch pulled in next to him.
A young boy sprinted out of the barn toward them. “Hey, Dan. How come you’re here?” His hat had flaps like Blue’s, and he wore gloves and a coat.
“I knew you and Leah were here,” Dan said, bending to hug the boy.
Hudson was Dan’s partner’s nephew, and when his mom passed away, his aunt stepped in to raise him.
“This is Finch,” Dan said, with a hand on Hudson’s shoulder. “He’s a friend.”
Finch acknowledged the boy. “Hi.”
“Hi. We’re inside feeding the Burns’s chickens.”
“You go and help your aunt, bud, and I’m going to show Finch the farmhouse,” Dan said. “I’ll be back soon.”
The boy ran back inside the barn.
“He’s going to love having a baby,” Dan said as they headed toward the farmhouse.
“Leah’s pregnant?”
“Yeah, two months along.”
“Congratulations, man. That’s awesome.”
Dan’s smile was wide. “It really is.”
Finch had always wanted kids and a partner to grow old with.
He’d thought about the woman he’d eventually marry—someone who could handle being a military wife.
But everything was different now. Before he even considered a future with someone and a family, he’d need to get his head on straight and work out what he was going to do with the rest of his life.
“It needs some work, but it’s not in bad condition,” Dan said as they walked up to the bright red front door. “Not sure what they were thinking with the color scheme, and as you can imagine, the locals weren’t too happy, but as it wasn’t visible from the road, they let it lie.”
“It takes all sorts,” Finch said, following Dan inside.
“At least you’d be a quiet neighbor, but I can’t vouch for us,” Dan said.
“Just looking, at this stage.”
Finch stepped into a large living area. The size surprised him, as these houses often tended to have smaller rooms. But clearly some walls had been removed. The color scheme inside wasn’t any better than the outside, with a purple feature wall, but it had good bones. He could see that right off.
Three bedrooms and a bathroom, plus the kitchen that needed modernizing.
While he was viewing the house, he felt something stirring inside him.
The low hum of excitement had him taking it all in with an eye toward ownership.
A place to call home and something to anchor him.
Before, he had the army, and now he had nothing. Could this give him a purpose?
“I’ve always liked this place,” Dan said, his tone conversational. “Plenty of light, and it’s back from the road, so no nosey people looking at you. The land’s good and could be grazed or worked.”
“If the policing doesn’t work out, you could always join Jay in real estate,” Finch said.
“Ha, not likely.” Dan looked at him. “The thing is, bud, this could give you something you’ve been looking for. Some stability and a place to heal without your family and friends in your face—if that’s what you want, of course. I mean, you may love all that smothering good intent?”
He snorted. “I’ve been on my own, surrounded by people like me since I was eighteen. I am now drinking green juice cleanses and having my mother pop in regularly to check my aura.”
Dan winced. “Has to be hard, even when it’s done with love. What do you plan to do?”
Finch looked around him. “Hell if I know, to be honest. I have a few physical limitations at the moment, but they’re improving. Not sure they’ll go away completely, but that’s the hope.”
“Okay, now don’t get angry—”
“Four words that never worked in anyone’s favor,” Finch said.
“But I think you could start something here,” Dan continued. “A fitness retreat, or something along those lines. Or you could take on the kids who need some direction, rather than us locking them up? Both, even.”
“Not sure I’m up to something like that,” Finch said, but he felt that little flicker grow into an ember.
“You have the skills, Finch, and this place is growing. Plus, if you bring people into Lyntacky, it would be good for the town. There’s also the Slatters—you could team up with them.”
He thought about the hiking and kayaking he’d done with the Slatter kids. Finch had loved it.
“So, what? You just came up with this plan on my behalf, Dan?”
“Of course not. Sawyer, Brody, and Ryder, came up with it for you.”
“The people in this town are far too invested in my life,” Finch said, walking away to inspect the bedrooms again. But Dan’s words had started him thinking, and he knew that tonight, he’d be sitting down with a notepad and pen to work out numbers and logistics.