Chapter 27
Chapter
Twenty-Seven
Wren returned home and found Christian sitting on the porch steps with his back against the rail, watching the woods.
Behind her, Nash’s engine stayed running. He’d said he’d wait, and she was grateful for the privacy.
Christian stood as she approached. Bo lifted his head off the boy’s boot and thumped his tail twice at Wren.
Yesterday that dog had barked himself hoarse at Christian from six feet away. Now Bo was beginning to trust him. Did that mean Wren should too? She wasn’t sure.
For about half a second she let herself believe that Bo had never once let her down.
Then she remembered the lawn chair incident.
Bo had stood on that porch and barked at an overturned lawn chair for forty solid minutes, backing up a step every time the wind moved it. Finally, Wren came out in her robe at eleven o’clock at night and set the chair upright in front of him.
So, no, she couldn’t assume a single thing based on Bo’s actions.
“Hey.” Christian scratched behind Bo’s ears without looking up. “Where’d you go?”
“Out to see somebody about Roy.”
He squinted. “Who’s Roy?”
The question made her stop.
He genuinely didn’t seem to recognize the name.
“Someone we used to know.” She shifted, dreading her upcoming conversation and not wanting to explain too much to Christian now. “Listen, I need to talk to Nora and Marlowe for a few minutes. Just us three.”
He nodded and sat back down without argument. “Okay. I’ll be out here.”
When she stepped inside, her gaze went to the photo albums on the kitchen table. Four vinyl-covered ones from the hall closet lay open. Marlowe stood over them with her arms crossed. Nora stood on the other side.
They glanced at her when she walked in.
“Christian got about six pages in,” Marlowe said. “Then he said he needed some air. It’s a lot to look at all at once.”
“I know it is.” Wren stepped closer and remained standing. “I need to tell you both something.”
She told them about her visit with Paige and what they’d discovered.
“I’ve been trying to convince myself that we had time,” Wren said when she finished. “But we don’t. I know we’ve said this before, but whoever had Christian might still be out there.”
“Not if it was Roy,” Marlowe murmured.
“I don’t know for sure that it was Roy. And even if it was Roy, he could have been working with someone. There’s so much we don’t know.”
“I can agree with that.” Marlowe crossed her arms.
“Whoever did this to Christian isn’t in a cell,” Wren said. “And every hour we sit in this kitchen deciding when we’re ready to tell the sheriff is an hour more he’s got to pack a bag and never be found.”
Nora crossed her arms. “Finally.”
“Don’t.” Marlowe flipped the album shut. “Don’t you dare throw finally at this conversation like this is something you won.”
Nora cast their youngest sister a look. “I’m not saying it like I won. I’m saying I think this is a good idea, and I’ve been waiting for someone else to agree. We can’t just keep sitting on this. It’s irresponsible.”
Marlowe said nothing. She simply scowled, her mouth poised for another argument.
Wren knew she had to convince Marlowe to see things their way.
If that was even possible.
“Marlowe.” Wren waited until her sister looked at her. “A man we called family was clearly keeping some kind of secret—one that might tie in with Christian’s disappearance.”
Marlowe’s chin came up. “So your answer is telling Luke about it.”
“Yes, we need to tell someone who can do something about it.”
“Christian is seventeen.” Marlowe’s voice went thin and fast. “The second you say his name out loud in that office, he stops being ours. He’s a case.”
“He’s seventeen with two living parents,” Nora said. “Nobody’s putting him anywhere. Luke calls Mom, Luke calls Dad, and after that it’s theirs to decide.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Marlowe pressed her palm on the counter. “Look at them, Nora. Mom is a total wreck now. Dad moved away, and we’ve seen him once in three years. Those are the two people we’d have to hand Christian to.”
Nausea pooled in her stomach. “I know.”
“You know?” Marlowe laughed, but there was nothing behind the sound. “You know, and you’re doing this anyway.”
“I’m trying to do the right thing.” Wren’s voice climbed, and she pulled it back down. “Either way, I need to tell Luke about Roy.”
“Why don’t you just tell the truth, Wren? You don’t believe Christian either. You think it might not be him.” Marlowe’s eyes sparked with anger. “He’s home. He is actually, finally home, and both of you—”
“I believe him,” Wren rushed. “That’s not what this is. I could believe every word out of his mouth and still want to see the man who took him in handcuffs. Isn’t that what we all want?”
Marlowe opened her mouth and shut it again.
Nora’s hands went to her hips. “Then we do it with a line drawn. Wren tells Luke everything. But none of us hands Christian over to anyone tonight. He stays here.”
Marlowe’s shoulders lowered slightly. “Okay.”
Wren gave Nora a warning look. “You can’t promise that will hold.”
“I’m not trying to.” Nora continued. “Luke might send somebody out here tonight, and there won’t be one thing the three of us can do about it. But we’re not the ones who hand him over. That much we control.”
Marlowe finally nodded. “Okay. Fine.”
“There’s one other thing.” Wren looked between them. “Mom and Dad. We have to tell them tonight.”
“Luke’s going to call them the second you walk out of there,” Nora said.
“Not if I ask him not to.” Wren already had her keys. “I’ll tell him I need until the end of the day. That Mom and Dad need to hear it from us.”
Nora cast her a look. “And if he says no?”
“Then I get in my car and drive faster than he can dial.”
“Tonight,” Nora repeated with a nod. “It needs to be in person. She needs someone there with her.”
“I agree. Mom’s going to come apart.” Marlowe’s lips tugged down in a worried frown.
“Probably.” Wren’s throat tightened. “But we have to get this over with.”
Marlowe quickly wiped her face with the back of her hand. “I need a minute.”
She went out the back door. Through the window over the sink Wren watched her stop at the bottom of the steps with her arms wrapped around herself, facing the woods, not moving.
Her heart squeezed with grief. She wished she could do something to help. But they were all hurting right now and trying to deal with this the best way they could.
“She’ll come around.” Nora squeezed Wren’s arm.
Wren hoped that was true.