Page 100

If only that were true.

She scrunched her nose as if something had caught her attention. “Did you hear that?”

“I only heard the ripple of water.”

“I swear there was a noise, something coming from over there beyond the trees.”

There was no reason that her words should make me anxious, but they did. What I hadn’t done since the first day was to check the perimeter of the property. I’d been remiss in doing so. Normally, I’d walk it twice a day.

“Maybe we should go,” I told her.

“We just got here. Come sit with me. Just for a little while.” She sat down and I scanned the area. I hadn’t brought a weapon with me, which wasn’t like me at all.

After a few seconds, I moved toward her, sitting down by her side.

“I know you have questions, Kage. About my father. Why don’t you just ask me instead of pretending that everything is okay? I can tell you’re on edge.”

“I’m not on edge.” I wrapped my arms around my bent legs, staring at the water. Was I hoping for clarity? Hell if I knew.

“You’re a terrible liar. Stick to what you’re good at.”

“And what’s that?”

She pushed her body against mine playfully. “Extraction. With flair.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “You have a way with words.”

“Keep that in mind.” She laughed with me. “My father is a good guy. Deep down inside anyway, but when my mother died, a part of him died with her. Her death pushed him into working all the time, avoiding life. Avoiding me. It’s been horrible to see what he’s done to himself. He’s successful, but money isn’t everything. I finally figured that out.”

“Which is why you love taking pictures.”

“Yes. Doing so gives a sense of purpose and maybe one of peace.” She leaned her head on her knees, peering at me with a strange smile on her face. “What about your parents?”

“We’re cordial. My mother is a hoot and the only person I know who could put up with my grouchy father.” As soon as I made the statement, her grin widened.

“At least I know where you got the grouchiness from. I never knew it was inherited.”

“You’re terrible.” My thoughts drifted away and so did her smile, which I missed immediately. She had a way of lighting up an entire room with it alone. Something else I shouldn’t allow myself to think about.

“Were you close to your uncle?”

“Nope. Not really.”

“They didn’t get along. Right? Your father and your uncle, I mean.”

“Nope.” There was shame in admitting it.

“I’m sorry, Kage. Family squabbles can be difficult. Maybe your uncle was just trying to tell you that he cared about you, even if he wasn’t allowed to show it.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

“Then again, maybe he knew you needed to find peace just like he did by moving here.”

“How so?”

She pushed me again and I pretended to almost fall over. “I might not know you very well, but it’s easy to tell that whatever you went through serving your country has remained with you.”

I tilted my head, staring at the mountains. “Things stay with you, horrors you hope no one else has to see or experience.”