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“This is the way, correct?” He’d slowed down where a smaller road branched off the main one on the way to Lofall.
“That’s it.” Jessica tugged her jacket closer around her body. Once David saw the place, he’d understand that it didn’t hold good memories for her—not the kind of memories she’d want to share with a long-lost brother.
As they headed down the road, darkness closed in on them from the looming trees. His headlights picked out a few other properties on the edge of town, tucked away from the bay and the sparkling homes that inhabited its shores. This area was definitely the bad side of town, the “waterfront” a dirty creek, the people here recluses or meth heads or both.
She gave a nervous laugh. “Not much to look at.”
“That doesn’t matter to me. A person has to see his roots, don’t you think?”
“I suppose.” She jabbed a finger at the windshield as a dark, hulking structure came into view. “That’s it. The old homestead.”
He wheeled the car into the dirt driveway in front of the house, the headlights shining a glaring spotlight on all its misery. The front windows, both broken, stared balefully at anyone who approached. The porch sagged, a booby trapfor anyone who dared to darken the door. The screen door hung from one hinge, and in the wind, must emit a fearsome squeal further warning off strangers.
“Looks like he never sold it—or did anything to repair it.” She turned to him, suddenly afraid to get out of the car. “It’s a mess. No place to reminisce. Let’s head into town here and get some dessert. I’ll tell you all about Mom and Tiffany there.”
But he’d already cut the engine and had his fingers on the door handle. “Humor me, Jessica. I remember a creek out back.”
Before she could continue to reason with him, he scrambled from the car, leaving the door open in his haste. As she watched him slog through the weeds in the front to reach the dirty trickle of water that ran behind the property, Jessica unclicked her seat belt.
How could he possibly remember the creek? He’d been younger than two when he left. Had he been out here by himself before?
As she twisted in her seat, the dome light illuminated a gray backpack tossed onto the back seat. The corner of what looked like a knit cap was caught in the zipper. Was it red?
“C’mon, Jessica. I found the creek and the picnic table.”
The picnic table. A sour taste flooded her mouth as she remembered hiding beneath the rotting wood of the picnic table as Tiffany told one of the enraged stepdaddies that Jessica had run into the woods to avoid the strap. She gagged recalling the sound of that strap as it connected with Tiffany’s bare legs.
“Jessssica!”
David’s singsong voice brought her back to reality, andshe staggered out of the car and followed his trail through the tall weeds.
She rounded the house and found him standing next to the creek, which had widened since she’d last seen it. “This is it, David. Not much of anything to see, and…honestly, this place doesn’t hold very fond memories for me.”
“Really?” He cocked his head. “You grew up with your mother and your sister.”
This place had animated her brother. Even his posture seemed different—more erect, more vital, more…aggressive.
“My mother, who had issues, my sister and a series of nasty, abusive men.”
“Was my father one of those nasty, abusive men?”
“I-I don’t really remember him. Navy man, didn’t stick around long. None of them did.” She didn’t want to tell David she’d remembered his father as a violent drunk.
“I didn’t stick around long. Somebody ratted out Tammy.”
Her head jerked up. “Ratted out? I mean, I guess so. She couldn’t care for you. It was for the best.”
“Best for whom? You and Tiffany? You got all Tammy’s attention, and she sent me away.”
Jessica’s fingertips began to buzz. This felt off. Why had David’s demeanor changed? He couldn’t possibly believe the things he was saying.
“Believe me, David. You were the lucky one. You got a loving, adoptive family while Tiffany and I had to deal with all of Mom’s problems.”
Then he laughed, a high-pitched cackle that she’d heard before, and the blood in her veins turned ice cold.
Chapter Nineteen
Finn tore down the road toward Lofall. The house sat in the forest, down a small lane that wound off the main road. There weren’t that many of those. If he started seeing signs for the base, he’d gone too far.