Page 95 of Dead Man's List

Chapter Eleven

Carmel Valley, San Diego, California

Tuesday, January 10, 9:30 p.m.

Kit brought her Subaru to a stop in her parents’ driveway, which was already filled with Subarus. Mom’s and Pop’s vehicles were here. And so was Akiko’s.

That could be good or it could be bad. Kit hadn’t forgotten about Akiko’s mysterious phone call from the woman claiming to have known her mother. She hoped there’d been no trouble on that front.

She started to get out of the car, then remembered her promise to Sam and opened a text window.

Am home. All safe.

A minute later she got the reply.Same. Walking Siggy. Sleep well.

Just a few words and she felt warm and…safe. Settled.

That was more than a little terrifying.

She got out of the car and locked her door. They weren’tusually a victim of crime way out on the farm, but everyone was on edge with Christopher Drummond’s trial coming up.

A tall, broad figure stood on the front porch waiting for her, and Kit’s heart settled even more.

“Hey, Pop.”

“Hey, Kitty-Cat.” He waited until she was on the porch before enveloping her in the best hug. He and Mom were expert huggers and were the only ones who hugged her without asking.

Kit loved that her brothers and sisters understood boundaries. Many of them shared her past and knew that forming attachments could be difficult.

Kit hugged him back, leaning into him longer than she usually did.

“You okay, Kit?” Harlan asked gruffly.

“Just tired.”

“Your mom has a room all ready for you.”

Kit pulled back to frown up at him. “I figured I’d sleep in my old bed.” There were two twin beds in Rita’s room, which had once belonged to Kit and Wren. And then, later, to Kit and Akiko. It was where she always slept when she came home.

“The other girls are bunking with Rita now. We rearranged the room to hold three twin beds.”

“Is Rita okay?”

Harlan waffled his hand. “Mostly. But nights are hard and the other girls didn’t want to leave her. So they’ve all moved in together. Mom’s made their old room into a new spare room. You and Akiko will sleep there.”

“Akiko’s staying over?” Her sister rarely stayed over at Mom and Pop’s house.

“Um…yeah.” Harlan winced. “Something’s going on with her, and Mom and I are worried. She came over and had way too much strawberry wine.”

Kit’s eyes widened. “Akiko got drunk?” she whispered.

Harlan nodded, his expression troubled. “Do you know what’s going on? All she’d say was that she’d had to cancel tomorrow’s charter because Paolo got the flu. She’s never canceled a charter before.”

“I know some of it, but she didn’t give me permission to tell.” Only to tell Sam, and he hadn’t asked.

Harlan nodded once. “As long as one of us knows, I’m okay. And I’m glad it’s you.” He kissed her forehead. “Should we just keep that bed open for you? You seem to be staying over a lot more often these days.”

“Oh. I didn’t think of that. All this time you could have taken another foster. I’m hogging their bed.”