Page 8 of Having HIs Back

C hapter F ive

For the past four days, all Kerry had done was try to keep things together for the boys.

They developed a routine of their own… of sorts.

They got up and went to bed at the same time, walked to the park, and went to the store to choose something for dinner.

And Kerry answered questions, patiently, over and over again.

Caroline’s body had been released, so he was able to schedule the funeral.

He hadn’t been sure if he should go ahead with immediate cremation or not, but the funeral director had assured him that everything would be fine for an open casket, and he had been right.

The more he thought about it, the more he figured the boys needed chance to see her and say goodbye.

Caroline had looked as wonderful as a dead body could, and the boys had cried loudly when they saw her.

He held them and did his best to explain what was going on.

Mercifully, they had had an hour to themselves before anyone else arrived, so the boys could grieve alone for a while.

Then there had been the viewing, and thankfully both boys had gone into a room the funeral home had set aside for them and curled up one of the sofas.

The funeral director had a blanket, and Kerry draped it over them and let them rest. Grief was exhausting, and they had already had more than their share of it.

Brian came in toward the end and, after paying his respects, spoke softly to Kerry.

He carefully steered clear of the case itself and simply spoke of general things.

It was what Kerry needed between rounds of aunts, uncles, and cousins all peppering him with questions about what was happening to find out who had done this.

He eventually developed pat answers that satisfied no one but managed to get everyone get past that horrible topic.

“Have you had about all you can take?” Brian asked once Kerry had spoken with the last of his aunts. At least she had spared him the questions all the others had asked and offered to sit with the boys if he needed to get out for a while. Aunt Marilyn was the only relative to do that.

“Go ahead and take the boys home. There’s only half an hour left.” She patted him on the shoulder with that gentle smile she always had.

“I knew you were my favorite for a reason,” he whispered to her, and she chuckled softly.

Aunt Marilyn had never married and had had a successful career in corporate America, breaking a few glass ceilings along the way.

Now retired, she was still very active and kept quite busy.

“And thank you. I need a day to go back to my house to get some things.”

“Why don’t you pack some things for the boys and take them up there with you?” she asked.

“My place is too small. I’m actually thinking of letting the apartment go and moving back down here.

The boys have their friends, and Henry is set to start school in the fall.

I don’t want their lives disrupted any more than they need to be.

I’ve spoken with the practice, and they have agreed to let me transition to the office in Olympia if that is what I decide to do.

” There were so many big decisions looming, and yet he knew now was not a good time to make any of them.

Kerry had banked enough time off that he still had some coming, but he was going to need to return to the office fairly soon.

“I have a house where the current tenants are moving out. It’s three bedroom, two baths, with a garage.

It’s a few blocks from where Caroline was living.

It would keep the boys in the same schools but would get them out of the house where their mother died.

If you want to rent it, you can. Or if you want to buy it, that would be possible as well.

I’ve been renting it out for a while, but selling it would simplify things for me.

So, I’m open to either.” She patted him on the shoulder.

“Think about what you want to do and let me know.”

“Thank you.” He was more than a little overwhelmed at the moment, but her offer was most appreciated, and it would take care of a number of items he had been mulling over.

He turned toward the door to the viewing room as a man stood in the doorway. He made no move to enter, and a chill went up Kerry’s back. “Who is that?” he asked his aunt, glancing over at Brian, who made his way over from where he was speaking to Kerry’s insufferable Uncle Barry.

“He was your sister’s boyfriend. Chuck, or something like that, I think. I met him once when I was visiting your sister. He seemed nice enough at the time, but Caroline released him back into the wild—her words—a few weeks later.”

“How long ago was that?” Kerry asked, and Aunt Marilyn put her hand over her mouth.

“Maybe four years ago or so. I’m not really sure.”

Kerry watched as the man entered the room and made his way up to the front. He passed by the casket, glancing inside for a few seconds before continuing on and then back along the side before returning to the door.

“What’s going on?” Brian asked.

“Apparently, the guy leaving did a quick pass of the room. He’s one of Caroline’s former boyfriends, and my aunt here says that they dated about four years ago.

I remember his name is Charlie, that’s it, and if I’m not mistaken, he’s Phillip’s sperm donor.

” Kerry refused to call someone a father who took off before they were even born.

Brian strode out of the room, most likely following him.

“I hope everything is okay,” Marilyn said.

“I hope so too,” Kerry said as more people approached, and he made small talk until Brian returned. “Did you find him?” Kerry asked after excusing himself from Uncle Barry, who was warming up to some inappropriate story about a woman he’d met online.

“No. He was gone when I got outside. I checked around, but I didn’t see him. Is he the man you saw outside the house?”

Kerry shrugged. “He could have been, but I’m not sure.” He tried to think back, but his mind was cluttered and his memories more than a little fuzzy.

“Do you remember his last name?” Brian asked, but Kerry shook his head.

“Sorry.”

“But you believe he could have been Phillip’s father?” Brian asked, and Kerry nodded. “You’re sure of that.”

“Caroline always referred to Phillip’s father as Fucked-Up Chuck. So that is probably him.” Kerry sighed and wished his sister would have had a more… conventional personal life. But then, Caroline always marched to her own beat. It was part of who she was. “I wish I could be of more help.”

“We’re working on that angle, and I hope we’ll have some information soon.”

“Me too.”

“Did he touch anything or drink out of anything?” Brian asked, but Kerry shook his head.

He supposed Brian was hoping to get some sort of DNA.

“Okay. Well, at least we know what he looks like, and I put out a call for him as a person of interest in the case. That will get all of law enforcement looking for him.”

“I should have acted faster.” He felt like a fool.

“It’s okay. We will get to the bottom of this, and he isn’t going to be able to hide forever. Don’t worry.”

“I think I’m going to take the boys and go home.” Brian yawned as sheer exhaustion threatened to overwhelm him.

“Let me take you and the boys. I’ll take your car, and I can call my partner to pick me up and bring me back here.”

“I can do that if…,” Aunt Marilyn began, then silenced herself.

“No. You let the handsome police officer take you home.” The wicked look in her eyes had him groaning to himself.

His aunt had always been way too perceptive for her own good.

“Go get the boys home. They’ve had more than their share of the grief parade, and it’s not over. ”

“It is for them. Karen from next door is going to come to the house and sit with them while I attend the funeral. They’ll come to the luncheon afterward.

And then this part will be over.” He knew nothing was ever going to be over, not for two boys who lost their mother, but at least this phase of the process would have ended.

Phillip and Henry would have been able to say goodbye to their angel mother.

He left the viewing room. Tomorrow, the funeral home would open additional space for the funeral itself, and then Caroline would be taken away for cremation.

Kerry figured that at some point the boys might want to visit where their mother was laid to rest, so he had arranged for a cemetery plot.

In a few months, he thought he and the boys would pick out a stone for her.

The boys were still asleep. He gently lifted Phillip into his arms and went to Henry.

“Let me take him,” Brian said.

Kerry hesitated, but Phillip lifted his head.

“Will you go to Mr. Brian?” Kerry whispered, and Phillip went right to Brian, his little arms curling around his neck.

Brian whispered soft things to Phillip, and he rested his head on Brian’s shoulder.

Kerry gently lifted Henry, then carried him out of the funeral home and to the car.

He got Henry in his seat, and Brian got Phillip in his.

“I’m hungry,” Phillip said just as he and Brian got their doors closed.

“We can stop and get something,” Brian offered.

Kerry nodded. “Let’s get them milkshakes,” he said softly, and Brian started the car, pulled out of the lot, and took them to the In and Out. “What flavor do you want?”

“Rawberry,” Phillip said.

“Banana,” Henry said from just behind Kerry’s seat.

Brian ordered, getting a chocolate for himself and a lemon for him.

Once their treats arrived, they sat in the car and let everyone drink their shakes, and then Brian drove them home.

Brian helped take the boys into the house, and Kerry got them ready for bed.

They were so tired, they barely woke up while changing into PJs, and then Kerry kissed each of them before tucking them in. Phillip went right to sleep.