Chilled (A Bone Secrets Novel) (15 page)

She wasn’t holding her breath for the sound of a chopper.

“I hope he got all the coordinates. I was only getting about every fourth word from him so I probably sounded just as bad.” Ryan paused and gazed at the group below with a frown. “What do you think of Alex?”

“Uh…” Brynn tried to arrange her thoughts at the quick change of topic. “He’s OK. Quiet. He’s kept up even though I think he’d rather get a root canal.” She closed her mouth, not wanting to say she thought Alex kept a lot below his smooth surface. Still waters and all that. Several times she’d seen things start to boil in his expression like he had a lot to say or felt strongly about something, but Alex had kept his opinions under wraps. From the moment Jim had verbally ripped the marshal to shreds at the base camp, she’d wondered what made him tick. Alex had kept his temper and responded with a gut load of self-assurance. Not an easy task in front of Jim.

Ryan snorted. “My thoughts exactly. He hates every minute of it out here. Something is driving him to put up with this.”

“It’s his job. Besand’s a murderer. He wants to make sure Besand’s either dead or put back in prison.” Brynn shuddered as she glanced at their surroundings. “Alex thinks Besand is trying to hike out of the woods. Armed. I guess a gun is missing from the dead marshal.”

“Jesus! And they let you hike back up that hill alone?” Ryan’s gaze swirled in all directions, and he threw an arm around her shoulder to press her down. “We shouldn’t be sitting out here in the open.”

“Stop it!” She shoved off his arm. “He’s not here. Don’t you think he would have waited with the plane if he wanted to be rescued? I think he started walking out. Alex says this guy hated prison, and he believes Besand’s taking this chance to get away. Besand knows if a rescue crew found him, he’d be back in prison
within hours. So he’s gonna do everything to avoid us. I already had this argument with the other guys below. We don’t need to go through it again.”

Ryan sat still. “What did Alex want to do?”

“He wants us to get out of here. But I knew you weren’t up to hiking out right now and vetoed that. Alex wants to go after Besand after we leave. Like we would even consider leaving him alone out here.” She frowned. “He seems to think Besand has some big plan for getting out of the country. How could he have a plan? He didn’t know his plane was going down or that he’d live through it.”

“Maybe he’s always had a backup plan. Just in case the opportunity arose to escape from prison. I know I would.”

She smiled. “You’d be a lousy criminal. You’re too damned honest.”

Ryan rubbed at his nose. “Collins said something that I didn’t understand. Something about Alex.”

Brynn’s stomach tightened. “What’d he say?”

“It sounded like ‘Kinton’s not a marshal.’”

They both were silent for five full seconds.

Brynn slowly shook her head back and forth. “That’s not right. I’ve worked around you law enforcement types for years. Alex has ‘cop’ tattooed on his forehead.”

“I’m with you. There’s law enforcement in there somewhere.”

“Maybe you misunderstood. Maybe Collins was saying…” She scrambled for words. “Kinton isn’t…I don’t know.” Her hands went up in exasperation. “You said the connection sucked. Maybe he didn’t say ‘Kinton’ maybe he said ‘kitchen’ or…or ‘kitten.’”

Ryan laughed, but sobered rapidly. “You’re right. But it’s bugging me. Collins said it twice, but neither time was clear.

I want to talk to Jim about it, see what he thinks.” He grimaced. “But I guess it doesn’t make much difference. Let’s say Alex isn’t a marshal. That’s fine. He’s pulled his weight on this mission, and we’ve done our job. He seems to be a decent person, and I kinda like him. After this we can all go home and laugh about the guy who was dumb enough to fake being a marshal to go along on the rescue from hell.”

“But Alex isn’t going home. He’s going to hunt down and kill Besand. I saw it in his eyes.” Brynn’s voice broke as she shuddered, remembering Alex’s cold gaze and wondering what had knocked him down to such a low point.

Alex leaned his back against the plane as he watched Brynn climb the hill. He ran a freezing glove over his eyes. It was partially Monica’s fault he was here. If she had only agreed seven years ago to accept Samuel, Alex wouldn’t be in this position. And Samuel wouldn’t be dead.

Stop it.
He should have known he could never change Monica. Rule one of marriage: don’t go into it assuming the other person will change for you.

Monica had been five and half feet of black-haired, browneyed spitfire. A corporate attorney, his wife could argue any opinion until she had Alex agreeing that blue was red. When he’d ask her to come with him to visit Samuel, she’d refuse. Every time.

Alex would leave the house convinced Monica didn’t need to see his brother. But by the time he’d parked in front of the care home he’d realize she’d bowled him over again. She always managed to finagle her way out of visiting Samuel.

So it wasn’t a surprise that she’d also refused his requests to let his brother come live with them.

Alex had understood, but he didn’t want to. Her arguments had made sense. How could their marriage grow with his brother in the house? How could they have any privacy or intimacy living with a mentally handicapped man who didn’t know what those words meant?

His brother was a twelve-year-old in a man’s body, and Alex had known he was asking too much of Monica by suggesting Samuel live with them. Samuel had been pretty independent, but he’d been known to get lost on the bus system or wander out of the house at two in the morning.

Alex had loved his brother fiercely. The age difference of seven years didn’t matter. All his life he’d been his little brother’s protector. First against the teasing kids of the neighborhood; then the kids at school; and then, after their parents died, Alex protected Samuel from the system. Samuel was one of those kids who kept falling through the cracks. Too advanced for full-time care, but needing more than part-time supervision. Alex had resorted to private care for his brother, looking for homes that would treat him like a family member. It wasn’t easy. Care for the mentally handicapped didn’t pay well and often attracted some of the dregs of society without skills. He was between a rock and a hard place. Samuel didn’t need people with advanced degrees taking care of him. He just needed a helping hand, some love and affection. Something Alex could have done if his wife hadn’t given him an ultimatum.

Live with her or his brother. Not both.

He’d sworn before God to make his marriage work.

So he’d chosen his wife and found the best care home possible for his brother and visited every weekend.

It was a relief that Samuel had liked the group home. He’d been more independent than several of the patients, and the owners often gave him responsibilities that included helping with other patients, odd jobs, organizing crafts, working in the gardens, and even cooking. Samuel had been thriving. Each visit he’d drag Alex from one end of the Maxwells’ group home to the other, reintroducing him to people Alex had met dozens of times over the years and showing off his latest artwork or the blooming rosebushes.

The guilt never went away. Samuel was Alex’s responsibility. But he’d known he couldn’t provide him with the stimulation and socialization Samuel found in the home. It had ripped at his heart. Kathy Maxwell had patted Alex’s shoulder as he left each weekend and said her usual mantra. “He’s happy here. Stop beating yourself up.”

Alex would smile and nod at the kind woman. And ignore the spasms that squeezed his lungs.

He’d never forget his last visit with his brother.

Samuel’s greeting hadn’t packed his usual enthusiasm. He’d looked away when Alex held out his fist for Samuel to bump.

“Hey, Buddy. What’s wrong?” He tousled Samuel’s dark hair and made a mental note to remind Kathy that he needed a haircut.

“Don’t call me Buddy.” He knocked Alex’s hand off his head and scowled out the window.

Ouch.

He’d called Samuel “Buddy” since he was born. Their father had started the nickname when Samuel was an infant. When he was young, Samuel had informed people his name was Buddy, not Samuel.

Alex studied his brother carefully. Samuel looked thinner, and his eyes had dark circles under them. Usually Samuel sparkled. He had an infectious grin and a rolling, low laugh that pulled everyone’s attention to him. Alex had often wondered what Samuel would have been like with a normal birth, where he hadn’t been deprived of oxygen for so long. He had Alex’s height and coloring, but he was softer, rounder in the face and build. If Samuel had Alex’s obsession for running and weightlifting, they would have been twins. Now with the shadows and weight loss, Samuel looked more like Alex than ever.

Something was definitely wrong. Alex glanced around for Kathy, wondering if the grandmotherly caretaker knew what was bothering Samuel. When Samuel was in a cranky mood, Alex could rarely get him to talk. The woman wasn’t in sight so Alex settled back into the old flowered couch and tried to relax his brother.

“Want to watch some TV? I’ll see if
SpongeBob
is on.”

“No.”

Okaaay. SpongeBob
was a favorite. Alex looked out the window of the cramped living room. Pouring rain. He couldn’t ask Samuel to take him on a tour of the garden. Maybe…

“Rosa’s gone.”

Alex blinked, trying to remember Rosa. He pictured a woman with black hair who carried around a little dog that could fit in a teacup.

“Where’d she go?”

Samuel shrugged.

“Did she go home for a visit? Or just shopping?” Had his little brother developed a crush on the young resident?

“She’s gone. And she’s not coming back.” Samuel’s voice cracked, and Alex worried he was about to cry. Samuel never cried.

“Did she take her dog with her?” It was possible Samuel was more upset about the dog than Rosa.

He nodded and rubbed at his eyes. Alex wrapped an arm around his shoulder, and Samuel leaned into his chest. He’d always been an affectionate kid who’d responded to a comforting touch. “What was the dog’s name?”

“Hero.”

Hero had been a tiny little mutt, but the name was fitting with the dog’s big heart. “That’s too bad. He was a cute little guy.”

“He was mean to Hero.”

“Who was mean?”

“That man. The new one. He doesn’t like dogs, and he was mean to Hero. I hate him. I was going to tell on him.”

“Is that why Rosa left?” Alex mentally flipped through the newer patients, trying to remember one who didn’t like dogs. Would that be enough to make a patient move out?

Samuel shrugged again. “I don’t like him. It’s all his fault Rosa is gone. He threw Hero in the pool. I saw him do it. It hurt Rosa. I hate him.”

He could picture Rosa’s fury at her little dog getting thrown in the pool. It must have taken ten minutes for the itty-bitty dog to paddle his way to the pool’s edge. Rosa must have been angry enough to move out.

Alex wondered how to cheer him up. Or should he let it go? In a few days, Samuel would have completely forgotten about the
girl and her dog. Maybe Samuel would like his own dog? The two of them had always wanted a dog when they were kids. He pondered the idea, picturing Samuel romping with a big golden retriever. Maybe that wasn’t a good idea if there was a dog hater in the group home. Kathy Maxwell might not go for it either. Rosa’s little dog had been more like a hamster.

“I’m still going to tell on him for hurting Hero, but right now I’m tired.” Samuel stood and left the room, leaving Alex on the couch in silence.

Alex rubbed at his thighs and stood, feeling guilty and abandoned in the little living room. Once Samuel stated he was tired, he wouldn’t speak for hours. Samuel would come out of his bedroom when he was ready, no earlier. No amount of talking, ice cream, or potato chips would make a difference. Alex had just slipped on his jacket when Kathy Maxwell stepped in from the garage, her arms loaded with groceries. She looked like the perfect grandma in her old-fashioned housedress. Alex always expected her to offer him chocolate chip cookies and milk.

She usually did.

“Oh. Hello, Alex. I thought that was your truck out front.” She glanced behind him at the empty space. “Where’s Samuel?”

Alex twisted his lips and took both bags of groceries from her arms. “He’s pretty upset about Rosa and Hero. He went to his room.”

Kathy’s sweet face fell. “It’s so awful. He’s doing much better, but he seems so sad and angry all the time. He keeps picking arguments with the residents and my new assistant. I’ve brought in extra therapists this week to help everyone deal with it, but Samuel’s been tougher to handle since he’s the one who found the body.”

Alex’s stomach dropped. “The body?”

Kathy gave a confused look over her shoulder as she led him into the kitchen. “Rosa’s. Isn’t that what you were talking about?”

“I thought she moved out. Are you saying she’s dead and Samuel found her? Why wasn’t I told?” He dropped the bags on the counter as his voice rose.

“I told your wife on Tuesday. I had a long talk with her just after it happened. I assumed she’d told you.” Kathy paused, tilting her head at him. “I did wonder why you didn’t come out right away. Samuel could have used the support.”