Page 71 of A River of Crows

“That’s right.” Caroline pulled cash out of her wallet and handed it to the woman.

“And the year of the child’s birth?”

“1978,” Caroline answered.

The woman held up another paper. “I accidentally printed a copy of the Certificate of Live Birth issued by the hospital. Would you like it too?”

Caroline shrugged. “Sure.” The woman slipped both papers into the envelope and put it on the counter before Caroline had even finished the paperwork. Caroline signed the final line and pushed the clipboard back across the desk. “Thanks. Have a nice day.”

Caroline made it out to the car before it occurred to her that she ought to ask them to make a copy for the soccer registration. That way, she could keep the original.

She walked back to the door, pulling the certificate out of the envelope.

Caroline stopped dead in her tracks when she noticed the mother’s maiden name section of the certificate. Anna Elliott. They’d given her the wrong damn one. Even right after asking her. She took another step but stopped shy of pushing the door open. The mother’s name was wrong but the father's wasn’t. Jay Hadfield. Caroline released the door handle and turned back to her car, eyes scanning the rest of the certificate. Ridge’s name wasn’t on it at all. She opened her car door and fell into the driver’s seat, staring at the name until the letters blurred.

Who the hell was Bradley Hadfield, and why was Jay listed as his father?

Chapter 21

Mallowater, TX, 2008

Sloan listened to the wind carrying away the song of the crickets as she waited for Dylan.

She checked her watch. Almost 11:30. This could have waited till morning, but Dylan mentioned on their date that he was a night owl—that he stayed up late and wrote songs. But when she called him, it was clear from his raspy voice that he hadn’t been up writing a song about her.

Sloan stood as he approached. His messy hair and wrinkled t-shirt further evidence that she’d woken him. “Hey, thanks for coming. Sorry it’s so late.”

“No problem,” he said with a voice that definitely suggested there was still a problem.

“Here, sit down.” Sloan stepped out of the way so he could sit in one of the folding chairs. She sat next to him and wiped away sweat from her forehead. Sticky humidity and stony silence hung in the air. “Sorry we have to stay outside,” she said. “Mom’s sometimes a light sleeper.”

“How is Caroline?”

“She’s fine,” Sloan said. “Thanks to you. The hospital released her today.”

“That’s great.” Dylan rubbed the hair on the back of his head, flat from where he’d slept on it. “But I assume that’s not why you asked me to come over?”

“No.” Sloan wiped her hands down her jeans. “I want to be honest with you; it wasn’t Brad yesterday in my car.”

“Oh.” Dylan’s shoulders slumped. “I figured.”

“But it was my brother,” she added. “It was Ridge.”

Dylan rubbed his eyes. “What?”

Sloan wiped her forehead again. “I realize it sounds crazy, but he’s alive, and he’s back. Yesterday morning, I hiked to our old campsite. Ridge was there.”

Dylan raised his eyebrows. “And you’re sure you’re not the one who hit her head?”

Sloan laughed. “I wondered that myself, but it’s real, Dylan. He’s real.”

“Wow. I’m sure it’s a long story, but did Eddie have anything to do with his disappearance?”

“It’s actually a very short story in that Ridge won’t say anything. He looks great, seems like he’s been taken care of, but he’s made it clear he won’t discuss what happened. He came over today when Mom went to the creek, but he was on edge. Constantly looking out the back door for her.”

“He doesn’t want her to know?”

“He doesn’t want anyone to know, but I need to talk about it with someone.” She twisted her watch. “And I don’t want to keep secrets from you. I know it’s soon, but you’re special to me.”

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