Page 58 of Just Like That

He did this.

My bones were rattling with rage as we watched from a distance. Beyond the police tape, the medical examiner took great care of the remains while divers continued to search for and collect additional evidence.

“What are we going to do?” Royal turned to me. Despite being the younger brother, my siblings were always looking to me for answers. Once again, it was my responsibility to step up and fix the problem.

“We don’t know for sure it’s her,” Whip added, though the lack of hope in his voice was telling.

We all knew.

It would only be a matter of time until it was confirmed that Maryann King’s remains had been intentionally hidden. It was why Dad had dragged Veda here to threaten and scare her. It was why he fought so long and so hard against June Sullivan when she turned the lake and its surrounding land over to the Department of Natural Resources. Our father’s odd affection for June Sullivan had soured when she stood against him and facilitated the development of the hiking trail. It was, in part, her way of shining a spotlight on what she’d suspected he had done to his wife.

For nearly thirty years, he had done everything in his power to successfully keep his secret hidden.

“Nothing changes.” My face hardened. “This is good news.”

Sylvie’s gaze sliced toward me, tears simmering in her eyes. “How could you say that?”

My jaw flexed. “We knew she wasn’t coming back. Now we know why. Dad can’t buy his way out of this one.”

MJ surged forward, squeezing me in her embrace. Her face was buried against my suit jacket, muffling her words. “It’s okay to feel it. It’s okay to be sad.”

My nose burned.

Ididfeel sad. An aching emptiness. A finalknowingthat my mother wasn’t off having some exotic adventure without us. She hadn’t willingly abandoned us.

She’d never even left town.

My arms wrapped around my little sister as emotion won out. I buried my nose in her hair and struggled to keep my sob in check. Behind me, Royal caught us in a bear hug and squeezed the air from my lungs. Soon Sylvie, Whip, and Abel joined in and we stood in a clump, holding on to one another and trying to make sense of it all.

For a moment, wrapped in a cocoon of sorrow with my siblings, I allowed that little five-year-old boy to feel the sadness of losing his mother. We cried and held on to one another as we each let the pain of the truth sink in.

When we finally separated, Lee stepped forward with glassy eyes to hand us some tissues before pulling Whip in for a hug. I thanked Lee with a nod and wiped under my nose, then cleared my throat and reined in my scattered emotions. Duke grabbed Sylvie and offered comfort to his grieving wife.

“Why don’t we meet up at the brewery. Lunch and a few beers on me,” Abel said.

He was met with gratitude and acknowledgment, but I simply shook my head. “I’m going to head into the office. I’ve got work to do.”

My father’s reach was long and wide. I didn’t trust the investigators to not be tempted by whatever strings Dad thought he could pull from behind bars. Outtatowner’s crime rate was astonishingly low, so reports of human remains being found at Wabash Lake would be all over the news within hours.

We needed to get ahead of it.

I needed to show the world that there was a new ruler at King Equities, and nothing—not even this—would shake us.

The porch lightwas on as I slowed down the driveway. Hazel’s skoolie was still parked haphazardly in the drive, and I cruised past it to park. After turning the car off, I sat in silence and sighed.

What a fucking day.

I was tired—bone-deep weary and worn thin.

As I’d suspected, news reporters called nonstop asking for a comment. Colleagues voiced their “concern” while poking and prodding, trying to get information on the future of King Equities.

We lost another huge account.Go figure.

I pressed my thumbs into my eye sockets and tried to remember how to breathe.

A sharp knock on the glass beside my head jolted me. “Holy fuck!”

“Sorry!” Hazel’s voice was muffled by the window. I looked over to see both of her hands up and a strained grimace on her face.

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