Page 8 of Reclaiming Home

“Who is he?”

“He’s the nephew of the guy who was… anyway. I’ll text you the address? You can get here whenever. We won’t go anywhere. I need to give him his phone back, we need to call the Sheriff to come now. Brodie kind of killed his uncle for me.”

I stopped in my tracks, took a deep breath, and said, “Okay. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“I love you.”

Tears immediately rushed out of my eyes and I choked out, “I love you too, sis.”

Istill had my POS sedan. It was likely the second most expensive thing I owned, right after my laptop. My phone was a cheap refurbished one and was definitely worth less than the car at this point, if only barely.

It would be fine for the six or so hours it would take me to get from Dayton to Luxton. I hoped.

I called Henry when I was done with packing.

“What’s wrong?” he asked immediately, knowing I wouldn’t call him at work otherwise.

“Henry, it’s Carys. She just called me.”

“What?” His tone was so shocked and loud enough that I heard him apologize to someone and then a door closed. “What do you mean she called you?”

“She’s somewhere in Pennsylvania. In Allegheny National Forest, in some little town. I’m gonna drive there right now—”

“Wait, wait, wait, Kye. Are yousureit was her?”

I frowned as I carried my bags to the door. “What do you mean? She’s my sister, of course I’m sure.”

“But it’s been two years, right? What if it’s a scam?”

“Honestly? At this point, I don’t fucking care, Hen. I really don’t. I’m gonna drive there and see what’s what.”

Something in my tone must’ve told him I wasn’t going to be swayed, so he sighed. “Okay. Go to my bedroom.”

“What?”

“Do as you’re told, Kye.”

“Okay…?” I walked into his room that was pretty tidy and definitely luxurious.

“Now, open the middle drawer of my dresser and reach into the very back. There’s a box there.”

Frowning, I did as I was told and fished out a flat jewelry box, the kind someone might buy a bracelet in, except a bit wider.

“Now what?”

“Open it and take all the cash there is.”

I popped the lid and gasped. There had to be at least fifteen hundred dollars in there. “Hen, I can’t—”

“Stop it. Juststop, Kye. You need money and I know you don’t have any. If you have enough for gas to get to the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania, I’m shocked. Besides, whatever’s been keeping her from contacting you before now can’t be really that good, right? So, take the money. It’ll help you and her a little bit.”

I stared at the cash, torn and upset. “I…Fuck!”

“Take it. And if I don’t see you again, Kye. I love you. You’re important to me. You’re the realest friend I’ve had, and I’ll miss you.”

I took a deep breath, gathered the money, let the air out noisily. “Okay. Okay. Thank you. And I love you too and I….” I couldn’t tell him I’d pay him back or that I would see him again without potentially making a liar out of myself, so I didn’t say those things. Instead, I said “I’ll let you know how it goes.”

“Thank you.”

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