Page 33 of Rescued Faith

“For good?”

“Sounds like she’s heading for Alaska. Trying to find some long-lost brother or something.” Bryce sat on the back bumper of the rescue truck.

“Wait. What? Alaska?”

“Yeah, Land of the Midnight Sun and all that. I think she mentioned Copper Mountain area. Guess someone saw her brother up there and she’s gonna go find him.”

The silence on Logan’s end was very telling. They may be twin brothers, but they didn’t share everything. Jamie had been one of those unspoken things. Penny too. It was only fair that if Bryce was going to have to bare his wounds for others to poke, Logan did too.

“Well…good for her.” He sniffed. “Not that it means anything to me.”

Right. Like he believed a word of that. But he would let Logan hold on to his pride. “So, you gonna get out here for the big Memorial Day bash?”

“I wish. But I don’t have the time off.”

“That’s too bad. Not sure why, but I get the feeling Mom misses ya.”

“Just Mom, huh?”

“She’s the only one. Me? I’m just glad to have the apartment to myself.” Sometimes.

Because he did kinda miss having a built-in buddy to spot him on the weight bench or to share a sausage-and-olive pizza with. Missed co-coaching the Backdraft Bar & Grill community baseball team of third and fourth graders together. “Although, I could clear off the couch for you when you need a place to crash.”

“Miss you too.” Logan chuckled.

Izan Collins walked in.

“I gotta go,” Bryce said into the phone.

“Yeah, get back to work, slacker. Talk to you soon.”

“Later, bro.” Bryce pocketed his cell and nodded a greeting to Izan. “What’s up? Are you just getting in?”

“Yeah, I called the chief. I had a break-in at my place and had to wait for the cops.”

Bryce stood, looked Izan over. “You okay?”

“I’m good. It just took a while.”

“Did Officer Olivia Tazwell come to your rescue?” Bryce wagged his eyebrows.

“Shut up.” Izan grabbed the clipboard out of Bryce’s hand.

“What was stolen?”

“Nothing.” Izan shrugged. “They made a mess of the place, but I couldn’t find anything missing.”

“Weird. Someone trying to send you a message or something?”

“Dunno, but are you ready for the school?”

“You’re coming with me?”

“Yup.”

“Sweet. Let’s go.”

They packed their gear and soon parked the rescue truck in front of the Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School. A woman in a pencil skirt and blazer met them on the curb. “Thanks for coming today. I’m Principal Haywood. We have a lot of excited kids.”