Page 4 of Guarding Bristol

“Tomás, I think.”Eric had been pretty tight with him while they were deployed.“I can’t remember his surname.”It would be such a weird coincidence that he had wound up here, just a few hours away from her.

“Yeah, that fits.He told us his name is TJ.I swear this is him, minus the beard and longer hair.”

A disturbing thought occurred to her.“Wait.Didn’t you say this TJ guy is homeless?”

“Yep.On the streets in Portland, working odd jobs when he can get them.”

“Oh, no...”Bristol took the photo from her, staring at Tomás’s smiling face.

He looked so young, so cocky and full of life.To think that he’d earned a Ranger tab, served his country honorably, and survived the war only to come home and wind up hitting rock bottom just like Eric had...

Her stomach tightened in distress.It hurt to think about, dredged up all sorts of painful memories she didn’t want to confront anymore.

“He seems to be doing okay, all things considered,” Cassie added softly.“I mean, relatively speaking.He was clean when I saw him.”

That didn’t mean anything.His situation filled her with sadness and anger.What if TJwasTomás?She couldn’t stand the thought that a buddy of her brother’s was on the streets.Discarded.Alone, like Eric had been.

“Do you think you could find him again?”

Cassie’s gaze shot to hers.Then she shook her head.“Oh, no.No, come on.Don’t do this to yourself.He’s not Eric, you—”

“I can at least find out if it’s him, can’t I?”

“And then what?”Cassie folded her arms, looking every inch the protective big sister Bristol hadn’t had until their lives had intertwined seven years ago.“Save him from himself?”

She lifted a shoulder, feeling suddenly defensive as dark, ghostly memories swirled in her mind.

Of walking the darkened streets and alleys in search of her brother.The awful fear and uncertainty that she was too late.The endless, painful weeks that followed once she had finally found him.

“Maybe.”She’d helped pull him from the abyss, if only for a short while before tragedy had taken him from her forever.

Tomás deserved at least a chance to turn his life around.

“If it’s him, then he was Eric’s friend, and I can’t turn away.”Eric would want her to do what she could for him.“Maybe he just needs to know someone still gives a crap about him.”

Cassie sighed and rubbed her forehead.“Shit, now I wish I hadn’t said anything.”

“I don’t.”Bristol would never have known about his situation otherwise.“Just help me find him.That’s it.It might not even be him.”

Cassie eyed her a long moment, exasperation clear on her face.“If I say no, you’ll just try to find him on your own, won’t you.”

Bristol didn’t deny it.“I need to see if it’s him.For Eric.”

“For Eric, or for you?”

Okay, point taken.“For both of us.”

Ultimately, she hadn’t been able to save her brother.But maybe she could help save Tomás.

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