The Summer He Came Home (Bad Boys of Crystal Lake 1)

If only it were that easy.

“Cain! Look what I found.” They both turned as Michael came running up the beach, a large bass dangling from his hand. The little guy stopped inches from them, his small chest heaving and his face flush with excitement. He pushed wet curls from his face with his free hand and shoved his prize up high. “Look how big it is! I never saw a fish like this. What kind is it?”

“Dude, that would be a dead fish.” Jake chuckled.

Michael frowned, wrinkled his nose, and giggled. “I know its dead. It stinks worse than Shelby when she’s wet.”

“Who’s Shelby?” Jake teased. “I sure hope that’s not your girlfriend.”

“Nope.” He giggled. “I like Kristen Blake. Shelby is Luke’s dog,” Michael answered.

“Who’s Luke?”

“Jansen. He’s Maggie’s neighbor.” Cain offered.

Jake’s eyebrows rose questioningly. “Jansen…fullback Jansen from football?”

“That’d be the one.”

“He’s a paramedic, and he gets to drive a big red and white truck.” Michael inserted. “He likes my mom.”

“Really?” Jake’s smile was now wide.

“Yep, but I don’t think she wants him to be her boyfriend. She likes Cain.” The kid grinned shyly.

Jake snorted, but Cain ignored him. “It’s a bass, Michael.”

“It’s really cool.” Michael waved its scaly hide in the air. The dead eyes looked like round black buttons that had been dried out. “Bigger than the ones we caught the other day.”

“Maybe we should toss it up into the bush.” Cain tried to hide his grin but wasn’t totally successful.

“Sure.” Michael yelled to his friend, “Tommy, we got a mission!”

Cain watched the two boys scamper off toward trees that surrounded the cottage and picked up his guitar once more. His fingers ran along the strings, picking out an upbeat melody. The acoustic sang beneath his touch, and he changed the rhythm slightly, incorporating a bluesy feel with some heavy fills.

“That something new?”

He nodded. “Yeah, been working on it for few days.”

Jake sat back into his chair. “Sounds good, so what’s the issue?”

“I’ve always been the melody guy, ya know? I just…I don’t do lyrics.”

“You’ve got to suck it up and focus.” Jake’s voice was matter-of-fact.

“Yeah.”

“You’ll get it done.”

The two of them settled into a certain kind of silence that only they could enjoy. It was full of ease and a comfort that had been years in the making.

Cain grabbed some snacks and watched the two young boys indulge to the point he knew he’d be in trouble. He somehow doubted Maggie would be impressed with the chips and soda he’d provided.

Mac rolled in around three thirty, and Cain jumped up. He wanted to pick up Maggie when she was done at work. She’d be finished around four, and he intended to get there before she hopped the bus.

He pulled a T-shirt over his head and slipped into a pair of sandals. The woman had been stubborn this morning, insisting she’d take the bus as always—refusing a ride—but he was determined she ride home in style.

She was at Rebecca’s, and he knew exactly where the house was located. According to Jake, she and Bradley Hayes had bought the house at the end of Maple Avenue. It had once belonged to the mayor of Crystal Lake and in its day had been a real showpiece. He was quite sure with Hayes’s family money it had been restored to its original splendor.