Sierra Falls (Sierra Falls 1)

He rubbed a hand over his eyes. What was his problem?

He’d had a few flings since Keri died. Emotionless hookups. And they’d been enough to satisfy the part of him that, though grieving, was still a man. But never had he been so curious about a woman. Through the day, he found himself wondering how Sorrow was, if she was hanging in there, what she might be cooking up next.

The only trouble was, the pangs of guilt and regret were always quick to follow. Why should he get to enjoy and feel and live his life while Keri hadn’t been given half a chance at hers?

The sound of yelling drifted out to them. Sully and Bear, shouting at each other. Sorrow’s face fell, and their eyes met. “Sully never fights,” she said, sounding a little lost.

He got the sense the man was like an uncle to her. So now she had drama to add to the current crisis.

Laura caught up to them—he hadn’t realized she was following. “Wow, check it out,” she said. “Sully actually has a voice. ”

He shot her a look. Big sister didn’t seem to get it, obviously too concerned with her own issues, whatever those might be.

Laura caught his expression. “Seriously. If you Googled ‘strong, silent type,’ you’d find a picture of Sully. ”

They made their way back into the kitchen just as Sully was saying to Bear, “The girl didn’t touch your freezer. ”

Bear scowled. “Freez-ers. ” He spotted his daughters. “Sorrow. What the hell have you done? Why are the freezers busted?”

Billy clenched and unclenched his hand. He didn’t consider himself a violent guy, but just then he wished he weren’t an officer of the law. Just then, he longed to get in one good punch. Instead, he stepped forward. “Calm down, Mister Bailey. I’m sure your daughter knows nothing about it. ” It was beyond him why that boyfriend of hers hadn’t nipped Bear’s attitude in the bud. Maybe Damien lent a hand around the place, but it sure didn’t seem like he stood up for her enough.

Sully growled, “Neither of us knows about it. ”

“Well, it can’t be coincidence. ” Bear kicked the huge industrial freezer. “Both of them are dead, and the food’s all spoiled. Somebody must’ve done something to overheat ’em. ”

Laura opened the door and shut it again quickly, scrunching her nose against the smell. “Did you take a look, like, under the hood or whatever?”

It was the first semireasonable thing the woman had said all day.

“Good idea. ” Billy nodded at Sully. “You get that side,” he told him, and they pulled it from the wall. Dust was a thick, gray blanket along the baseboard, carpeting the floor in thick rolls like tumbleweeds. A dark puddle glistened along the floor.

“Is that melted ice?” asked Laura.

Billy touched a finger to it. “Freon. ”

“I can’t look. ” Sorrow hoisted herself up to sit on the counter with a sigh. “I wish BJ were here. ”

Now there was an unfortunate name. He peeked from behind a panel of stainless steel to give her a questioning look.

“My brother,” she said.

“Bear Junior,” Laura clarified. “He’s got the magic touch when it comes to machines. ”

“He’s in Afghanistan,” Sorrow added, “flying copters. ”

Sully grunted. “And if he ever gets tired of that, the kid could just as easily fix them. ”

“My boy knows his way around a motor,” Bear said proudly.

Billy had another question for Sorrow and looked at her just as she unzipped her fleece. His mind blanked.

Damn. When had thermal underwear shirts become so sexy?

He darted his eyes from her lush body to focus on the freezer instead. He struggled to remember his question. “You got a screwdriver? I’m not as gifted as your brother, but I can take a look. ”

Everyone stared silently, except for Sorrow, who hopped down and grabbed one from a junk drawer. Was she the only one who knew what was what in this place?

Their eyes held for a second as she handed him the tool, and he felt a clench in his gut he hadn’t known in years. He turned his entire attention to unscrewing the back panel.