“You are so much like Damon it’s shocking sometimes,” he said, but his voice wasn’t sarcastic. “You know that SOB saved my life after Missy died.”
“Did he strap a life jacket on you?” I retorted, then caught. “Sorry,” I added.
“No, he made me laugh at her wake. I was so far down by that time they might as well have shoved me in the hole too. But there’s Damon making a toast at the wake, and says something like, ‘to Brody, who ruined my plans. I was best man at the wedding, and I looked forward to comforting your widowed bride at some point, but here you are. Alive and well. You contrary bastard,’” he shook his head. “And I laughed, a rusty, half-hearted laugh, but it was the first time I felt like I was awake since hospice got called in. I’d gone through motions, just miserable all the time, and nothing to look forward to. And then Damon cracks a joke at the wake, and it was like he threw me a lifeline. He started making me play basketball with him, and meeting me for a beer on Tuesdays—all the nice shit he did for me that first six months. I can never repay him.”
“Maybe you can show up at his wedding and promise to date his widow, show her a good time,” I said, trying to cover a well of emotion. My brother, that good-hearted asshole. I’d give him a bear hug for that.
“I should do that. He’d get a kick out of it, I know. That’s one of the reasons I’m telling you shit, I guess. I’m comfortable with you. You remind me of him.”
“Gee, thanks, Brody. You know how to sweet talk a girl,” I said with an eye roll. “There’s nothing women like better than being told we remind you of our older brothers. That’s hot.”
“Hey, at least you can’t say I’m harassing you,” he shrugged good-naturedly.
“If you’re trying to hit on me, you’re doing a terrible job,” I lied. Ever since he looked at me, ever since he mentioned the little league games, he could’ve had me any way he wanted me. He was so damned honorable, and such a stand-up guy.
“I’m a little rusty at that kind of thing. I don’t know if I was one and done or what, but after my wife passed away, I never could get interested in anyone else,” he said, “but don’t tell Damon I said so. He already says I’m going to quit and join the seminary because I’d be so good in a celibate order.”
“I highly doubt that,” I blurted out.
He didn’t look at me, just cocked an eyebrow, “Why’s that?”
“Look at you,” I said matter-of-factly. “I have eyes. You’ve walked by a mirror a time or two.”
“Are you saying you find me attractive?” he teased.
“No, of course not. First, that’s unprofessional. Second, your ego is crazy. You look like my brother’s friend who used to stick his sweaty armpit in my face when I was a kid.”
“I never did that.” I gave him credit for saying it totally straight-faced.
“Old age, Brody. Your memory’s slipping,” I teased.
“This is the last stop on the tour of teen hot spots. And my memory’s just fine.”
The falls on the river gave our town its name, but it wasn’t just that. There was something about them, watching that water made me feel so peaceful. I rolled my lips under and sighed.
“Now it feels like I’m home,” I said.
“Good. That was sweet. Now get out and look for body parts and stuff,” he deadpanned. I rolled my eyes.
“Now you’re making dismemberment jokes? And I was worried about my sense of humor, jeez,” I said.
“You know damn well that the last thing I want is to find out foul play is involved. I hope she ran off to become a superstar and we’ll find her on the road to the city lights or something.”
We went over the area carefully, but we didn’t find anything suspicious. I picked up a blue earring with my gloved hand and put it in a tiny evidence bag just in case. But a quick text to the Simms parents determined that Becky didn’t have any piercings, not even her ears. She had a lifelong fear of needles apparently. I dumped the earring back where I found it in case the person who lost it came back to look for it.
I saw Brody on his phone, and he shook his head. Probably Bobby and Clint hadn’t gotten very far either. We needed a lead on this kid before twenty-four hours ticked away and the odds swung drastically toward recovery instead of rescue. I stretched my arms above my head, letting the cool breeze off the river lift the piece of hair that had straggled loose along my neck. I took a long breath and yawned, mouth wide open. I had that feeling again, the sickly tingle up my spine that was like a hundred spiders marching up to my hairline. I bent to act like I was tying my boot and glanced around, but I didn’t see anyone. Someone was watching me. I was pretty sure. I tried to shake it off. I’d gotten up too early, and I wasn’t used to all this open space after years in the city. Maybe the whole missing girl case had given me the creeps more than I wanted to admit. Anyway, it might be nothing. I’d keep a lookout and stay on my guard. I didn’t want to tell Brody and have him thinking I got spooked that easily. Like I was going to fly into a panic because I heard a twig snap in the woods or some small animal was eyeing me from the brush.