The Discovery - 15. Chapter 15

“Why me?”

Andy rolled his eyes as Troy looked at him with a mixture of annoyance and confusion. “Because Brian already struck out. We talked about it and figured you’d be the best man for the job.” He had come to work, ready to discuss Jacob with Troy and decided it was best to approach him at the beginning of the day. So, there they were in Troy’s small office, discussing a potential problem in their midst.

Troy was less than convinced. “I don’t know. This seems way out of my league. How come you’re coming to me now instead of two weeks ago when you two first discussed it?”

“Well, we didn’t want to make Thanksgiving uncomfortable,” Andy offered as a half-hearted excuse. “With the kids all there and Kyle and stuff, it would’ve made everything awkward.”

Troy sighed, but felt Andy was correct. “So, just so we’re clear… Jacob’s bent because of this whole missing brother thing? What about Kyle? I mean, shouldn’t he talk to Jacob first?”

Andy shook his head. “He’s already tried. I talked to him last week. When he finally called me back. He’s been busy lately with something at his work. When I asked him, he was a little evasive. Just said something about a big case but didn’t go into specifics.”

Troy shrugged, unconcerned. “Well, he usually can’t talk about a lot of what he does. Bad timing for him, though. David and Colt just left so it means they’re without a backup for the kids.”

“Look,” Andy began, getting the impression that Troy wasn’t thrilled with confronting Jacob. “If you don’t want to do it, you don’t have to. We can just let it ride and see how it all works out.”

Troy grimaced. “No. I’ll talk to him. Not sure how far I’ll get with him, but I’ll try at least.” He searched his memory for anything Jacob had said in the past about his dad but couldn’t come up with anything. “Do you remember him saying much about Joe? I can’t think of anything.”

Andy shook his head. “Not really. I mean, when we were kids, he went out of his way to not mention his dad unless it was something like, ‘my dad says I have to be home tonight,’ or something along those lines. Then after he moved in with Kyle, we all had to hear what Joe did to him.” He frowned slightly at that unpleasant memory. “David knows better than we do, I think. But he’s not here.”

“You would think after twenty years, he’d be able to at least talk about it.”

Andy looked at him with a serious gaze. “Doesn’t matter how much time passes. It always hurts, no matter what.”

Troy sighed and nodded. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about,” Andy said to alleviate his friend’s worry. “Anyway, it’s up to you what you want to do. But I doubt me, or Bri will get as far as you can.”

“What makes you think that?”

Andy smirked. “I wasn’t his best man at his wedding.”

Troy smirked. “Yeah, okay. I’ll talk to him later this week.” He got up from his desk.

Before he could come around it, Sam was walking by and saw the two of them through the doorway. He stopped and looked in curiously. “Everything alright, you two?”

An idea came to Troy as he looked at his father. “Hey, dad. I got a question for you.”

“Shoot.”

“Do you remember David ever telling you anything about Jacob’s relationship with his dad?”

Sam frowned, partly wishing he hadn’t stopped. “Maybe. Why?”

Troy looked at his cantankerous father, knowing now that he did know something. “He’s been having problems lately. Ever since we found out he has a sibling he didn’t know about back when we did those tests.”

Sam made a noise in his throat. He wasn’t comfortable talking gossip. Especially when it came to Davey or Jacob. “Well…” He paused. Feeling uncertain. “I know they spoke a few times. One time, his dad came here looking for him.”

Troy’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “What was he like?”

Sam’s frown deepened. “Sad. Jacob favors him in the size department for sure. He was quiet. Almost shy. But he wanted his son.”

Andy couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “When the hell was this?!”

With a reluctant sigh, Sam went on. “How the hell should I know? It was when Jacob was working here and the rest of you were all off to school or fighting wars. I don’t think he’d ever admitted it, but I think he felt a little left behind by the four of you.” Before they could object, he raised a hand to stop them. “I know, that’s not how it happened. And, let’s face it, the boy is smarter than he gives himself credit most of the time.” He pointed in the general direction of Jacob’s shop to emphasize his point. “Hell. Look at what he’s accomplished. And most of it he’s done on his own.”

Realizing he got off track, he went back to the question at hand. “I don’t remember the date. Must’ve been a month or so after his dad got out of prison.” He looked at Troy as he continued. “You were maybe a couple months from coming back home with Liz. And a surprise…” That memory brought a small smirk to the old man’s face. “Anyway, Joe was in here asking for Jacob. I told him Jacob was on a job and I wasn’t going to bother him. He left a note, and I gave it to him when he came back later that day. And, no, I didn’t read it. I’m not nosey like some of you.”

Troy accepted his dad’s response. “You said he looked ‘sad?’”

“Yeah,” Sam grunted. “Like he was only half a person. He was sober at least, I remember that. Davey and I did talk about Joe once. Not long after that, come to think of it. Said Joe wanted to reconcile with Jacob. Was willing to do whatever it took. But nothing came of it. Jacob was drinking by then and he was pretty much hiding from the world in the bottom of a bottle.”

Andy started to wonder. “Is it possible Jacob did know about this brother? You think Joe tried to tell him, but he was so lost in his own booze habit he wouldn’t listen?”

Sam shook his head. “Jacob is a lot of things. But he’s not a liar. Well… unless he’s lying to himself. But I know in my gut, if he said he didn’t know anything about this supposed brother, then he didn’t know anything.” This wasn’t a topic he wanted to dwell on, so he decided to exert a little authority. “Alright. Enough gabbing. I know you two got things to do and so do I.” Sam stepped back into the hall and headed to his office.

Troy watched as he left and sighed. “I’m gonna have to talk to him now.”

“Well, you got about three weeks before Christmas,” Andy pointed out. “So, you better make it quick.”

“Thanks.” Troy rolled his eyes, then did as his father said and got back to work.

****

Jacob lifted Aaron up over his head, holding him steady while moving to the tree that sat in the corner of the hallway near the front door. “Okay, buddy. Put it right there.” With exaggerated care, Aaron gently placed the ornament near the top of the tree. Jacob grinned. “Good job!” He slowly set the little boy back down to the ground and took a breath. “Whew. You’ve definitely gotten bigger over the last year.”

Aaron giggled as he reached for another ornament in the box. “Thanks!”

Jacob chuckled silently. Matt was still stringing up tinsel around the tree. Jacob had put the lights up first before he let the boys start putting up the ornaments and everything else.

They had waited until the sun set and homework was done before they began decorating. He had also wanted Kyle here to participate in the moment with them. But he was an hour late coming home and Jacob had to get dinner started. Since last week, Jacob had been picking up the boys from Andy and Brian’s or Troy’s house before coming home. Monday, Jacob had mentioned over their quick breakfast about setting up the Christmas tree. Kyle had seemed eager to join in, which eased Jacob’s worries. It was something that seemed unimportant in the bigger picture with taking care of the house, the boys and their jobs. Yet it worried him that the boys were going to hold onto these memories of decorating the tree and other moments and remember that Kyle wasn’t there.

“Okay, boys.” Jacob banished the thoughts and focused on the moment. “I’m gonna throw dinner in the oven. Finish up the ornaments and then put the boxes upstairs where we found them.”

“Okay, Dad,” Matt replied as he continued putting trinkets on the tree.

Jacob went down the hall to the kitchen and started getting the chicken prepared. It was one of Kyle’s favorite dishes he was making. Hopefully, he will be home soon. Jacob sat at the table, picking up the sketch pad he left there and began to draw the improved label David had asked him to make. He was nearly done, just wanting to add a few details to make it look unique so it would stand out. Matt’s design of David’s profile worked rather well and soon they would be able to send it to a printer to start mass producing it to make labels for the jars that were sitting in storage waiting to be filled.

Jacob could hear the television on in the front room and tried to relax as he continued to doodle in his pad. As he randomly moved the pencil over the paper, it was hard to ignore the growing feeling of frustration inside him. One of their discussions before David left for Florida for the winter was taking care of the boys and, most importantly, being home on time. Last year, Jacob had let it slide when Kyle was busy fighting his big lawsuit. But this year, Kyle had never mentioned another big case that was keeping him occupied, so his absence felt strange. Jacob almost felt as if he just didn’t want to come home.

Before he realized it, the buzzer on the stove sounded. He put his pad down and got up to pull dinner out of the oven. He opened a can of green beans and a can of corn to heat up on the stove. Still, Kyle had not come through the door. After a few minutes and making sure the vegetables were hot, he called the boys into the kitchen for dinner. They were already starting late, so he wanted to get them fed to give them time to enjoy the rest of the night before bedtime. Just as he finished getting their plates set on the table and he was taking his seat, the back door opened. He looked up, feeling sad yet hopeful that the night might improve.

Kyle stepped into the house with a tired smile as he removed his coat. “Hey. Sorry I’m late.”

“I just put dinner on the table,” Jacob said quietly with the best smile he could come up with. He started getting up, adding, “go ahead and take a seat and I’ll get it for you.”

Kyle’s smile brightened as he waved Jacob off. “Oh, don’t get up. I can get it.”

Jacob stopped and settled back into his chair with a quiet sigh. Not quiet enough for Matt to not notice as he ate his food. The older boy eyed Jacob as he lowered his head to hide his face for a moment before looking up again with a happier smile. Matt’s eyes went to his other father as he fixed his plate and brought it to the table to join them. “Hi, Dad.”

“Hey, Baby Boy,” Kyle said with a grin. “How was your day?”

Matt shrugged. “Nothing special. Just school and homework at Uncle Andy’s house.”

Kyle swallowed the food in his mouth before replying. “Sounds a lot more fun than my day was.”

Jacob spoke up, keeping his tone neutral. “What were you doing today?”

Kyle grimaced. “Lots of calls. Not a lot of answers. I get the feeling some people are avoiding me. I have to get ready for my court appearance on Friday.”

“I see,” he replied with a slow nod. “Big case then?” He didn’t want to sound too interested so as to not appear resentful of Kyle’s absence.

Kyle did his best to hide his unease. Friday was his appearance before the appellate court to overturn Josh’s conviction. He had to be on his best footing to not make it sound like a big deal. “I wouldn’t go that far. It might turn into that later. But that’ll have to wait for a few months.”

Another case, Jacob thought to himself. Months of Kyle being in the office more and more. “You’ll be around for Christmas though, right?” Try as he might, he couldn’t fully keep his disappointment from his voice.

Kyle looked at him and sighed. “Of course, dear.” He smiled apologetically. “Things will quiet down at the office in a week or so. We might be hiring another new lawyer after the new year.”

“Well, hopefully the next big case that comes into your office can be handled by someone else.” Jacob paused as he was lifting his fork. He hadn’t meant to say it out loud. He raised his eyes to Kyle and saw the subtle surprise on his face. Jacob sighed and continued eating.

For his part, Kyle maintained an unperturbed expression. The last thing he wanted was to have an argument in front of the boys. He felt bad that he couldn’t talk about what was going on with Josh. But he could tell by Jacob’s body language that it would only make things worse at this point. Eventually, he was sure it all work itself out.

An uncomfortable silence settled over their dinner, causing Matt to feel the need to stay quiet. He wasn’t sure what was going on exactly. But he could tell his two dads were unhappy with each other. While there had been disagreements in the past between them, Matt had never felt this stifling silence at the dinner table. A quick glance at Aaron let him know his brother was unaware of what was going on as he quietly went about eating his pre-cut chicken breast.

Once everyone finished eating, Matt went up to his room, and Jacob took Aaron into the living room to watch television while Kyle took a shower and then spent the remainder of his evening at his desk, looking over papers. Jacob ignored the gnawing dread that seemed to grow inside him as time passed. Eventually he would have to get Aaron to bed and then decide what if anything he was going to say to Kyle.

Maybe Brian was right, and he should go talk to a therapist, Jacob pondered. He had gone to a couple sessions when this whole debacle began. But he found it counterproductive and stopped going. The psychologist had started asking him about parts of his past and Jacob didn’t want to go back to those moments. Since then, the dreams he had been having left him feeling drained and on edge. Keeping his temper in check was getting difficult with all the changes and this strange situation with Kyle only compounded everything. Sitting on the couch with Aaron helped. To be able to cuddle his little boy eased his heart. He managed to find a real smile on his lips as he lay there on the couch before, inevitably, it was time to end the night.

“Okay, Aaron, my big smart boy. It’s time we get you cleaned up.” He got to his feet, carrying Aaron with him and went upstairs. After bathing and getting him tucked in for the night, he made a stop at Matt’s room, knocking quietly on the door. When he opened it, he found Matt laying in bed with a book in his hand and the light from his nearby desk on.

“All ready for bed,” Jacob asked as he stepped inside. Usually when he would come into his room before bedtime, Matt would be occupied on a video game or chatting with a friend on his pad. Seeing him looking somewhat subdued staring at his book gave him the impression that something was wrong.

Matt looked up from his book with a blank expression. “Yeah.”

Jacob’s smile faltered as he went to the side of his bed. “You okay?”

Matt closed his book and put it on his desk. “Yeah.”

“No you’re not.” Jacob sat on the edge of the bed looking down at him. “What’s wrong?”

With a sigh, the young boy sat up in his bed. “Is everything okay with Dad? He was quiet earlier and you seemed upset.”

Jacob mentally kicked himself for not hiding his feelings better. It had been an effort ignoring all the pent-up troubles that seemed to be plaguing him in the last year. “Everything is alright. He’s just been working a lot. I’m not exactly sure what he’s been doing but you know your dad. If he’s working this hard, it’s for a good reason.”

Matt frowned slightly but understood. “Okay. Maybe we should have waited on the tree for him to come home.”

Jacob nodded. “Yeah, maybe. If so, then that’s my fault. I’m sure Kyle will be home more the closer we get to Christmas. Then we can all have fun together.”

That brought a slow smile to his lips. “That would be good. I was thinking of teaching Aaron how to play some video games. Would that be okay?”

“Sure,” Jacob replied with a smile. “I’m sure he’d like that. Just remember, he’s little. He probably can’t work a controller like you and your friends can. Be patient with him.”

“I will.”

Jacob’s smile widened slightly. Most boys Matt’s age wouldn’t want to spend time with a little brother who was in kindergarten. But he has surprised Kyle and Jacob with his compassionate nature towards his much younger sibling. “Hey, one more thing; tomorrow morning, I want you to look over that label we were working on. I think it looks good, but I want your approval before I send it to the printer.”

Matt gave him a curious look. “Why do you want me to look at it?”

Jacob grinned slightly. “Because it’s our project, not just mine. This is your home to, you know. Someday, it’ll be your orchard to care for. I want you to be involved more as you get older.”

“What about Aaron? Shouldn’t he learn too?”

Jacob chuckled and nodded. “Yeah. But it’ll be a while before he starts learning like you are now. Eventually, you and he will be able to run this place on your own.”

Matt frowned slightly. “That sounds hard.”

“Maybe,” he conceded. “But I think you’ll enjoy it as much as I do. And your dad. And your grandpa.”

“Okay.”

Jacob leaned over and hugged him warmly. “Goodnight, Matthew.”

Matt smiled and held his dad. “Goodnight. I love you.”

“I love you too.” With a final kiss on his son’s forehead, he got back to his feet and headed out the door as Matt turned the desk lamp off and settled into bed.

After going back downstairs and turning off all the lights, Jacob sighed and made his way to the bedroom he shared with his husband. He didn’t want to have an argument and didn’t want either of them to start raising their voices. But he knew they had to talk and find some kind of accommodation. When he opened the door, he found Kyle at his desk, looking over some papers. There was a pad of paper next to him and a pen in his hand. As Jacob closed the door, he could hear the scratch of the pen on the paper. He sighed again, hoping Kyle would listen to him.

Kyle was preoccupied with what he was reading and didn’t notice Jacob walk into the room. When he heard Jacob’s subdued voice, he looked up. “We need to talk.”

Kyle stopped what he was doing and put his pen down. He knew since dinner where this was likely going. “Okay.”

That wasn’t the response Jacob was hoping for, but he also wasn’t sure what he wanted to hear. He moved to the sofa in the room and sat down. “What are you working on?”

“I’m working on my oral argument before the court this week.”

Jacob looked at him for a moment before continuing. “I know your work is important. But I feel I need to remind you that there are things here that I need your help with.”

“I know,” Kyle replied softly. “I am sorry that I was late coming home. I got caught up in a meeting with the others.” It had been slow going since Michelle and Kevin returned from their trip to Houston. They have a few theories to work with but finding some of the other people they needed to interview has proved more difficult. Grant Dawson and Rodger Reid had become harder to locate than they anticipated. Angie Griffon wasn’t returning their calls, which meant going out to interview her wasn’t advised until they could force her to be deposed through a subpoena. And Dylan Goode continued to be uncooperative.

Jacob was almost afraid to ask, but he knew he needed to brace himself for disappointment. “So, what happens next with this thing you’re working on?”

Kyle sighed, wishing this wasn’t so difficult. “After Friday, we wait for a judgement from the court. They probably won’t come back with a verdict until next month. As much as I would like to think it will be a clean decision, it’s more than likely it will end up back in court for a retrial.”

Jacob’s eyes drifted down to the floor. “What kind of case is it?”

“It’s a criminal case,” Kyle said, hoping that will be enough to dismiss most of Jacob’s misgivings that he could sense.

Hearing that only made Jacob more tense. “You’ve never handled a criminal case before. What about this case was so important?”

“Well…” Kyle was torn. There was an opportunity here to tell Jacob the entire truth. To get it out in the open and deal with it. Yet, the misery he could see in Jacob’s eyes compelled him to keep his answer simple, if not truthful. “It’s complicated. But, in what I’ve found out so far, I’m convinced that he was wrongfully convicted. He had a horrible defender the first time he was in court and lost big. I want to fix that mistake.”

“Sounds like another big payday if you manage pull it off,” Jacob remarked with a little humor in the hope of diffusing the tension in the room.

Kyle smirked slightly. “Not really, since I’m doing this for free.”

The tension Jacob thought would pass came back inside him and twisted in a tight knot. “Wait. So, you’re spending hours and hours working for someone who’s not going to pay you? You’re going to miss out on spending time with your kids? Your friends? Me? All just so you can, what exactly?”

“This isn’t about my ego,” Kyle responded with a frown. “I’m doing what I think is right.”

Jacob could feel his frustration and indignation rising. “Is there something I’ve done that has made you want to spend most or all of your day working instead of being here? Because if there is, I’d like to hear it from you.”

The opportunity was still there, yet Kyle continued to avoid it. “No! Why would you think that?”

A slight edge to his words began. “Because, Kyle, I’ve spent the last two weeks taking care of the boys mostly on my own. Taking them to school and picking them up while working in the middle. Not to mention making dinner, making sure they get bathed, put them to bed and get them up in the morning on my own. Meanwhile, you’ve spent most of your time working at the office or working here. I mean, look at you. Other than sitting at the table with us while we ate, which you barely got here in time for even after I pushed it back an hour, you’ve spent your time in here reading and doing whatever else other than spending time with us.”

Kyle put his hands flat on the desk and dipped his head for a moment. Jacob’s complaints were valid, and he knew it. “I know. It’s been unfair to you and that’s my fault. From now on, I’ll keep work at the office.”

“And, please, be home on time!” Jacob waved his hands helplessly. “I’m not ready to be a single father. I need you. And for more than just helping with the boys.”

Kyle smiled sadly and stood to join him on the sofa. “You’re right,” he said softly as he put an arm around Jacob’s shoulders. “I haven’t been fair to you. Or our sons. That’s my mistake. So, from now on, I will pull back more at work.”

“I’m not saying that your work isn’t important.” Jacob paused. He didn’t want to make this sound like an attack so when he spoke again, he kept his voice soft while filled with tenderness. “But it’s not as important as your marriage.”

Kyle stared into his eyes as saw the love buried beneath the disappointment and insecurity that looked back at him. “Oh, sweetheart.” He wrapped his arms around Jacob and held him warmly. “Nothing is more important than you.”

He put his arms around Kyle and let out a breath of relief hearing that. “I know. I just need to hear it sometimes, is all. I can’t do all this without you.”

Kyle nodded slightly. “Okay. We’ll make it work. From now on, we’ll get the boys to and from school together. No work coming home with me. And I will only be late if I’m going to be in the courtroom and if so, I will let you know ahead of time.”

“Okay.” Jacob felt that was a good compromise. “And no more Saturday deliveries for me so we can spend the weekends together.”

“Sounds good to me,” Kyle replied with a smile and buried his face in Jacob’s shoulder.

Jacob was reluctant to let go of him. It felt comforting to be able to just be together like this with no distractions. “Did you see the tree?”

“Yes. You did a good job with it.”

“Matt and Aaron helped.”

“That’s good.”

“Matt seemed worried about you. Or us.”

“I’ll talk to him.”

“Okay.”

They remained sitting there on the couch, holding each other in silence for a few minutes. Eventually, with their hearts less weighted, they decided to go to bed.

****

Troy pushed open the door and walked into Natural Wonders. He took a second to admire the look of the store and the scent of wood furniture around him. Most of the pieces at the front of the store were more commercial pieces that Jacob sold. Mostly to make it all more affordable for those who didn’t want to pay his price for the unique pieces he made himself. He took a moment to marvel at the floor room before walking towards the rear.

As he approached the back, a younger looking man intercepted him with a friendly smile. “Good morning, sir.” The man blinked and his friendly smile turned into a warmer, comfortable grin. “Oh, Troy. What brings you by?”

Troy matched his smile and replied, “looking for your boss, Cade. Is he anywhere around today?”

Cade nodded. “Yup. He’s all the way in the back. Go on back if you want. Just be mindful of the saws. He’s been busy today.”

“Thanks.” Troy turned and headed past the customer area and through the door that led into the work area.

The first thing that his senses registered was the potent smell of pine and cedar that flooded his nose. Several work areas were set up for various jobs. It was three times the size of the workshop Jacob used to use at home. Now, he and his assistants were free to move around, working together or on individual projects without interfering with the others. He smiled and waved to Kim, one of his assistants, who looked up from her station at him. Without a word, she pointed further back to a corner where he could see Jacob with his goggles on and his sleeves rolled up as he carefully chiseled away at a block of wood that was spinning on one of his machines. Troy’s smile softened watching his friend at work. Jacob had a kind of aura around him that reminded Troy of how different Jacob was today compared to the long-haired, quiet and unassuming teenager he used to be.

He stopped nearby and patiently waited for Jacob to finish his task. Once Jacob stepped away from the table, Troy came closer to speak to him. “Hey, there. What are you working on today?”

Jacob looked up at him and grinned brightly. Troy didn’t notice any kind of distress Andy mentioned to him. “Nothing important. Just some chairs for someone to go with a dining table I made for them a couple months ago. What brings you by?”

Troy nodded. “Sounds good. No real reason. I just wanted to stop by. See how you’re doing.”

Jacob gave him an odd look. “I’m doing just fine, thanks.”

Troy had to admit, he did seem fine. “I heard there were some tensions lately.”

Jacob’s smile disappeared as he rolled his eyes. “I swear… Was it Kyle or Brian that you heard this from?”

“More Brian than Kyle,” he replied as he leaned against the table. “Everything okay at home?”

With an exasperated sigh, Jacob answered, “yes. Kyle and I talked it over last night and we settled everything. Came up with a schedule that works for both of us and gives the kids more time with both of us. I’ll admit, I was a little upset with him, but it wasn’t some huge fight or anything like that.”

Troy frowned slightly in confusion. “I’m sorry. I don’t think I follow. What schedule?”

Jacob looked at him curiously. “About taking care of the kids. Picking them up from school and all that stuff. Plus, Kyle promised to stop bringing work home and coming home on time more often than not. What did you think was going on?”

“I just heard you were acting a little weird, is all.” He was starting to think Andy set him up for some kind of prank. “Brian said something about you almost blowing up at lunch a while back.”

Jacob groaned slightly in frustration. “He caught me on a bad day was all. And he started talking about other stuff and I wasn’t wanting to hear it.”

That sounded closer to the truth, Troy reasoned. “Stuff like what?”

Jacob waved him off. “Nothing important. That stupid DNA shit. It’s over now though. Kyle’s been busy with some big criminal case. He’s got a court appearance on Friday about it he said. It might eat into his time at home, but he says he’ll figure out a way to work around it.”

Troy nodded slowly. “Okay. I just haven’t seen you much in the last few weeks. Made me a little concerned. You sure you’re okay?”

“Yes,” he replied with a healthy dose of sarcasm. “You worry too much. How’s the thing with Chase going?”

Now it was Troy’s turn to roll his eyes. “Fine. He’s still acting a little sensitive. Which only makes me wonder what’s going on. But I keep talking to him and he says he knows all about the sex stuff. I’m not entirely sure he’s being truthful about that though.”

Jacob grinned. “Sounds to me like you’re trying to weasel your way out of talking about it. He might know the mechanics, but he probably needs to talk about the more subtle things. Like how to ask someone out or how to make the first move. Stuff like that.”

“I know,” he admitted. “Just wait until it’s your turn. Anyway, he’s getting ready to audition for the Spring play at school so maybe he’ll have that to occupy his time.”

“We’ll see.”

Troy started to think he had come for nothing, but he had a hunch there was more going on. “Sometime soon, you and I need to grab a coffee and have a real talk. It’s been too long since we spent any time together just the two of us.”

Jacob smiled. “Well, maybe next week we can meet for coffee when I’m not too busy.”

“Sounds like a good idea.” He patted Jacob’s shoulder affectionately. “I should get going. I’m taking Andy on sales calls today. Teach him how to be polite and shit.”

“Good luck with that,” Jacob replied with a chuckle.

“I’ll see you later.” With that said, Troy turned and headed back the way he came in. As he moved through the store, he decided he would need to have a talk with Brian about overreacting.

****

Kyle sat with his arms folded over his chest as he glowered at the group sitting across from his desk. “What do you mean he’s disappeared?”

Michelle shrugged helplessly. “We’ve tried everything we could think of. Short of hiring our own investigator, Rodger Reid has just vanished.”

He leaned forward as his eyes went from Michelle to Kevin. Monica sat off to the side, watching and listening. “What about the other two? Dylan and Grant?”

“We haven’t found a current address for Grant Dawson,” Kevin explained. “We tried calling the house that he used to live at but got no answer. As for Mr. Goode, he’s doing the politician’s dodge. We can’t even get him on a phone. His staff is mostly playing interference.”

“But why,” Kyle asked with a hint of exasperation. “All we want is to ask some questions.”

Monica spoke up with a knowing smirk. “I’ve heard rumors he’s planning on running for mayor in the next election cycle. If so, I doubt the last thing he wants is to have his name associated with a murder investigation that any opponent of his could use against him.”

Kyle groaned. “So what? We can keep it quiet.”

“It’s not just that,” Monica replied gently. “His father is a state senator. Not entirely an unknown in state politics. Dylan Goode is starting his political career while his father, Robert Goode is probably tutoring him. And helping him.”

“God, I hate politicians.” Kyle rubbed his eyes. “Okay. Keep trying at the Dawson house. I want to know what’s going on there by tomorrow morning.”

“Only problem with that is I’m busy the rest of the day,” Kevin said. “I have a couple court appearances today and I can’t get out of them.”

“Well, we don’t want you to,” Monica stated. She looked to Kyle who nodded in agreement. “What about you, Michelle. What are you doing today?”

“I have a meeting with a client in an hour,” she said. When Kyle looked at her for more detail, she continued. “It’s nothing big. Just a consultation. But it’s billable so I don’t want to cancel it.”

“But after that you’re free,” Kyle asked.

She nodded. “If you want, I’ll park out front until I get an answer.”

He grimaced slightly at that idea. “No. I don’t want you there by yourself. I can’t go because I have to pick my kids up at school today and then go home with them.”

“I’ll go,” Monica said with a smirk. “I’ve read all the notes and reviewed the file. I’ll let Michelle do most of the talking.”

Kyle turned to her, slightly surprised. “Really?”

“Sure,” she replied with a nod. “Now that I’ve read everything you have, I think this is a pretty important case. It’s better to track down as much information now rather than later. Besides, who knows what he’ll tell us? Could be something that can just get the charges dismissed.”

“Okay. Well, thank you.” Kyle gave her a small smile. While he had misgivings before making her a partner, he now realized it was likely his best decision since he hired Rose. “If you do find out anything big, give me a call.”

She nodded as she got to her feet. She turned to Michelle and said, “I’ll stop by your office in a few hours. Then we’ll grab lunch on our way there.”

“Sounds good to me,” Michelle said as she got up. Before she left, she wished Kevin well in court before they all left Kyle to himself.

Two hours later, she and Monica were on their way out of town, headed to Pittsburgh. The drive took a little longer than usual, since they were heading to an area neither of them had ever seen before. After some time, they found the address they were given by Rhonda Spencer. Michelle was a little surprised by how Monica didn’t push or tell her what to do. Just walked up to the door a half-step behind her.

From the outside, this house looked more like a mansion with its brick and marble exterior and ornate door. She rechecked the address to make sure they were in the right place before she rang the doorbell. They stood there waiting until the door opened. A thin, pinched faced woman with greying hair stood in the doorway, looking at them with a pronounced frown of distrust. “Yes?”

Michelle put on her best professional smile. “Hello ma’am. I’m Michelle Crowder. I’m looking into the events surrounding the death of Sharon Ellington and wondered if you could help me in locating Grant Dawson.”

The woman’s face twisted in anger. “There’s no one here by that name.” Before anything else could be said, the woman slammed the door shut.

Michelle blinked in surprise before turning to look at Monica who also looked surprised by the sudden outburst. “I’m no expert, but I think we hit a nerve.”

“So, what do we do?”

Monica stepped up and rang the bell. After a moment the woman returned again, Monica said, “I apologize for the interruption, but this is an important matter, and we only need to know where Mr. Dawson is. You are his mother, I take it?”

The woman glared at her. “He is dead to me.”

Before Mrs. Dawson could slam the door again, Monica swiftly put her hand on it to hold it open. She leaned in and stared directly into the woman’s eyes. “That’s fine. I don’t care what your beef is with him. But if you don’t answer our questions, then we’ll be back. And the next time we come back, I’ll have police officers with me. And if you still refuse to answer, then I’ll have no choice but to refer you to the country prosecutor for interfering in a criminal matter. I know enough people to make sure that how much money you have isn’t going to help you. So, you can either help me now, I will thank you for your help and never step foot here again. Or you can keep pulling this crap and then you’ll be dragged out of your million-dollar home by two uniformed police while all your neighbors watch from their million dollar homes.”

Michelle watched with a stoic expression as a battle of wills seemed to take place between the two women.

After a moment the woman relented with an annoyed sigh. “He was thrown out three years ago. I don’t know what happened to him after that.”

“Who would know?”

Her frown deepened. “Maybe his sister. She lives on campus. Kappa Kappa Gamma house. Are we done?”

Monica took her hand off the door. “If we find him, then we’re done. If not, I’ll be back.”

The woman took one last look at them before shutting the door again.

“Well, that was fun,” Monica said as she started walking back to the car as if it was just another casual interview.

Michelle hurried to catch up. “What was that? You can’t do that.”

“I know,” Monica said. She smirked slightly and added, “I was just betting she didn’t. Let’s go find the sorority house and find this sister.”

Michelle looked at her incredulously before getting back in the car and driving off. A Google search and twenty minutes later, they located the Kappa Kappa Gamma house which appeared to just be another dorm house on the campus. After a few wrong turns and a helpful student giving them directions, they finally found the chapter house they were looking for.

A young college woman saw them as they walked in and greeted them at the door. “Good afternoon. Is there something I can do for you?”

Michelle smiled and said, “I am looking for someone here with the last name Dawson. Do you know anyone in here with that name?”

The woman gave her an odd look. “Yes. There is. Can I ask who’s looking for her?”

“I’m Michelle Crowder. A lawyer from Howard and Jones law firm. We’re actually just looking for some help regarding a family member.”

She took a step back as she replied. “Well, let me text her and see where she is.” She tapped out a message on her phone and waited. When the reply arrived, she read it and then said to Michelle, “she’s on her way down now.”

“Thank you,” Michelle said before she and Monica moved to sit at a table off to the side.

Only a few minutes passed before a woman walked in and came up to them. “You had some news about someone?”

“Actually, no,” Michelle replied. “Are you the sister of Grant Dawson?”

The girl frowned warily. “Yeah. What’s this about?”

“I’m Michelle.” She pulled out a card and handed it to her. “I need to find your brother, regarding a murder from five years ago. Sharon Ellington. We went to the only address we knew he lived at and got a… pretty chilly reception.”

The girl huffed and rolled her eyes. “My mom. Her and Dad disowned him about four years ago.”

Monica looked up curiously. “What for?”

She took on a more scornful expression as she explained, “my parents are ultra-conservative, ultra-rich assholes. They caught him in bed with another guy and threw him out. What’s this Sharon girl have to do with Grant?”

“She was at a party at your parents’ house the night of her murder,” Michelle explained. “Your brother was one of the last people to see her alive and we need to know what he knows about that night.”

“Well, he and his husband are living in West Hollywood. Been there the last three years now.” She scribbled down a number and handed it to the lawyer. “Anything else?”

Michelle smiled at her success as she stood and took the paper. “No. That was all.”

“I was just a teenager back then,” The girl commented with a wry smirk. “He’d shove me out the door and I’d usually spend the night with a friend. Parents never knew about the parties. At least not until they came home one night and found him getting railed by a former college jock.”

Monica couldn’t keep her curiosity to herself. “Do you know who the other guy was?”

“Yeah. It was Rodger. I guess they were dating or something starting around the last year of college.”

Michelle’s eyes widened in delight. Now she had locations for both of them. “And they’re still together?”

“At least since I last talked to him on the phone three weeks ago,” she replied with a shrug.

“Thank you so much. You’ve been a great help.” Michelle and Monica headed out the door. “I can’t believe we got that lucky.”

“I had a hunch,” Monica said with a smirk. “We need to get back to the office and let Kyle know. He’s heading to court tomorrow.”

Michelle agreed. Things might be looking up for them.