“The dead woman from today was holding red roses.” I walked around my office, looking at Godfrey. “You’ve tracked five murders in the past six months, right?”
“It’s ten if I include the two from Providence and one from New York City.”
We’d been monitoring deaths with a similar MO from various New England states.
“Are you shitting me?” Timber scoffed, leaning back in his chair. “That’s a lot in six months. It’s been twenty years since his death. Why now?”
“That’s the million-dollar question.” I walked over to my minibar and gripped the bottle of Midleton Very Rare single malt Irish whiskey. I’d been saving this bottle for a special occasion. “You guys want anything?”
The boys looked at the bottle.
“Fuck, yeah!” Godfrey exclaimed. “That eighty-five-grand bottle will ease my anxiety.”
“No one in this room will say no to that.” Timber rose from his chair, walking over. “It’s a beauty indeed.”
Timber slid four tumblers on the table for me to pour two fingers of whiskey into each. Sitting down next to Hudson, I swirled the whiskey around, letting the aromas release. I sipped and savored the taste, letting it coat my tongue before swallowing.
“Heavenly,” Godfrey crooned. “Glad you opened this beauty for us today.”
“He knows we need it.” Hudson elbowed me. “Right, big bro?”
These men weren’t just my friends, but brothers who had endured unimaginable trauma with me. That trauma bonded us together for life. They considered me their big brother because I saved them from a nightmare. What they didn’t know was that they had also saved me. Their presence in that hell helped me remember the goodness that Hawthorne wanted me to forget. When you’ve been in the dark for so long, you forget the light exists. Things like friendship, family, andhope are always worth fighting for. Godfrey, Hudson, and Timber didn’t break under pressure like the other boys their age. I saw survival in them.
“Yeah.” I clinked my tumbler with Hudson’s. “I have a feeling this is just the beginning of something dire.”
A quiet moment stirred in the room. I could imagine the memories creeping into their minds as they did into mine.
“But we’re not kids anymore.” Godfrey’s jaw tightened as he finished his whiskey. “We can do something about it now.”
“You know what’s extraordinary?” Timber gestured to the box. “Mochinut and expensive whiskey are the perfect match.”
A crease formed between Godfrey’s eyebrows. “What does that have to do with these murders?”
“Absolutely nothing.” Timber smirked. “Just trying to lighten the mood.”
Hudson snorted but grabbed a cookies-and-cream mochinut, bit into it, and had crumbs dropping onto his blue sweater. “Shit.”
“What is wrong with you today, man?” Godfrey asked Timber while biting into his coffee mochinut.
“Today?” Hudson blurted.
I loved that these men brought amusement to the table. Reviewing these murder cases alone in my office created a dark vibe I didn’t like.
I stared at the mochinut varieties, considering which one I should try. The first time I had these was years ago when I went on a date with a Hawaiian woman who loved them. Mochi donuts originated in Hawaii and were a combination of American donuts and Japanese mochi. I wasn’t a donut guy, but trying new things opened doorways. Being open-minded helped me stay alive all those years in captivity.
After finishing the chocolate mochinut, I pressed the remote on the TV to switch to the computer’sfiles.
“These are murders similar to Hawthorne’s.” I opened two files: one showcased what we’d tracked so far, and the other was data I’d stolen from Hawthorne all those years ago. Perhaps something would jump off the screen, connecting all the dots. “We’ve only looked at deaths within the New England area. Perhaps there’s more in other locations.”
Godfrey nodded. “We can each take a section of the country and see what comes up. I’m working with this high-tech service that can help us escalate the search. They’re pricey but worth it. I’ll bring you guys on.”
“Sounds good. Southern states are mine,” Hudson said. “I’ll get a chart started so we know who’s working on what areas.”
“Give me the West Coast.” Timber grabbed another mochinut.
“I’ll cover the Northeast.” I looked at Godfrey. “You can continue with the Midwest, including those states bordering Canada. Maybe there’s a connection we’re not seeing. A timeline for everything would be helpful too.”
The boys nodded in agreement.
