“TJ. How are you?”
“Busy.” TJ frowned, then shook his head and smiled. “How are you settling in? It’s been five months or so now, hasn’t it?”
“Around six now, and yeah, everything’s set up. I have two cases right now that I’m reviewing evidence for, so I’m busy.”
“Bit of a commute.” TJ flipped his sheriff hat over in his hands.
“It is, but I needed to get out of the city. It can be overwhelming, and after hearing about this place, I figured why not.”
“You should come over soon now you’ve settled. Should have asked you sooner.” TJ winced. “I need to sort something out first.”
“Anything I can help with?”
“I don’t think so. It’s something that was a long time coming, but when it arrives, you don’t expect it.” TJ messed with his hat in his hands, then put it on his head, frowned and took it off again.
“Problems?” Santino pointed to the hat.
“New. I liked my old one, but it died, so now I’m breaking a new one in, and it doesn’t fit right.” Sighing, he shoved it back on his head. “I have your number—”
TJ’s phone rang. “Sheriff Redding.” He nodded, then said, “He is? I’ll be right there.” TJ hung up and gave Santino a close-lipped smile. “I have to go and pick up the pieces.”
“What is it?”
“I can’t talk to you about it right now. It’s an ongoing investigation, but if I had my way…” TJ inhaled, exhaled heavily, then moved his hat on his head. “I have to go. I’ll call you and we can arrange a meal over at our place.”
Santino waved TJ off, noticing the deep furrows on his forehead. “It’s Orsen Catlow.” Santino glanced behind him and saw Siobhan. “Poor kid.”
“Who is he?”
“Someone who should have been helped a long time ago, but there was too much red tape. They like to keep families together even when it isn’t in the kids’ best interest.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Orsen’s dad was a mean drunk. Took his anger out on Orsen, only he went too far and Orsen killed him. Self-defense, I’m hearing, and it doesn’t surprise me. We all knew Ambrose would go too far one day. And there’s always been the mystery of Allison disappearing. That’s Ambrose’s wife. Was here one dayand gone the next. Left Orsen behind. I’m twenty-one and even I knew all about the Catlows. At least he’s free, unless they charge him for something.”
“I don’t think I’ve met anyone with that name.”
Siobhan snorted. “No, because Ambrose only came in to buy booze, and he kept Orsen at the cabin. He’s still in the hospital, so it must be bad. Poor kid.” With a smile and a wave, Siobhan walked off. Santino grabbed what few items he needed, paid, then walked home.
Walking inside, he laughed when Charlie, Santino’s chocolate lab, walked over, toy stuffed in his mouth and his tail going so fast it had to hurt. Santino crouched in front of him, ruffling his fur, then moved to the kitchen. “Hungry, boy?”
Charlie barked as Santino picked up his bowl, cleaned it, and put fresh dog food in it. Charlie abandoned his toy and Santino and inhaled his food. When he choked, Santino said, “Slow down, Charlie.”
Did he listen? No, and soon enough he coughed again. Santino sighed and put the items he’d purchased away, then grabbed the pasta and put it next to the pan. His laptop pinged to tell him he had a new email, and he sat at the table, opening it and reading the contents. Another case of possible money laundering.
Santino responded, asking for the relevant information to be forwarded to him, then made his dinner. Sitting in front of the TV, he picked up his phone when it rang and smiled when he heard his sister Bianca’s voice. “You no call,fratello.”
“Ah,sorella. I’ve been busy.”
“You’re always busy. No time for me or mamma.” Luna was Santino’s mamma, and he spoke to her regularly, something he was certain Bianca would know. “You been eating? Taking care of yourself? You’re so far away from home. When are you coming back?”
“I like it here. Robinson is a good place to be. When you come to visit me, you’ll see. They need some Contis to liven the area.”
“Are they boring? They don’t have parties?”
“They do. I’m just messing with you. I’m going out to see the sheriff soon. And I have other friends now.”
“I’m glad you have friends, but I miss you. I want you to come home.” Bianca was another reason he’d left, and she wasn’t the only one either. Coming from a large Italian family, everyone knew everyone else. There were no secrets, and they were in each other’s lives all the time. It was amazing having those connections, but Santino needed to escape. He couldn’t breathe with them all right there, breathing down his neck every single day.
