Page 106 of Lethal Weakness

She nods sadly. “He’d send me a letter every few years, but even when the updates stopped, he’d send a Hallmark card with money. No note. No return postage. Nowhere for me to write back to.”

“When was the last time you got one of those?”

“Seven years ago.” She shakes out a pillow on the bed. “I never cared about the money he sent; I just worried about him. It’s the only way that I knew he was alive.”

“He shouldn’t have done that to you.”

She waves me off. “I didn’t take it personally. He was doing his best to exist in a world without his parents. He always had such a big heart, just like his dad did. He looks just like his mom, but he’s got both of their spirits.” She smiles to herself, thinking about it.

“I never thought John would settle down, but the minute he brought Hope home, I knew. They were soulmates, and Jack was a product of that. I never questioned it when they left for South Dakota. You will do anything to protect the people you love.” She looks at me deeply, paying special attention to the bruising on my face.

“He didn’t tell me why they moved to South Dakota.”

“Ah, well, it isn’t my place.”

“Right, of course.”

“I am so glad to have you guys here. I hope you’ll be comfortable.”

“I really appreciate you welcoming us into your home, but to be truthful, I feel safe wherever Jack is. And he felt sure that coming here was a good idea.”

A gentle smile lifts her features. “I always told him that this is his home, and whenever he was ready to come back I’d be here with open arms.”

“And you held true to your word,” Jack says from the doorway, making Kay smile harder.

“Oh, I just can’t believe you’re back.” She walks up to him and smooshes his cheeks like she would a little boy, and I stifle a giggle. “Now, put these sheets on these beds for your girls so they can rest.” The pile in her hand smacks him in the chest.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Actually, Jack’s the one who hasn’t slept in two days. I can do it,” I offer.

“Look at that… Already a team.” She winks and disappears from the room.

“Avery is enamored with the telescope,” he tells me without prompting because he knows I was about to wonder.

I step towards him and take the bedding from him before tossing it on the bed. He only looks slightly confused before I wrap my arms around his waist and press my cheek against his chest. “Thank you for bringing us here.”

I feel his chest deflate in relief as he returns my embrace, keeping me tucked tightly against him. We stand like that for a long time, until my leg starts to ache and I need to readjust my footing.

“Sit,” he prompts, directing me to a wooden chest against the wall with a flat top.

“I’m not used to being taken care of.”

“I know.” He starts making the bed up, and misses the smile on my face.

“Why did you bring us here, Jack?”

He hesitates slightly, but I know with confidence it isn’t because he’s preparing a lie, but because he is trying to formulate words as someone who doesn’t speak his mind often.

“All my other options were more similar to my last house. Four walls to hide inside, with hardly any furniture or anything but white paint. Which is fine when you’re undercover, but it’s no place for a little girl. I wanted to bring you guys somewhere that was fitting for a family, and this was my first thought.”

A family.

“Your ghost boss didn’t mind that you were bringing us to your childhood home?” I ask with a frog in my throat.

He shrugs. “I didn’t ask for permission. I didn’t tell anyone where I was taking you.”

“What? Why? Won’t you get in trouble?”