Page 29 of Weight of Guilt

Nash listened to the entire exchange between Wren and Christian, emotion roiling inside him even though he had no connection to these people. The whole situation was still heartbreaking, however.

He’d joined their circle with Tank and had waited for the conversation to finish.

Wren turned toward him and studied him a moment before asking, “Why did you go into the woods just now?”

He shrugged. “I just wanted to take a look around.”

Nora’s razor-sharp gaze pinned him down. “Did you find anything?”

“I found some broken branches. Newly broken.” He kept his voice level, not trying to stir anything up. “Could be nothing.”

“Or . . . ?” Wren prodded.

He drew in a deep breath, trying to choose his words carefully. “Or it could mean someone was out there watching the house. I can’t tell you which.”

Wren touched her forehead as if fighting panic. “You think someone was out there watching us?”

“I’m not assuming anything. I’m just observing.”

Nora’s arms crossed tighter. “I don’t like the sound of that. Should we call the police?”

“That’s your decision. But I think I don’t like coincidences, and this family’s had two big ones today already.” Nash held her gaze. “I’m not saying panic. I’m saying be careful.”

“Careful how?” Nora asked. “What does that actually look like? Because I don’t know how to be careful about something I can’t see.”

Nash didn’t answer right away. He didn’t know how to.

His hesitation seemed to trigger something in Wren.

“Come inside. I’d rather have a plan than a warning.” She was already turning back toward the house. “There’s sweet tea, if you want it.”

“I should get back.” The words came automatically.

Don’t get too close. That had been his mantra when he moved here.

Right now, he felt like he was failing.

His gaze caught Christian watching from the porch. The teen’s eyes burned holes into Nash. Then the boy’s gaze flicked to Wren before settling back on Nash.

Christian was measuring something, but Nash didn’t know what.

But that only made him curious. Nothing about this situation was ordinary. As a detective, he’d never seen someone missing return after being gone ten years. There was so much to uncover here—good and bad.

And the investigative side of him wanted to help.

In fact, he’d been craving something to do with his time off.

Despite his hesitation, he nodded. “Actually, sweet tea sounds good.”

Chapter

Fourteen

Christian stepped inside last, trailing everyone else as they gathered in the living room.

Wren realized he didn’t know who Nash was other than a neighbor. She hadn’t introduced them yet.

“Christian, this is Nash,” Wren explained.