Page 53 of Ultimate Justice

“Yeah.” It was. Same day every year. His cross to bear, and bear it he would. For his parents’ sake.

“Do we need to bring anything?” she asked.

“No.” He shook his head, appreciating her thoughtfulness. “But thanks.”

Minutes later, he turned onto his parents’ street. The folded color photo of Frank Manello was burning a hole in his pocket. He still had to show it to his parents and reinterview them. He hung a left into their driveway and parked next to a blue Lexus. “Good,” he muttered under his breath. “The Wilsons are already here.”

Marlie unbuckled her seatbelt. “Who are the Wilsons?”

“Elsa and Neil. They’re friends of my parents. My folks run a charity for runaways, and the Wilsons volunteer there.” He stared at the house, not really wanting to go inside.

“This is a nice house,” Marlie said.

“I guess so.” Built in the seventies, it was a combo brick-and-wood, two-story tract house with four bedrooms, two and a half baths, and mature trees in the front and backyards. The color was the same as it had always been. Red brick, yellow siding, white shutters. “I’ve been trying to get them to move into something smaller.”

“They won’t ever move,” Marlie said wistfully. “They wouldn’t want Gracie to think they’d left her.”

He shouldn’t be surprised she’d intuited so much and so quickly. Aiden Parker had been missing for several days before his body was discovered. Those days must have been a nightmare for her. During that time, he had no doubt she hadn’t left the house once. In case Aiden came home. It was the same with every missing child case he worked.

Oddly, it was cathartic to talk to someone about it again. Someone who completely got where he was coming from. And what he had to do next.

He shut off the engine. “We should head in.”

The first thing that hit him when he opened the front door was the smell of freshly brewed coffee. Voices drifted down the hallway from the kitchen—his mother’s and Elsa Wilson’s.

Blue led the way, wagging his tail in full expectation of the freeze-dried duck patties his mom kept in the pantry just for him.

“Blue! Evan, where have you—” The shock on his mother’s face was enough to make his brain wrack with even more guilt. His birthdays had always been private, with only immediate family and close friends in attendance.

“Mom.” He held out his arms, allowing her to give him the habitual birthday hug. Over her head, he nodded to his father. “Dad.”

“Happy birthday, son.” His dad gave Evan’s shoulder a quick squeeze.

“Happy birthday,” Elsa and Neil said at the same time.

“Thanks.” He stepped aside. “Everyone, this is Marlie and Noah. They’re friends of mine.” He couldn’t out them for who and what they really were to him. Not today, of all days. “These are my parents, Patty and Sean McGarry, and their friends, Elsa and Neil Wilson.”

For a long, painful moment, no one said a word. His mother’s gray eyes perused Marlie from head to toe. In obvious disapproval, his dad crossed his arms. Though silver now, he still had a buzz cut to go with the military bearing that would probably always be there. Wisely, the Wilsons remained silent, as if waiting for the bomb he’d introduced into his family’s most sacred of days to explode.

“Mrs. McGarry, Mr. McGarry.” Marlie went right up to his mother and extended her hand. “We’re so sorry to intrude. It’s been such a difficult week for Noah, Evan thought we could all use a little of your famous chocolate cake.”

Marlie held out her arm for Noah to join them. Evan watched his mother for a reaction. In a show of reinforcement, he moved to Noah’s other side. Blue took up a protective position next to Marlie.

“Hi,” Noah said shyly. “Evan said your chocolate cake is the best.”

“It is.” His mother smiled. “Would you like some?”

Noah nodded enthusiastically.

“How about a glass of milk to go with that?” his father asked.

Again, Noah nodded.

“Say ‘thank you’ to Mr. and Mrs. McGarry,” Marlie said.

“Thank you.”

“You’re quite welcome.” Evan’s mother’s smile broadened.