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“We need to talk to Zane,” Connor said, trying to move us back toward the point, which had begun to fade into the distance.
The seriousness in his tone seemed to have her—finally—realizing this wasn’t just a mild social call. “Why?”
“We think he might have helpful information about the trouble the clan’s been experiencing lately.”
Jude snorted. “He’d have information about how to be a pain in my ass. Takes money out of my purse ’cause he’s on some new tear. Some new fixation. Pawned some of my good china just to get a little extra cash. He’ll grow out of it,” she said, and sounded convinced, “but he’s in that stage.”
She rolled her eyes dramatically, and didn’t seem to realize that telling us her son was a troublemaker was only going to make uslook harder at him. Or maybe that was what she wanted: for someone to handle her son.
“We understand he’s friends with John and Beyo and Marcus.”
“Sure,” she said.
“What about Traeger?” Connor asked.
She laughed bitterly. “Yeah, when he’s not running around doing something for Georgia. She keeps him busy.” She sounded disapproving. “Kids need time to be themselves.”
“Hmmm” was all Connor said.
“I think I left my screen in the car,” Evelyn said, rising from her stool at the kitchen counter. “I’m going to go get it.” She flicked her gaze toward the door, signaling that we should follow her.
“Thanks for your time,” Connor said, rising. “If you see Zane, we’d like to talk to him.”
“Sure, sure.”
We followed Evelyn outside and around the house to the family firepit a few yards from the lakeshore.
“I love my mother,” she said quietly, arms crossed and gaze on the water. “But mothering was not exactly her strong suit.”
“Sounds like Zane causes you both some grief,” Connor said.
“Rules don’t apply to Zane,” she said. “Or at least that’s his position. He comes and goes as he pleases, takes what he wants.” She shook her head, looked back at us. “I work in town, and I’ve got my own place. I drop by to check on her.”
“You’re doing her a favor by not causing her problems,” Connor said.
She shrugged. “You’re here because of Loren, aren’t you? Because of last night?”
“Why do you say that?” Connor asked.
“Because if you told me my brother was involved, that he hurt someone, I wouldn’t be surprised. I mean, I wouldn’t call him violent. At least not before. But he does what he wants, and he always has.”
“Traeger says he might have been angry at Loren.”
“Who isn’t he angry at?” Evelyn said. “According to Zane, he’s the smartest guy in the room at all times. And my mother’s ‘boys will be boys’ attitude doesn’t help.”
“What about Cash?” Connor asked.
“Cash doesn’t care what happens around here as long as it doesn’t attract human attention.”
“That sounds very frustrating,” I said quietly, and was glad she’d figured out a way to get some distance from the drama.
“It sucks,” she said. “They’re family, but it sucks.”
“Do you know where we can find Zane?” Connor asked.
“No. She was telling the truth—he does disappear. Sometimes they go up or down the shore. Like she said, he gets obsessed with things. Some idea or hobby or whatever. He’s been secretive lately, which is a new one for him. He usually likes to talk.” Her voice was dry. “I had the sense he’d fallen into some new project. I don’t know what—’cause secretive. But when he was here, he was on his screen more than usual, said he was doing his ‘research.’”
“What about his friends?”
