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Michael woke with sunlight streaming in the window and a slender body plastered against his. Josiah had shifted at some point so his cheek rested in the crook of Michael’s shoulder and one arm was slung across Michael’s waist. It was almost too hot under the covers, but he wasn’t going to move or complain. He was too damned content.
Until his phone alarm began to blare across the hall where he’d left it. He’d set the alarm Sunday night and forgotten to turn it off last night after he called out of work.
Josiah snuffled and turned his face into Michael’s arm, only to come awake with a grimace and pained groan. “Fuck, I thought last night was some kind of fever dream.”
Michael ruffled Josiah’s hair with his free hand. “Sorry. This is a nice thing to wake up to, though. I could get used to it.”
Instead of tensing or moving away, Josiah rested his palm over Michael’s heart. “It is nice. Thank you. For everything last night, especially listening while I babbled about Andy.”
“That wasn’t babbling, and I was very happy to listen. I’ll always listen.”
“I’m glad, but we’re also both still listening to your alarm, and it’s kind of annoying.”
Michael released his first bark of genuine laughter in what felt like weeks. “I’m going, I’m going. I’ll check on Dad, too. You rest as long as you need. I took the day off so I could be here for both of you. The only thing you need to get up for is the bathroom. You want food or a drink? I’ll get it. Phone charger? It’s yours.”
Josiah flashed him an adorable smile that was both amused and exasperated. “I got my head bashed in, not my legs. Once you get Elmer settled, come back up and help me downstairs. I’d rather hang with you guys than lie around up here by myself.”
“Absolutely can do. Be back in a little while.”
Since he planned to take a shower later, Michael slipped yesterday’s flannel shirt back on. It still smelled faintly of horse, but whatever. He worked with them for a living andhekind of smelled like horse. Josiah hadn’t complained, and Michael relived the awesomeness of sleeping with Josiah in his arms on the short walk downstairs.
Dad was awake in bed with a book on his lap. “How’s Josiah?”
“He smiled,” Michael said.
It was all he needed to say, because Dad smiled, too. They both understood the importance of that first smile after a trauma.
“So what do you want first?” Michael asked. “Shower or breakfast?”
“Shower, I think. You get me on the chair and I’ll do the rest.”
“Good man.”
Once Dad was situated on the shower chair in the downstairs bathroom with the detachable showerhead in his hand, Michael went back upstairs to help Josiah. Instead of going out to the trailer, Michael found a set of clean sweats for Josiah to change into, and then he spent some time making sure all the dried blood was out of Josiah’s hair. Josiah used a wet washcloth on his face and neck, determined himself clean enough for now, and let Michael help him down the stairs.
Dad was done by then, so Michael got him dried and dressed while Josiah chilled on the couch with his feet up. It was still a bit strange to have Josiah around while Michael took care of Dad, but like all the evening and weekend meals they’d shared recently, it also felt perfectly natural. Familiar and right. Like family.
While Dad and Josiah debated what to watch on TV, Michael fixed them all a simple breakfast of boxed-mix pancakes and sausage patties. Josiah only ate a single dry pancake and sipped juice, which was fine. If he got hungry later, Michael would gladly fix him a snack. He hadn’t been so eager to wait on someone hand and foot since the last time Kenny crashed from the flu.
In the bright light of day, Michael went back outside to the barn with a flashlight and inspected every inch of space within eight feet of the barn doors, inside and out. Part of the yard was the hard-packed earth that also made up the driveway, a lot of it was drying grass with no discernible footprints. No sign of a green T-shirt anywhere, either. He wanted to walk the entire perimeter fence line, but that was stupid and pointless. Most of the fence around the farthest pastures was simple wood stakes and barbed wire, not electrified for more than two decades.
For as much as the locked front gate made Michael feel better, anyone with gloves and protection could get through the fencing. Maybe he’d look into the electric system and see how much it would cost to get it up and running again. Michael wasn’t losing anyone else he loved to random acts of violence.
McBride returned around ten thirty with no new leads. Michael walked him around the barn again, not daring to hope McBride might spot something Michael’s untrained eye hadn’t caught. He didn’t. They did end up walking the fence line, but there were no cut wires or patches of disturbed earth. Whoever had attacked Josiah could have as easily climbed over the front gate as slipped through a rear part of the fencing.
When he was finished his inspection, Michael walked him back to his cruiser. “How did Josiah fare last night?” McBride asked.
Since it wasn’t his place to comment on Josiah’s nightmares, Michael simply said, “He got through it. Didn’t mention remembering anything new, though.”
“Okay. I don’t wanna bother him and add to his stress, so if he does remember, make sure he calls me. Despite our differences recently, I do wanna find who did this to him.”
Differences. Is he fucking serious?
Michael kept a lid on his temper. “I will. I’d like to find who did this and shove my size-thirteen boot right up their ass, after I stomp their face into the gravel with it.”
“Trust me, Pearce, I’d turn the other way if it happened.” For the first time, Michael saw what he could only identify as stress brackets around McBride’s eyes. Was the son of a bitch actually upset by what happened to Josiah? Did that mean he had a heart after all? Even if the heart was shriveled up and cruel?
McBride worried the brim of his hat. “I’m not from around here, but I heard through the gossip vine what happened to your mother way back when. I’m real sorry the sheriff at the time didn’t give your family justice.”
