“I think I’m going to take the boys and go home.” Brian yawned as sheer exhaustion threatened to overwhelm him.
“Let me take you and the boys. I’ll take your car, and I can call my partner to pick me up and bring me back here.”
“I can do that if…,” Aunt Marilyn began, then silenced herself. “No. You let the handsome police officer take you home.” The wicked look in her eyes had him groaning to himself. His aunt had always been way too perceptive for her own good. “Go get the boys home. They’ve had more than their share of the grief parade, and it’s not over.”
“It is for them. Karen from next door is going to come to the house and sit with them while I attend the funeral. They’ll come to the luncheon afterward. And then this part will be over.” He knew nothing was ever going to be over, not for two boys who lost their mother, but at least this phase of the process would have ended. Phillip and Henry would have been able to say goodbye to their angel mother.
He left the viewing room. Tomorrow, the funeral home would open additional space for the funeral itself, and then Caroline would be taken away for cremation. Kerry figured that at some point the boys might want to visit where their mother was laid to rest, so he had arranged for a cemetery plot. In a few months, he thought he and the boys would pick out a stone for her.
The boys were still asleep. He gently lifted Phillip into his arms and went to Henry.
“Let me take him,” Brian said.
Kerry hesitated, but Phillip lifted his head. “Will you go to Mr. Brian?” Kerry whispered, and Phillip went right to Brian, his little arms curling around his neck. Brian whispered soft things to Phillip, and he rested his head on Brian’s shoulder. Kerry gently lifted Henry, then carried him out of the funeral home and to the car. He got Henry in his seat, and Brian got Phillip in his.
“I’m hungry,” Phillip said just as he and Brian got their doors closed.
“We can stop and get something,” Brian offered.
Kerry nodded. “Let’s get them milkshakes,” he said softly, and Brian started the car, pulled out of the lot, and took them to the In and Out. “What flavor do you want?”
“Rawberry,” Phillip said.
“Banana,” Henry said from just behind Kerry’s seat.
Brian ordered, getting a chocolate for himself and a lemon for him. Once their treats arrived, they sat in the car and let everyone drink their shakes, and then Brian drove them home. Brian helped take the boys into the house, and Kerry got them ready for bed. They were so tired, they barely woke up while changing into PJs, and then Kerry kissed each of them before tucking them in. Phillip went right to sleep.
“Is Mommy still asleep? I wanted her to wake up.”
Kerry gently rubbed Henry’s back. “That’s just the part she left behind when she became an angel.”
“Oh,” Henry said, and rolled over, holding his stuffed dog under his arm as Pebbles settled at the foot of the bed.
Kerry quietly left the room and partially closed the door. He went to the living room and sat on the sofa, his head in his hands. “What am I supposed to tell them? Their mother is gone, taken away by someone we don’t even know, and all they want is their mother back. I can’t give them that—no one can. And they deserve that.”
“I know,” Brian said softly. “You all deserve answers, and I wish I could find them more quickly.” His phone rang, and Brian stood and left the room, going outside. He stayed away for a while, and Kerry was happy to have a chance to get himself together. Losing someone was bad enough, but having them killed, forced away from you, only made things worse. And Kerrywas doing everything he could to keep the boys from that horror, if it was at all possible.
Brian returned and sat down. “We found him. The man who was at the funeral home today is Charles Westerly.” Brian showed him a picture, and Kerry nodded as he looked at it. “At one time, your sister went after him for child support for Phillip. That’s where we got his name from. Somehow, your sister was able to prove that he was Phillip’s father, and he was ordered to pay child support, but never did. The records show that the state garnished his wages and tax refunds, but he still owes a great deal.”
“Do you think he could have gone after Caroline because of that?” Kerry asked.
“It wouldn’t have made a difference. He is still in arrears, which means that he owes the money to you for Phillip’s care, and each month more will accrue. So, if he did, it meant nothing. At least we have a name and a picture. We can circulate this to law enforcement.” His phone chimed, and he read the message. “Finally. It seems that your sister was able to get DNA from Charles some time ago and the results are on file as part of the case. We’ll run the samples from the garage and see if they match. If they do, then….” He let the words hang in the air, but Kerry got the picture. “We can also run it against national databases, but that will take time.
“That’s good. At least it’s something to go on.” He sighed and tried to pull his mind out of the grief spiral he seemed to be descending into.
“Hey. We’re going to catch who did this, one way or another.”
Kerry turned toward Brian, taking heart in the conviction he saw there. “I know you’ll do your best. And I appreciate everything you’ve done for us.” He blinked his eyes, trying tostay awake, but he was failing quickly. “I’m sorry. The last week has been almost more than I can take.”
“Do you want some tea or something?” Brian asked.
“That sounds great.” He got up to make some, but Brian told him he’d make it. Kerry explained where the tea was kept and leaned back, resting his head on the back of the sofa. He closed his eyes for only a few minutes.
Kerry woke with a start to find a light blanket spread over him and tea on the coffee table. He blinked, wondering how long he had been out. The tea was cold and the doors locked, so he must have been asleep for a while.
A single piece of paper sat on the table next to the mug.I made the tea and didn’t want to wake you. The doors are locked. Call if you need anything.It was signedBrian.
He set the page down and got up, leaving the blanket on the sofa. Pebbles came out of Henry’s room as Kerry passed. Kerry used the bathroom and changed into light clothes for sleeping. He still didn’t have the heart to sleep in Caroline’s room, so he turned out the lights and stretched out on the sofa, hoping to go to sleep.
