What Remains by Bailey Bradford (to read list txt) 📕

exclamation. “Hey, sis.” Sev nodded at Roger in the driver’s seat. “Roger.” His nephews and niece weren’t in the van. “Where’s the kids?” Sev had been looking forward to seeing them at least as much as he had his sister. Probably even more. He loved kids.

Alma opened the van door and stepped out. She planted one hand on a hip and pointed a finger from her other hand at him. “Severo, you think we want to scare the poor man to death? You told me he’s a quiet man, that he didn’t have anyone for years. And, Roger pointed out, Mr. Stenley probably doesn’t think much of us. We haven’t been the best family, I’ll take the blame for most of it, but that’s all changing now.” Alma took the cardboard holder from him. “Now, get in the van and get out of this cold weather, and tell me and Roger what we can do to not screw up meeting your man.”

This wasn’t anything like the greeting he’d been expecting, and for the first time since telling Alma it would be fine to visit, Sev thought this whole thing might turn out okay. There was still the matter of the spirits, though. They had to find out where their friendly spirits had gone and bring them back.

Right now, however, he needed to get in the van. Sev got in, trying to avoid a scattering of pillows and toys. He eyeballed the nearest seat, trying to figure out what kind of stain that was. It looked…wet. And gross.

“Ah, you might not want to sit there.”

Sev craned his neck and saw Roger watching him in the rear view mirror. “Do I want to know?”

Roger’s eyes crinkled as he said, “No, probably not. I did try to scrub it out real quick but…”

“But it wouldn’t be there in the first place if Adela had taken that Dramamine like she told us she did.” Alma huffed and got in the van. “That girl. She doesn’t want to do it, she just won’t, and damn the consequences. We are going to have so much trouble with her in a few more years.”

It sounded that way to Sev, though he hoped Alma and Roger were exaggerating. Otherwise, Adela was in for a rough life until she learned she couldn’t just do what she wanted. If she learned that. Some people never did.

Sev sat in the seat behind Roger. He buckled up and leaned over to poke his brother-in-law’s shoulder. The guy had always seemed the good natured sort to Sev. “Really, a minivan? Did the person who sold you this take your balls as a down payment?”

“Severo!” Alma scolded then snickered with Roger. “I’ll have you know Roger is still intact!”

“Barely,” Roger retorted as he drove toward the Sheriff’s Department. “I did have to give up my man card for it.”

“Man card.” Alma huffed and shook her head. “It’s just a vehicle, for heaven’s sake!”

Sev grinned as Roger and Alma bickered playfully back and forth. Roger seemed like a perfect match for Alma, both in personality and in looks. Alma was about an inch shorter than Sev, a little stocky, though he’d never say so. He wasn’t stupid. She looked like an older, feminine version of him, really.

Roger was an attractive man, his black hair streaked with white and large down-turned brown eyes that made you want to pet his head and tell him everything would be okay. From what Sev knew of him, he had an easy going personality. He’d be one of the guys everyone liked. Sev wondered if his parents liked Roger.

“Anywhere in particular I should park?”

“As long as you don’t take one of the numbered slots, you’re good,” Sev told Roger. “And if y’all are done picking at each other, the only advice I have for y’all in regards to meeting Laine is just be yourselves, be honest. The man can spot deception from a mile away.” Sev thought of one more thing as he was getting out of the van. “And don’t call him Mr. Stenley. It drives me nuts. Don’t know why, but it does. So Laine’ll do, since we’re all family.” He looked at Alma and Roger when he said that last bit, wanting to gauge their reactions.

Roger nodded but Alma frowned at him when she handed over the drink holder. “But he might prefer us to call him Mr. Stenley. Maybe he’d rather keep some distance between us.”

Sev thought Laine might. Not the whole Mr. Stenley crap, but keep some distance? Probably. This would be kind of a shock to Laine’s system, if it all worked out. Laine was an only child, so to suddenly find himself with a herd of in-laws who treated him like a brother—Sev hoped his family would do that—as well as with several nieces and nephews might just scare the beejeezus out of the man.

But Sev still wasn’t having any of the Mr. stuff. “Call him Sheriff, then. Lots of people do, but he’s generally reserved and using his name will draw him out whether he realizes it or not. You know, establish a bond to build on and all that.” Sev didn’t know that for sure. It wasn’t like he’d ever gone to college and got a psych degree, but it sounded good. “I doubt he’s going to be calling y’all Mr. and Mrs. Martinez.”

Turning around, he hissed as a gust of stinging wind kicked up. Sev paused for a moment, feeling a bit hinky, as if something was off. When he couldn’t figure out what, he put it down to his imagination then shrugged and led the way toward the Sheriff’s Department.

* * * *

Laine sat at Doreen’s desk, grateful as hell Loretta had decided to leave for lunch today instead of eating in the break room. Lord knew he needed a break from her. The woman had been plumb surly all morning and Laine was about fed up with it. He didn’t know what bug had crawled