London paled. “I guess...”

  Gabriel hesitated, trying to be as delicate as possible. So he started with the easiest. “What was her name?”

  They hadn’t even gotten that far yet. He hadn’t had the courage to ask either of them. And it never came up during the conversation with Sang’s grandmother the other day.

  “Lyric,” London said. “Her name was Lyric.”

  Gabriel made a motion with his hands toward the house. “The other day, your father found one of my notebooks and thought it was hers. He said there were a lot of them?”

  London winced in a pained expression. “Maybe? Probably?”

  “He seemed to want to know where they were, and I sort of looked, without digging too much of course, but I haven’t found anything like that. Do you happen to know where they are? I thought he might like to see them again.”

  London sucked in a breath. “Well, they could be at my house. Or my mom’s. He was trying to get rid of them for a while. Sometimes I’d come in and find boxes of her stuff, and sometimes my old stuff, out in the yard. Eventually between my mother and I, we collected what we could, and got them out of the house. There’s probably a couple left.”

  “Do you think it’s okay to give those back to him?” Gabriel asked.

  London pressed a palm to his forehead. “Hell if I know. I’d worry he’d burn them.”

  “You really think he’d do that?”

  He nodded. “The second she died, it was like a light switch. We couldn’t talk about her. He got rid of her pictures. He wouldn’t even go upstairs anymore because her room was up there. For a while, it was like he was trying to erase her.” London rolled his eyes, and glared at the house. He turned away from it, shuffling his feet. “Honestly, it’s probably better if he doesn’t get them.”

  Gabriel’s heart sunk. At least he knew they weren’t here. Maybe Charlotte would know where a few were. It would be difficult to ask to see them if they had been holding on to them.

  Sang should have them.

  “Is that it?” London asked when Gabriel hadn’t said anything else.

  “Uh, just one more,” Gabriel said, and he tried his best to consider what he could ask, and what Sang would want to know. “They said Lyric had a baby? But there were some pictures inside upstairs and I didn’t see any of a baby and they don’t talk about her?”

  London’s mouth stiffened and he didn’t move an inch. Gabriel wondered if he’d gone too far. Was it he was admitting to looking around and looking through pictures? He had only been there a couple of days...

  Gabriel was about to say never mind, that he realized it was too personal, when London finally answered. “There was a baby. My sister died, they gave the baby away, and then from what they told me, the baby died, too. I didn’t even know she was pregnant. I lived in the same house and I don’t know how I didn’t notice. They hid it from everyone. I think because of how old she was at the time.” London let out a deep sigh. “Don’t know how I missed it. But it upset my mom so much after the baby was gone and her daughter being gone...”

  “Oh,” Gabriel said in surprise, not meaning to cut him off but unable to figure out what he was saying. They told him Sang died?

  Did they think that was true? That Sang wasn’t even alive anymore?

  Gabriel continued, “Your mother said something like Lyric was still alive when the baby was given away.”

  London stood taller, put his hands on his hips and his face flushed. “I tried asking about it. A lot. I’ve gotten all kinds of stories. If you ask me, none of it made any sense. Lyric was homeschooled. She didn’t do well in classes. I think now looking back she probably had ADHD or something but back then, she was ‘acting up’ so they yanked her out. So I have no idea how she even got pregnant, because she wasn’t allowed to go anywhere besides to church, and after a while they stopped going to that, too. Next thing I know, she’s pregnant, and then she was dead after the baby was born, and then poof. The baby was gone. I think I saw her once. And then when I asked them later, they told me the baby died, too.”

  At that, London sucked in a breath and turned away from Gabriel, wiping at his eyes. “Sorry. I’m not mad at you. I’m just frustrated. There’s been a lot of secrets in this family. I can’t even tell you if what I know is true, because they lied to me a lot, and most of it was likely a lie. I got out of here shortly after my sister died because I couldn’t stand it anymore. The only thing that saves them, in my eyes, is that they’re suffering more than I am.” He spit at the ground. “Probably because they deserve it.”

  Gabriel crossed his arms over his stomach, gazing at the ground. “Sorry, man. Really...”

  “Not your fault.” London waved toward the house. “Honestly, sometimes I wonder why I even bother helping him.”

  Gabriel couldn’t think of what else to ask, but it sort of helped. Maybe they won’t ever really know what happened. Everyone so far seemed to understand different realities. But he could see how if they thought Sang was dead, that maybe they never looked for her.

  Would her grandfather say anything different? Did any of them know Sang was really alive? How could he bring it up to ask?

  The stopped talking about the past, and Gabriel talked to London about his painting business, just to keep the conversation going.

  London was inspecting the scaffolding for sturdiness when Chica came back and scratched at the door to be let in. Gabriel and London moved at the same time to try to get the door for her, but Gabriel got there first, and kept it open so London could go inside, too. He’d have to find another time to ask Brian or Charlotte more about what they knew about Sang.

  The house still seemed quiet at first when they entered. A soft thudding sound came from the parlor, like closing up a sofa chair. It was followed by heavy footsteps getting closer.

  Brian appeared. There were dark circles under his eyes and he was wearing the same clothes he’d had on for the last two days. Did he have other clothes?

  Were they in the bedroom where they were sleeping? Maybe they could bring him some out.

  London smirked at his dad, waiting for him to realize he was there.

  It didn’t take long. “What are you doing here?” the old man asked. His tired eyes focused on his son and he was instantly frowning.

  Gabriel braced himself a little, remembering the last fight.

  “Hey, come outside,” London said. “There’s something in the car I want you to see.”

  Gabriel was grateful for a break. Maybe he could make them both some breakfast. It was early. If they hadn’t eaten yet, it was probably a good idea to feed them.

  When they went out today, he wondered if it was possible to see Charlotte again. Sure, he needed to try to find his own uncle, but this was more pressing. There were such big questions in the air.

  He couldn’t let his girlfriend be unhappy any longer. She wanted answers. They’d find them. They’d have to get over themselves if they don’t want to talk about it. He was determined to make sure Sang got what she wanted.

  And if it had to happen, they’d leave. They’d make sure Brian was safe, of course. They’d keep an eye on them. They’d even stay in the area if Sang wanted.

  That gave him the strength to keep moving forward, certain that whatever the answers were, he’d stay with Sang no matter what, and nothing they could do would change it.

  Brian took himself out to the porch following his son outside. Gabriel left them alone to go check on Sang. He wanted to warn her that her uncle was here and to tell her what he told him.

  Gabriel just reached the rear bedroom door when he heard the arguing start up.

  He sucked in a breath and gritted his teeth. They had to be screaming at each other to where he could hear them all the way back here.

  Gabriel hesitated at the door of the bedroom, backtracking a few steps, tempted to hear the conversation. He wondered if listening in might dredge up any information about Sang. Maybe they should put in some microphones and cameras...

  Suddenly, gunshots fired.

  Gabriel’s heart leapt nearly out of his chest, and he gripped a hand over it to calm himself in his startled state.

  Brian didn’t bring his gun outside... and it didn’t sound like rifle fire.

  Gabriel immediately went to the living room, peering around, trying to see through the windows but also to give himself some cover.

  More shots, but it definitely wasn’t the old man’s gun. His was still leaning against the wall by the front door where he’d left it.

  More shouting.

  There was no direct view of anyone, so he switched positions. Angling, but protecting his torso so if a bullet came his direction. He’d get the gun by the door if he had to... and he got his phone out, pushing the emergency button icon already.

  The old man was still on the front porch. His son was on the ground holding a handgun but aiming it at the ground several feet away toward the woods. He fired two more rounds of bullets into the grass before he opened up the chamber to check it.

  Gabriel’s heart jumped at each shot. What the hell was he doing?

  The old man was shouting at him. “The neighbors are going to call the police again if you keep firing!”

  As if on cue, the phone in the kitchen rang. Gabriel went for it, ready and also with the cell phone in hand, speaking quickly to Victor on the line. “False flag, sorry,” Gabriel said.

  “What’s going on?” Victor asked.

  In a flash, Gabriel was pushed aside as the old man practically dived into the house and careened toward the phone in the kitchen to answer it.

  Gabriel remained near the front door. “We’re fine,” he said quickly to Victor as he tried to check on London, and called out to him. “What the hell are you doing out here?”

  “I was trying to get him to give me the rifle,” London said. He showed Gabriel the handgun. “This one is lighter. And a .22. He might just injure someone with it, not kill them.”

  Gabriel twisted his lips and glared at London. Did he really think just giving another gun to him would really help? And shooting it on the property?

  Gabriel hung up on Victor and walked out the screen door to talk to London without being overheard. “I might know someone who could come out, and maybe ‘fix’ the guns so they don’t fire. Or maybe they fire but they shoot blanks.”

  “He’d know if they were blanks,” London said, using the same lower tone. “But if I can get him to switch, he might not do as much damage to someone, but still protect himself.”

  This was ridiculous. They should be getting rid of his guns, not giving him more. Did London even know about the extra stash he had in the back bedroom wardrobe?

  There was a thud in the kitchen, loud and the ground shook like a weak earthquake, only it lasted maybe a half second.

  What the hell was happening now? Gabriel reared his head back, and he turned, opened the door, and leaned in to check.

  Sang’s grandfather was on the ground, picking himself up. The phone had dropped to the floor.

  Gabriel got inside just in time as London came up behind him. He spotted his father on the floor, and roughly brushed his hair out of his eyes. “What happened to you?”

  “Was some water on the floor...” the old man mumbled.

  London went to go help his father get up on his feet. Meanwhile, Gabriel picked up the phone that was dangling on the floor by the cord and turned around to talk into it. “Hello?”

  “Hey, is everything okay?” a voice asked.

  He guessed it was the neighbor. “Yeah, it’s fine,” he said. “Sorry. He slipped.”

  “We heard gunshots.”

  “We’re okay. Mr. Sorenson’s son is here. He was doing... firing practice out in the field.” Was that allowed? It was farmland and out in the country. Didn’t people fire on their own property?

  “Oh. Oh okay...” Although the neighbor didn’t seem to be convinced.

  Great. Here he was, a stranger answering the phone after the old man fell and trying to convince them everything was ‘fine.’ Gabriel wasn’t sure he’d believe it either.

  There was another thud. Gabriel turned around in time to see Brian was smack on the floor. Eyes closed. His mouth loose in the moment.

  Fucking shit, he wasn’t slipping, he was fainting. “It’s okay. We got to go.” And he hung up on the neighbor, picking the phone up again to be ready to dial for an ambulance.

  London hovered over his father as he came to quickly and was trying to pick himself up again. “Old man, you’re passing out.”

  “I’m not,” he said in a growl. “I’m just slipping.”

  He was mostly coherent when he came to, so that was a good sign, wasn’t it? Gabriel punched buttons on the phone. “I’ll call the ambulance.”

  “No!” Brian cried out angrily and lunged so heavily at him that he half slammed into Gabriel, but failed to get the phone out of his hands.

  The phone slipped, but Gabriel caught it, pushing with his body at Brian. “What are you doing?”

  Seeing Gabriel holding the phone seemed to drive some panic. “Don’t you—” Brian cut himself off with a cry, reaching for the phone.

  London grabbed at his arm. “Stop! Let him!”

  Suddenly there was another noise, a squeaking cry, and Gabriel realized Sang had come to see what was going on. She stood in the living room, wearing the black clothes she’d worn before, and for a brief moment, locked eyes with Gabriel, watching what was happening.

  She hadn’t put on makeup yet, but not very well. Must have come out in a panic while she was applying it.

  While Gabriel was distracted, the old man grabbed the phone and slammed it down on the receiver. His pants were drenched and he smelled like urine. He clung to the counter for support. “Don’t call the police. Or anyone.”

  Gabriel groaned. “I’m not calling the police. But you’ve got to let me call a doctor.”

  He shook his head vigorously. “You can’t. They’ll make me go to the hospital. I’m not going.”

  Gabriel’s held his breath, trying to come up with something to convince him to at least let him call someone. It was obvious something was dreadfully wrong with him. He just didn’t know what. “I’ve a friend who is a doctor,” he said, unable to help the panicked tone in his voice. “Let me call him.”

  “No!” the old man said, and he picked up the phone, and yanked, like he would rip it out of the wall to prevent it.

  Except he missed and then suddenly his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he collapsed again.

  London warded off Gabriel. “Don’t bother. He’s panicking more and it’s probably making it worse.”

  Gabriel nodded, swallowed and stepped away from the phone. He was right. Their panic was making the old man panic. Whatever was happening to him, it wasn’t good. He kept getting back up again, was that okay? Was it blood pressure? He just kept fainting.

  It was still two seconds before the old man woke up again. This time when he got up, he was crying out, “Don’t call them! I won’t go!”

  “I didn’t!” Gabriel yelled at him, unable to help himself from tearing up. His heart raced. Sang was right there, at a distance, watching. The old man was fainting in front of them. Something was seriously wrong.

  There was nothing he could do. He didn’t know what to do.

  He couldn’t let Sang’s grandfather die right in front of her.

  London tried to help his father up, but the old man waved him off stiffly. He got himself up and leaned heavily on one foot. “Happens all the time. I just need to go take a nap.” He hobbled as quickly as his leg would allow, passing Sang on the way.

  Sang had a phone out in her hand. Her thumb was over a number pad. Even she was ready to dial out.

  Brian caught this as he was passing her, and he made a move like he was going to push her and take the phone from her.

  “Don’t you fucking touch her,” Gabriel burst out, instantly moving to close the distance and put himself between her and him. He didn’t touch the old man. He just got between them.

  This time the old man paused, and it was as if all his energy, his anger, drained out of him. “Look, I’m sorry. I wasn’t going to hurt her. I just didn’t want her calling...”

  “I won’t call,” Sang said in a shaky voice from behind Gabriel.

  “We won’t do anything,” Gabriel’s voice was cold, as he was trying to control the anger of having watched the old man make a grab at her. He would never let it happen. “We promise not to call. But don’t you fucking touch her.” The panic was in his voice now. Brian had been so violent and scary trying to stop Gabriel from calling, but he wouldn’t let him do that to her.

  The old man, however, had turned solemn. He nodded silently, turning toward the open door to the hall. He crossed on his own, closing the parlor doors behind him.

  When the room was quiet, Gabriel rolled his shoulders forward, lowering his head, and pressed both palms to his eyes, putting pressure on both. A sudden sweat had broken out over his brow. He was so panicked.

  “What’s wrong with him?” Sang whispered.

  “I don’t know,” her uncle said. “Fainting all over the place... How long has he been doing that?”

  Gabriel shrugged and picked up his head again. “Not once until today. Not since we got here.”

  London frowned. “He’s got to see a doctor. It’s got to be a stroke or something.” Chica was at the door, and it took them this long to figure out she’d been outside the whole time, waiting to come in. London opened the door for her.

  She came in and sniffed around, especially in the kitchen.

  “I don’t know how we can get him to a doctor if he won’t let us call one,” Gabriel said. He turned to Sang. “We could call our friend...”

  “He might kick us out if we tried,” she said. “If he thinks...” She trailed off, but it was obvious. If they crossed him, they might have to leave.

  Maybe they should risk it...

  “My mother,” London said. He was breathing heavy, with wild eyes and his hair was a mess, half of the locks of hair falling back into his face. “We should call her.” He motioned to the phone in the kitchen. “You should. I need to step outside for a second. I need to calm down.”