The Bones She Buried: A completely gripping, heart-stopping crime thriller(54)

“We’re trying to get to the bottom of it,” Josie assured her.

The coffee was a salve to Josie’s exhausted and frayed nerves. Grady encouraged her to fix it as she liked it, and she did, guzzling it down. The three of them talked about what had transpired the night before while they waited for Noah to wake. Laura was intermittently hysterical and stoic with Grady calmly managing her rollercoaster of emotions. Josie was relieved that he was there. He sat on the other side of Noah, sipping his own coffee and watching his wife pace before him.

“Laura,” Josie asked, once all their questions about the fire had been answered. “Do you remember your mother ever meeting with or keeping in touch with anyone from her Catholic elementary school?”

Laura stopped walking and pressed two fists against her lower back. “What? What do you mean?”

“Was there anyone that you remember your mother keeping in touch with from Catholic school? Specifically, a man.”

Laura shook her head. “I don’t think so. No. I don’t remember anyone.”

“Does the name Ivan mean anything to you?”

Her fists dug deeper into her sacrum, and a grimace spread across her face. “Who?”

“Ivan,” Josie said. “Do you know anyone named Ivan? Did your mother know anyone named Ivan?”

“No, I don’t think so. I definitely don’t know anyone by that name. Why?”

“It was a name that came up when we spoke to your father,” Josie said. “We’re trying to figure out the significance.”

“You talked to our father? Does Noah know?”

“Yes, I talked to him about it.”

“And he was okay with it? That’s hard to imagine.” It sounded like an accusation.

Josie kept her voice even. “He had to be interviewed as part of the investigation. It’s pretty standard stuff.”

Laura opened her mouth to snap back, but the sound of Noah groaning stopped her. All three of their heads turned to stare at him. His eyelids fluttered open. He looked around slowly, blinking away his fatigue. “What the hell happened?” he croaked.

Josie was at one side of his bed, Laura on the other, both of them talking at once. He held up a hand to indicate for them to stop. He looked at Josie. “Are you okay?”

She smiled. “Yes, I’m fine.”

“How bad is my leg?”

“It was a clean break but displaced. They had to do surgery to realign it, but you’ll make a full recovery. The doctors don’t anticipate you having any problems with it once it heals.”

“But you’re going to have to stay off it for a while,” Laura told him. She shot a glance at Josie. “I’m his next of kin. I spoke with the doctor before I came in.”

Josie said nothing.

“It hurts like hell,” Noah said.

“I’ll ask if they can give you more pain medication,” Josie said.

Laura said, “They’re going to discharge you tomorrow. I think you should come home with me and Grady.”

“What?” Josie blurted.

“I’m fine,” Noah said. “I just need some crutches.”

“You need care,” Laura said.

“I’m fine,” Noah repeated.

“And yet you’re here in the hospital with a broken leg after barely escaping a fire,” she pointed out. “You’re not fine. I don’t know what the hell is going on in this town, but I think you need to get out of here for a while. You’re under enough stress as it is. You need a support system.”

But Noah was already dozing off again. Josie bit back the words itching to burst from her mouth. Starting a war with Noah’s sister was the last thing any of them needed. Plus, as much as Josie hated to admit it and hated the thought of being separated from Noah even more, Laura was right. He would be safer two hours away with her and Grady.

Laura squeezed Noah’s forearm until his eyes sprung open again. “Baby brother,” she said. “Promise you’ll come home with me.”

He looked at her and then his head lolled to the other side, his eyes meeting Josie’s. She managed a tight smile.

Laura pressed on. “Do you know anyone named Ivan?”

“What?” Josie said.

Laura ignored her, leaning down into Noah’s face. “Josie was asking about someone named Ivan. She thinks our mother was somehow involved with someone named Ivan when we were kids.”

“What are you talking about?” Noah asked, his eyes clouded with fatigue and confusion. He turned back to Josie again. “Who is Ivan?”

Josie folded her arms across her chest. “Just someone your dad mentioned. He said he saw your mom with a man the day you broke your nose. Your mom said the guy’s name was Ivan, and they went to school together. We’re are running it down as a potential lead.”

Laura laughed. “So every person my mother ever talked to now is a potential killer? I’m sorry I brought it up. Noah, you don’t remember anyone named Ivan, do you?”

Josie wondered why she had brought it up. She seemed determined to drive a wedge between her and Noah, but Josie couldn’t fathom why. Colette hadn’t warmed to Josie, but she had never actively tried to keep them apart.

Noah still looked stunned, but he shook his head. “No, I’ve never heard of anyone named Ivan. Don’t remember Mom having any male friends by that name.” He closed his eyes but kept talking, his voice raspy with exhaustion and pain. “Josie, you can’t believe anything my dad says. He’s a liar.”