Along Came Trouble(43)

Katie followed him. He heard her shoes shushing over the grass as she came up behind him.

“If you’d called me when he left, I’d have found him, and I’d have f*cking killed him,” he said to her feet.

“Well, that’s one reason I didn’t tell you.”

When he turned around and looked at her, really looked, he saw that her eyes were big and round and wet-looking, her mouth flat and trembling. She looked like a PFC about to engage the enemy for the first time. Scared shitless, but holding up.

How had he let himself become the enemy in this scenario? Yelling at his sister for telling him what had happened to her—what the hell was wrong with him?

“Jesus,” Caleb said, pulling her into a rough hug and smoothing her hair with one hand the way he’d done when she was thirteen years old and she’d sobbed herself hoarse at the thought of him going away to get shot at. “You should’ve called,” he said into the top of her head. “I know I couldn’t have come right away, but I would have come as soon as I could. I would’ve helped you.”

She gave him a minute to hold her before she pulled away, patting his chest. Her eyes were dry. “I know,” she said. “Thanks. I did okay on my own.” Bending down, she picked up the half-crushed pizza boxes and said, “Come on.”

They walked the rest of the way to Burgess in silence. Caleb handed off a pizza to each of the security teams and got an update on the situation, which hadn’t changed.

When they reached the porch they found Ellen’s door standing open, the screen door closed but unlocked. No one answered when Caleb rapped on the jamb. He tried not to let that get him all riled up again, but his body didn’t cooperate particularly well.

Katie handed Caleb a slice of pepperoni. They sat on the steps together.

“So I think I need a divorce,” she said.

“Think he’s got any money to pay alimony? He owes you.”

“I doubt it. Even if he does, I don’t want it.”

“But you might need it some day.”

“I won’t. I’ve got you.”

Caleb turned to look at her, surprised.

“Sorry. I shouldn’t assume—”

“No, don’t be sorry. You’ve got me,” he said. “I’m glad you know that.”

It helped ease the ache in his chest when he thought of his baby sister, drawn across the country by a man who’d used her and then left her behind like she was worthless. He wanted to tell her what she was worth, but she wouldn’t be interested in hearing it from him. It wasn’t how the two of them operated.

“Well, anyway,” she said. “I don’t even know where Levi lives, and I promised to go out to see his mom soon, so I guess I’m going to have to tell her about . . . everything. And ask her for Levi’s address. But then I was thinking I want to, you know, move on with my life. I think I need a lawyer. If you still want to help, maybe you could help me with that?”

Caleb reached over to squeeze her shoulder. “Yeah, I can help you with that.”

They ate together on Ellen’s porch. Katie gazed down the driveway, looking lost and far away. Caleb tried to imagine what she was feeling, but it was impossible.

“Thanks,” she said after a while.

“What for?” He hadn’t done anything.

“For being awesome.” Her smile didn’t quite make it.

“Listen, if there’s anything you need me to do for you—anything at all—”

“I know.” She tipped to the side and rested her head against his arm. “You’re already doing enough.”





Chapter Twelve



He scared her half to death. Ellen was walking through from the kitchen, about to take the stairs up to her office loft, when she spotted Caleb on the front porch, leaning against the siding. He wore his soldier face, presiding over two squished-looking pizza boxes by his feet.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, rather pointlessly. He was doing precisely what he’d said he would do. No doubt he always did.

“Keeping the Huns out of your house. You left the door wide open, and you didn’t even lock the screen. Where have you been?”

“I went for a quick walk in the woods with Carly,” she said, stepping onto the porch. “But we stuck close to home. Zero danger, cross my heart. Except from heat stroke.”