Chapter 9

9

"I don't even know what to think." Coy shared. "Dad had a… brother?"

"We had an uncle we never even knew about," Devyn said. "And that's not even the biggest shock."

"Pop killed his own brother." As the siblings grappled with the emotional aftermath of Glen's visit the night before, Nash pressed on, offering his perspective on the situation. "Well, attempted to… in order to protect Mama? It certainly makes sense of what we found behind that barn and why, but…"

"That's more than a secret." Coy shared. "That's…"

"Insane." Devyn finished her brother's thought. "These are the kinds of things you see in a movie or in a twisted thriller novel, but this is our real life. Our parents are the stars of the story in the most terrifying way. Poor Mama."

"I'm… angry," Coy admitted. "Not that they kept it from us because they just thought they were protecting us in the end, but that it even happened, and we couldn't do anything to help them."

"We were kids, Coy." Nash pointed out. "Not much we could've done, and to be fair, can you imagine what it would have been like growing up… knowing?"

"I guess that's the part that stings. The trauma they carried for more years on this earth than they didn't. To her dying day, Mama must've grappled with images of that night and soothed the scars it left. All while wearing a brave face."

Nash bobbed his head with understanding, "Can you imagine what it must've been like for them every time they looked at that barn, knowing what was underneath –– or what was supposed to be underneath, anyway."

"And Pop lived his whole life knowing he killed his only brother," Devyn added.

"I don't think Pop acknowledged he even had a brother after that night." Coy was at a loss, struggling with the incomprehensible terror and tragedy that had unfolded not just for them but their parents that fateful night so long ago. He struggled to find meaning in the chaos, his mind wrestling with the enormity of the situation and the profound loss it had wrought. "How could he see Tommy as anything but a monster at that point?"

Nash wrapped an arm around Charlotte and pulled her closer, "If it were me, I'd have done the same damn thing with zero regrets or remorse. A man doesn't do that to a woman, much less family. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't do exactly what Pop did. I'm sorry if that makes me a monster, but it's true."

"Not that any of this is my business," Rip chimed in, "But I'm with Nash. Any man who does that to any woman deserves what Tommy got. Especially given the dynamics of it all. I think we can all agree that your father was justified in his actions, and their choice to protect you all from it was exactly that… a choice and the one they saw proper. Can't say I would blame anyone for wanting to protect their children from the horrors they must've lived with every single day."

"I agree wholeheartedly," Coy said. "I don't blame them for a damn thing. Just wish…"

"They knew we supported them?" Devyn asked. "Because that's my only disappointment –– that I couldn't thank Pop for protecting our family and Mama for being such a brave and strong example to emulate."

Rip looked at her, "I'm sure they know. The fondness you all speak of them with couldn't have gone unnoticed. And that's coming from an outsider looking in, for what it's worth."

"I think it'll take a bit for us to process what we learned last night fully, but I think it's safe to say we all agree on the matter," Coy said, "We don't blame them."

"Not even a little bit." Nash agreed.

"I do have to say, I think it's interesting," Devyn began as she picked up one of the mocked-up images of the remains, which they now know as Tommy. If there was any question as to the validity of Glen's story… this picture confirms it. The resemblance he shares with Nash is uncanny."

"Oh, don't start that." Nash warned, "I know what y'all are thinking. It runs in the family –– they look alike, act alike, and both are screw-ups. I would never do what that monster did, though."

Coy laid a hand on his brother's shoulder, "Nah, not at all. You may resemble one another, but that's where the similarities begin… and end. You're nothing like that man. Hell, you've done a complete one-eighty in just the last month or so I've been here. I'd never compare you to the likes of him."

"You have a heart of gold, honey. You aren't capable of those kinds of things," Charlotte shared, lifting Nash's spirits, "Besides, you're much more handsome, too. He doesn't hold a candle to you."

"I don't know about handsome," Devyn made a sour face, "But you aren't a secret like Tommy either."

"I second that, and I'm sure Dillon and Cut would agree if they were here." Coy confirmed, "We're proud to call you brother."

"Well, I guess we can at least put part of the mystery around here to rest now," Nash interjected, shifting the topic, seeming uncharacteristically uneasy with being the center of attention. "Not exactly the kind of break we were looking for, but at least part of the chaos is over. It would have been nice if it was related to the rest of the case we're dealing with."

"We're making progress on those shell companies so we can keep following the money." Devyn shared. "These companies and holdings are so buried, I wouldn't have been able to get as far as I have already without the help of your colleagues. Whoever set all this up knows what they're doing, burying the trail like they have. But, we're getting there, and soon we'll be able to retrace Mama's steps and follow the money –– maybe even make sense of all this."

"I just wish Uncle Glen had light to shed on that issue, too." Kenzie chimed in. "Having him drop in like he did and solve the mystery behind the remains was a one-time blessing, it seems. We wouldn't have ever been able to piece that together like he did."

"Very grateful for what he did share, though. But I agree. I wish he had more insight into what Mama was doing around here. The land, the wills, the trusts, and bogus companies. It's pretty telling when she kept the secret even from him. Until his passing, Glen and George were her most trusted confidants. Of course, now we know why they were all so close and looked out for each other." Coy said.

"Let's not get too far off track." Rip intervened. "Knowing the history with Tommy and getting close to the legalities behind the assets and trusts still doesn't tell us why there were two men –– dead men –– on the property, why Kenzie was attacked, and let's not forget what started it all."

"Devyn getting shot at." Coy finished.

Nash nodded with a shrug, acknowledging the gravity of the situation while also providing an alternate perspective, "Nothing has happened since the guys in the garden, though. Maybe that's some sort of victory in and of itself?"

"After all, those two could have been behind all of it leading up to that moment." Kenzie agreed. "The problem could have taken care of itself."

"You make a good point," Rip chimed in, expanding upon Kenzie's idea, "Especially since they, along with the others, haven't been seen in town since."

"So, all of the violence was related to those plants?" Nash inquired, his tone tinged with a mix of sorrow and perhaps guilt.

Coy sighed, contending with the weight of Nash's question, torn between wanting to spare him pain and the necessity of honesty. "Very well could be, brother. Until we know more, let's keep Cut and Nora right where they are and away from here for a while longer. I hesitate to let our guard up too prematurely. Just until we're certain it's safe."

"We still have Mama's will and transactions to figure out anyway," Devyn agreed, "I still think Ellis Steels is our guy, and there's a lot more to unbury there."

Kenzie nodded in agreement, "He definitely knows something, and if provoked, who knows what he's capable of."

"Well, you heard Glen –– he doesn't really know much about Steele, but he feels the same way. Something off about the guy rubs him the wrong way." Coy added.

"And let's not forget Owen Bridges." Nash chimed in, "He said nearly the same thing."

"Uncle Glen said he'd look into him, see what he can find out." Kenzie shared with a chuckle, "I think he misses the job a little."

Rip leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, intertwining his fingers while he shared with the group a theory he'd pieced together, "What if Steele is running some kind of scam, targeting older retirees, or in your mother's case, the sick?"

"Interesting idea. Go after assets of the vulnerable, maybe?" Coy agreed.

Devyn sighed, "I'm going to go back over that will again with a fresh set of eyes and this new information. See if anything stands out."

"If Rip's theory has any merit, Glen, a new retiree, would be perfect prey for Steele."

"Does Glen have anything substantial, financially, to appeal to the scheme, Kenz?" Coy asked.

"I don't know about retirement accounts or life savings, of course, but he did just buy that fancy boat he takes out on the ocean and the ranch, of course."

"Ranch?"

"Yeah. My dad left him half the ranch. We hold equal stake."

Rip snorted, "And if anything happens to one of you?"

"The trust is set up so that we are each other's benefactor."

Coy let out a slow, low whistle, his breath escaping in a soft exhale that carried a mix of surprise and frustration. "You're kidding me. Who set up the trust?"

"I-I don't know." Kenzie stammered, acutely aware of the concern rippling through the group.

Coy looked to Rip, "We need to warn Glen before he goes to see Steele."

"Warn my Uncle? Do you want to fill me in? What am I missing?"

"We might have just uncovered why you were attacked at the station," Coy said.

"To get me out of the way. So, Glen would inherit my half of the ranch, and Steele could swoop in and set him up with a new will and benefactors."

Coy nodded, "He may not even need to generate a new will. We need to know who established the trust and who benefits from both of you being out of the picture. He may already be the benefactor –– or some offshore conglomerate buried beneath layers of bullshit."

"Glen has been away for weeks on that big fishing tour he was talking about last night. For all we know, he's been a target all along and just wasn't here to step in the crosshairs." Rip suggested.

"Is that what this has been about?" Kenzie asked, "A land grab?"

"What does Steele need with all this land?" Nash questioned.

"No telling." Coy admitted, "But I feel like we're finally on the right track and getting somewhere."

"Let's hope Glen gets somewhere, too," Kenzie added.

"There you are." Devyn stood and walked over to Diesel, who emerged from the shadows with something in his mouth, "Did you go find a stick? You want to play?"

Devyn took the stick from the dog and prepared to toss it in a fun game of fetch, but upon closer inspection, she thought better of it. There was something unusual about what Diesel had brought to them. Something chilling and eerie –– so much so, she couldn't bring herself to say what it was she was holding in her hand.

"Um, g-guys." She stuttered and held up the Diesels find. "Is this…"

Rip quickly took to his feet and relieved Devyn of the item, recognizing immediately what it was.

"Where the hell did you find that, Diesel?" Coy inquired, his awareness of the alarming item evident in his tone. "Is it…"

"It's a bone. Human." Rip nodded knowingly, anticipating Coy's next words, "Get a shovel."