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  “Definitely, but you’ve got to cut yourself some slack, dude. It was the driver of the other car who was really at fault. You couldn’t help it. The car came around the curve and was in your lane. There was no way to avoid the collision.”

  “You’re just being nice.”

  “No, I’m dead serious.”

  “Fine. Whatever happened to that driver? I don’t think I ever really thought that.”

  “I figured that much. There was very little actually said about her, but it was a woman in her early thirties, who lived in Austin. She had apparently been down here visiting family and was killed.”

  “What? Why haven’t we ever discussed her before?”

  “You saw the news coverage, Andrew. You know what happened.” Miles put his cup down on the table and interlocked his fingers, cracking his knuckles. “We discussed it when everything first came about, but some of us have moved on. I don’t think about the accident anymore, and quite frankly, you also need to get over it.”

  “I thought I had, I really did.” Andrew shook his head.

  “Are you going to stay in the military?”

  “I’m out,” Andrew said. He had struggled with his decision to leave, but it was the right time. His last deployment had left him with too many emotional scars.

  “Really?”

  “Yeah.” Andrew shrugged.

  Olive came back to the table. “You guys planning on ordering or just sitting there?”

  “Sorry, we won’t be too long,” Andrew said.

  “All right. How about a refill on your coffee?” She nodded at their empty cups.

  “Thank you,” Andrew handed her his coffee mug, before turning back to Miles. “There’s something else I wanted to talk to you about.”

  “What?”

  “I was at the house last night, and something weird happened.”

  “Like? You’ve gotta give me more than that if you want my feedback.”

  “I went to the garage to get a gun out of Dad’s safe, and someone else walked in.”

  “Who?”

  “I don’t know. It was dark. The person picked up a box and then left.”

  “What was in the box?”

  “I don’t know. I just thought it was odd that someone was walking around a dark garage in the middle of the night.”

  “I agree. That’s a little odd. Did you talk to Dad about it? Maybe it was him.”

  “It wasn’t him. This person was smaller and rounder.”

  “You should still ask Dad. Maybe he has workers that come to the house early in the morning.”

  “Really?”

  “I don’t think that’s possible either. Just throwing it out as an option.”

  “Fine. I’ll talk to him when he gets back.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Miles brought Anne to dinner that night. Andrew smiled at the sight of the two of them walking hand-in-hand. They looked like teenagers in love. That’s how he remembered his parents—always affectionate with each another, but they didn’t really seem that way any longer.

  Andrew winked as Miles drew closer. No matter how much time and distance had been between them the past fifteen years, all of that was erased. They were identical twins and had a special bond. He punched Miles on the shoulder. “You think you’re bad ass because you finally have a wife, but we all know the truth.”

  “You only wish you were me.”

  Andrew thought about his brother’s statement. Maybe there was some truth in it, but maybe not.

  Their mom had covered the top of the outside table with lanterns and candles, casting a warm glow over the garden area. It was good to be with his family, laughing. Andrew almost felt as if photographers from the magazine Southern Living were hanging around somewhere, snapping photos of the picturesque scene.

  “Yeah, you all should have seen Andrew’s face as Pete hauled him into the station. I almost felt sorry for Deputy Rodriguez and wanted to tell him to run for the hills.”

  Miles was already on his fourth beer as he continued to talk about their run-in with local law enforcement earlier in the day. Finally, Anne put her hand over his mouth.

  “All right, Mr. Montgomery. I think you’ve done enough talking for now. Let someone else speak.” She turned toward Andrew, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Her eyebrows shot up into a knowing arch. “So, you were at Isabelle’s house last night?”

  Andrew took another swig of his beer. He could tell Anne was eager for information, but he figured it might be good for her to wait just a little bit longer before she got any answers.

  “Yes. Why do you ask?” he responded, tilting his head to the left.

  “Oh, I’m just a little surprised to hear about it. Isabelle hasn’t said anything.”

  “That’s because there’s not really anything to tell.”

  “I call bullshit,” Miles roared, slapping Andrew’s shoulder. “You slept with her last night! You told me so yourself. And I think you like her. I mean, really like her. Brother, I can tell when you’re trying to hide your feelings.”

  Andrew looked over at his mom for some sort of relief.

  “Oh, son. Don’t look at me. If I recall, you were in my shop picking up some flowers for her.”

  Miles’s laughter only grew louder. “Shit. Flowers? He’s in deeper than I thought.”

  “Shut up,” Andrew said, but he couldn’t help but smile. “She’s very nice. I enjoy talking with her. Thank you, Mom, for having my back.” He raised his beer bottle and tipped it toward her. She smiled back.

  “Here, here,” Miles said, holding up his own bottle.

  “Is that what you do at midnight? You just talk?” Anne giggled, causing Andrew to blush. “That’s what Miles and I also do at midnight. We just sit and talk. Miles really likes it when I get into deep, emotional conversations.”

  Andrew glanced at his brother and mom, both of whom were also laughing. It felt good to talk with them again, to be a part of the family. His family.

  “I also stopped and saw Cassie the other day—”

  “Why?” Miles asked.

  “I thought it was time to have a civil conversation with her.”

  Miles let out a drunken laugh. “Whatever. That woman is not capable of a civil conversation. I bet she was already drunk—”

  “Oh. She was.”

  Miles roared. “Knew it!”

  “But she reminded me about Anne’s connection with the accident.”

  “Don’t go there,” Miles suddenly stopped laughing as he reached for Anne’s hand. “That’s not fair.”

  Andrew looked over at Anne and suddenly realized what he had implied. “I’m sorry. That came out wrong.”

  Anne shook her head. “It’s okay. I’ve had a lot of time to process everything. It’s one of the reasons Isabelle and I are so close.”

  “Sorry,” Andrew said.

  “No worries. I promise.” Anne winked.

  “All right. All right,” Andrew said, holding up his hands in mock defeat, trying to get the conversation to calm down. He really didn’t need all their hungry eyes looking at him. “I enjoy hanging out with you all, but Dad really should be here with us tonight.”

  “That’s just how you father is. He really loves to work,” his mom said with a dazed look in her eye. “We’re just the type of family who loves to spend hours at the office.”

  Miles took a long swig of his beer, and then leaned back in his chair.

  “Miles, what aren’t you telling me?” Andrew asked. His brother had also been acting weird over the past few days.

  “Nothin’,” Miles slurred. He pushed back his chair, causing it to scrape against the brick floor. “This isn’t the time or the place to discuss work, Anne, or Dad. Not tonight, brother. Not tonight.”

  Andrew watched as his twin brother opened the back door and disappeared into the house.

  “Miles! Come back here.”

  His brother didn’t return. Andrew started to get up to follow him
into the house so they could finish their conversation.

  “Andrew, please sit down,” his mother desperately pleaded. Several strands of hair had made their way out of the rubber band that had pulled it back into a pony tail.

  “I’m tired of only getting bits and pieces of information. If I recall, my last name is also Montgomery. I’m a part of this family too…”

  Andrew turned and followed the same path his brother had just taken into the house. He looked around the empty kitchen. He had loved growing up here. It had seemed like there was always laughter and happiness, but over the years a coldness had settled into the home.

  “Don’t be a prick to Mom or you will force me to kick your sorry ass,” Andrew yelled inside the house.

  Miles came around the corner. “You don’t need to raise your voice. I’m right here. I just needed a little space.”

  “Why did you walk away from the table?”

  “It’s not my job to provide you with answers because you decided to ditch your family a few years ago. Figure it out on your own,” Miles shot back. Andrew could hear the anger in his voice.

  “I think you’ve had enough to drink.” Andrew went to pull the beer bottle from his brother’s hand. Miles stumbled backward. “Nice try, but if you try and grab for this bottle again then I will be forced to hit you.”

  “Huh. Really? You think you can take me down? I have a feeling it’s just the opposite, baby brother.” Andrew turned to look at Miles. The rest of the kitchen was dark, but Andrew could clearly see the whites of Miles’s eyes. When they had been in high school they had been close, but they also knew how to push each other’s buttons and would end up in a fist fight somewhere in the house. Their mother was usually the one who would have to tear them apart. She was still outside right now.

  “By twelve freakin’ minutes. I’m so tired of your attitude. Get over it and get back to being the Andrew Montgomery we all know and love,” Miles leaned up against the door frame. “I love you, brother, but it’s hard to really forgive you for leaving us for so long.”

  Andrew’s fist hit the wall next to Miles’s face, leaving a large mark on the smooth surface. “I’m sorry. I can’t change the past, but I’m trying to be better. It would be nice, though, if some of you could provide more answers to my questions.”

  “Again, you would already know the answers if you hadn’t left.” Miles poked a finger at Andrew’s chest.

  The gesture made Andrew even angrier. The night had started off good, but now he just didn’t feel like sticking around. He stormed past his brother and out the front door.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Andrew found himself driving aimlessly through town before making the turn down Isabelle’s street. The row of wooden homes had now become familiar to him.

  Her house was dark when he pulled into the driveway. He assumed her family were probably peeking through their blinds, watching his truck. It was as if he could feel Pete’s eyes following him.

  “Fuck off, Pete,” Andrew mumbled under his breath. “One day, I’m going to kick your ass. You need to know that.”

  Andrew threw his truck into reverse and headed toward the clinic. Maybe she was working tonight. He drove past, but didn’t see her car. The parking lot was relatively empty. It didn’t look like anyone was really there this evening, except for whoever drove an old Ford Explorer.

  Andrew pulled into an empty parking slot. The engine idled as he sat in silence. He pinched the bridge of his nose, and thought back to the dinner with his family. There had been an odd tension in the air tonight. He couldn’t help but wonder what they all knew and were keeping from him.

  He rolled his neck to the right, seeking relief from the stiffness. As he focused on the sidewalk, the odd girl, Lucy, came into view, wearing blue jeans and a dingy yellow t-shirt. He blinked. Lucy was definitely walking slowly toward him. Her dark curly hair gave it away. He paused for several seconds, and then opened his door.

  “Hey. What are you doing out here? It doesn’t look like anyone is at the clinic tonight.”

  “I’m walking. It’s something I do often. The bigger question is, what are you doing sitting here in your truck? You’re right. There’s just one nurse at the clinic right now, but you shouldn’t be here.” She tilted her head.

  “Don’t worry. I’m leaving. I just needed to collect my thoughts.”

  Lucy suddenly looked upward. “That’s odd. Do you see how beautiful the sky is tonight? It’s more orange than normal.”

  Andrew twisted to see what she was talking about. Lucy was right. There was an orange glow, but it wasn’t from the sun. There was a fire somewhere in the distance. He could smell the familiar stench of something burning.

  “A farmer must be burning off their field.” Andrew shrugged.

  “It’s not that time of year,” she said. “Maybe you should get out of here and figure out what’s on fire. Someone might need help.” She strode away. She didn’t even wait for his response. However, her words left an unsettled feeling in the pit of his stomach.

  “Wait!” he called after Lucy, but she just kept walking until her figure disappeared around the corner. She was definitely odd, but maybe there was something to her words.

  Andrew sped back toward the main road. He didn’t know where he was going, but obviously he needed to be somewhere, and it wasn’t here. He grabbed his cell phone and pressed Isabelle’s number, but it went straight to voicemail. He then called his mom, but the same thing happened.

  Why had Lucy asked him what he was doing sitting outside the clinic where Isabelle worked? She didn’t really know him. Tomorrow, he would find the odd girl, but for now, he just wanted to figure out the location of the fire and see if he could help.

  He drove down the main street, and then several smaller streets. At the end of one of them, he noticed that the soft glow of orange lingering amid the darkness had grown bigger. He couldn’t help but push his foot harder on his gas pedal. The glow only grew brighter the closer he drove toward his family home.

  The air suddenly became thick and smoky, and Andrew saw the flashing lights of a fire truck sitting in the middle of the roadway headed out toward his parents’ ranch.

  A firefighter dressed in protective gear ran up, waving his arms. “Sorry, sir, you will need to turn around.”

  “Um, I live just down the road. What’s going on?”

  “Brush fire. You need to leave, sir. I’m sorry, you can’t get any closer.” The firefighter motioned for him to turn his truck around.

  “Like hell.”

  Andrew thrust his foot down on the accelerator. He wasn’t about to turn around without knowing if his family was okay. The smoke quickly thickened, making it difficult to see, but he could make out the outline of his family’s main driveway. He passed through the gate. It was open. He hoped that meant they’d all been able to drive out. Fire was all around and spreading fast. As he got closer, he saw Isabelle’s car parked near the front of the house. His heart sank. She was here, somewhere inside of this burning mess.

  He threw his truck into park and jumped out, not even turning off the engine.

  “Isabelle! Mom! Miles!” he yelled, keeping his head low and trying not to choke from the thick smoke.

  His mother, Isabelle, Miles, and Anne ran out of the front door and into him, almost pushing his body over onto the ground.

  “Oh my god, Andrew. How did you get back here?” His mom sobbed. “There are flames everywhere.”

  “Get in the truck.” He pushed them toward his vehicle. “Stay down, and try to hold your breath until you get inside.”

  “Andrew, do you know what happened?” Isabelle asked, a look of panic across her face.

  “No, but the entire ranch appears to be on fire. There are flames everywhere. I’m not sure we can get out, but really we have no choice.”

  Once they were all in, he threw the truck into drive and silently prayed the fire hadn’t jumped across the driveway. He knew he was taking a serious gamble, b
ut there wasn’t any other option. He wasn’t going to leave his family stuck in the middle of a raging fire with nowhere to go.

  Andrew gunned the truck down the asphalt driveway. Hot flames licked the side of the vehicle as he sped by. The smoke had gotten thicker over the past few seconds, making it nearly impossible to see where he was going, but even though Andrew hadn’t been here for fifteen years, he remembered this driveway well, and knew every turn and twist in the road.

  He began to wonder when he would start hearing gunfire. It was only a matter of seconds before they became an easy target for the insurgents. He knew it was probably one of them who had set the fire, to try to get them out in the open.

  “Keep down, everyone, until we get back to base,” he yelled to the rest of the soldiers in the truck.

  “What?” Miles yelled, confused. “Base? Dude, just get us out of the fire and to a main road.”

  “We’re easy targets right now,” Andrew screamed back to the soldiers in his vehicle, unsure why they were questioning his order.

  “Targets for what?” Miles asked from the passenger seat. “What’s going on? Never mind, just keep driving.”

  “They’re out there,” Andrew said. “They probably set this fire to get us out in the open. Keep watch. There are targets on our heads.”

  No one responded this time. Andrew hoped they could finish this operation quietly. His truck continued to roar down the road. He could see the faint outline of blue and red lights from the fire trucks.

  Andrew drove by, not planning on stopping for anyone.

  “Andrew, stop the truck. I need to get out and make sure they don’t need me,” Isabelle said frantically from somewhere in the backseat.

  “I’m not stopping until we get out of this area,” Andrew said matter-of-factly. Didn’t they understand this was a war zone and he needed to get them back to a safe place?

  “Andrew,” Isabelle said, her voice had turned calm. “I need you to pull over up here and let’s talk.”

  The smoke had begun to clear the farther they drove away from their house. Andrew could feel all of their eyes on him. He pulled over and laid his head back.