Suffer II by E.E. Borton Read Free Book Online Page B

age, it was apparent she understood the value in forging lasting friendships. It didn’t stop her from writing about how cute and smart he was.
    All three of their lives took a dramatic turn when the boys’ mother died of cancer. Emily noted the progression of her illness in the journal, but her death was sudden and unexpected. Their families were close and had dinner together at least twice a week.
    As Emily was helping her mother with the dishes three days after the funeral, they were startled by someone beating on their front door. It was Tyler yelling for Hank to come quick. Hank told his girls to stay in the house. A short time later he came back with both Tyler and Dawson. The older brother’s right eye was red and swollen, and he had a cut on his lower lip.
    She wrote that the boys ended up staying with them for ten days before going back home. After the incident, they spent more time at Emily’s house than their own. Dawson became withdrawn and avoided interacting with the family as much as possible. Tyler never wanted Hank to leave for work and was attached to Karla’s hip when he did. On the rare occasion neither parent was home, he clung to Emily with a white knuckle grip. She wrote that when she’d go to the bathroom he’d be sitting against the wall near the door waiting for her to come out.
    Grey needed to know what happened that night to the boys. He reached for his phone. Before he could dial, it vibrated in his hand.  He downed the second drink before answering. “So you can read minds now?”
    “ Not all of them, just yours ,” said Kate, laughing. “ What’s going on? ”
    “I’ve been reading Emily’s journal. I need you to ask Karla a question.”
    “ She’s already in bed, but I’ll ask first thing in the morning. What is it?”
    “I need you to ask her what happened to Tyler’s brother a few days after their mother died. I think I know, but Emily may have been kept out of the loop. That is, of course, unless you already know the answer.”
    “ I don’t. I swear .”
    “That would be a first.”
    “ Okay, I deserved that. Listen to me, Grey. Yes, I talked with Karla before you knew what was going on, but that’s all I did. I just talked to her.”
    “I don’t see where you feel the need to keep things from me the way you do. The way you’ve always done.”
    “Because I react with my heart and you react with your head. That’s why.”
    “I’m going to need more than that, Kate.”
    “When I reached out to Karla, I had no idea what she was going to say. I had no expectations of getting involved, except for a gut feeling. That’s all I had. After speaking with her, I knew there was much more going on than what was on the surface. That’s why I need you, Grey. I truly need you. More than you could ever know.”
    “Why’s that?”
    “You and I make a great team. I have a gut feeling about something, and then you relentlessly pursue it until all the questions are answered. You don’t let your heart get in the way of finding out the truth, no matter how painful that truth may be. I can’t prove anything right now. I need you to do that for me. It’s that simple. It’s always been that simple.”
    “There’s nothing simple about you.”
    “ You’re not the easiest egg to crack either. I need you to be that way. Everyone else would probably do whatever I asked them to do, just because I asked. They think I’m still frail and damaged. You don’t and I love you for that. You’re not going to blindly follow me. You’re going to know exactly what we’re getting into .”
    “I’m not sure if I should be flattered or pissed.”
    “ Flattered. Everyone has turned their back on Karla and has given up on Emily. They look at both of them as weak and incapable of fighting back. We’re going to change that. We’re going be the strength Karla needs and the voice they took from Emily. Right now there are people out there who think they’ve gotten away with murder.