Brady stared at Kaylie, disappointment in his eyes. “Why hasn’t Uncle Rusty come by?”
Kaylie shrugged, wishing she knew. “Maybe he’s busy.”
“With what?”
“His car? Finding a place to stay? I don’t know.”
“He said he’d take us swimming.”
“I know. He will, okay? He’s not our babysitter.”
Brady frowned. “He kind of is.”
“Look. I’m almost fourteen. You’ll be twelve soon. We don’t need a sitter.”
“Well, I’m hungry.” He threw the game controller on the couch. “I’m not even allowed to cook.”
“I am, and it’s time you learn.”
“What will Dad say?” Brady’s eyes grew wide with fear.
“He’ll be glad we can take care of ourselves. Come on.” Kaylie’s stomach grumbled. She went into the kitchen. It was already after three. No wonder they were so hungry. They’d had a bowl of cereal for breakfast earlier, but had been holding out until Uncle Rusty came by for lunch. She spun around and glared at her brother. “I said, come on.”
Brady muttered something, but got off the couch. “I’ll just have more cereal. I don’t care.”
“I do. I’m hungry. We can at least have some mac and cheese.”
He shrugged. “Do you know how to make it?”
“Yeah. I’ve made it before. Besides, there are directions, dummy.”
Brady narrowed his eyes. “Quit calling me names.”
“It’s what siblings do.” Kaylie spun around and found a box of shell-shaped noodles and thick cheese sauce. Organic. “Grab a pot and fill it with water.”
“No.”
She turned and faced him. “No?”
“You heard me.”
“Why not? I thought you were hungry.”
“I am, but I’m not doing anything until you say you’ll be nicer to me.”
Kaylie rolled her eyes. “Are you serious?”
“That’s exactly what I’m talking about.”
“We’re supposed to bicker and pick on each other.”
Brady folded his arms. “Says who?”
“Says everyone in the history of brothers and sisters.”
“That doesn’t mean—”
The front door burst open. Brady spun around and Kaylie moved to see around him. Dad slammed the door and ran his hands through his already-messy hair. His eyes darted back and forth, not seeming to notice either of them.
“What’s going on?” Brady asked.
Kaylie stepped beside him. “Yeah, Dad.”
He glanced up at them, an expression of fear on his face.
“What’s wrong?” Kaylie exclaimed.
“They’re coming for me.”
“What?” Brady’s voice cracked.
“Who?” Kaylie asked.
Dad shook his head. “I don’t have time to explain. Where’s Rusty?”
“You kicked him out, remember?” Kaylie narrowed her eyes.
He swore. “Right. Well, you’re going to have to call him. He’s back on duty.”
“What’s going on?” Brady demanded.
“It’s a long story. I don’t have time to explain it. Just don’t answer the door unless it’s Rusty.” Dad hurried past them and down the hall, slamming his bedroom door.
Brady turned to Kaylie. A tear sat at the edge of his eyelid, about to fall onto his face. “Wh-what’s going on?”
She put her arms around him and held him tight. “I have no idea, but we’ll call Uncle Rusty, like Dad said to.”
“But why does he look scared?”
“I have no idea.” Kaylie rested her head on his for a moment before stepping back. “I tried calling Uncle Rusty earlier, but he didn’t answer.”
“What are we going to do if he can’t watch us and Dad can’t?”
“Mom always said we could go next door to Laura.”
“But Dad doesn’t want—”
“I don’t think he has much of a choice. If we can’t find Uncle Rusty, we’ll go there.”
“What if she’s not there?”
Kaylie took a deep breath. “You worry too much.”
“I can’t help it. I wish Mom was here.”
A lump formed in Kaylie’s throat. “Me, too. She’d know what to do.” Though, Kaylie had a feeling that if Mom were there, none of them would be in the situation to begin with. Everything seemed to go back to her death.
“Why can’t we have a funeral for her? She deserves one. A nice one.”
Kaylie nodded. “We’ll ask Uncle Rusty, ‘kay? I’m going to call him now.” She ran down the hall to her room, where her phone was charging.
Dad was yelling behind his door. He kept pausing, but it was hard to tell if he was on the phone or just venting to himself.
She hurried into her room, unplugged her phone, and found Uncle Rusty’s number. “Come on, pick up,” she begged.
Brady came in. “Did he answer?”
Kaylie shook her head, listening to the voice message. “Uncle Rusty, we need you. Call me back, or just come over. But hurry!” She ended the call.
She and Brady went into the hall. Something broke against the wall in Dad’s room.
Brady turned to her, wide-eyed.
Sirens sounded outside. Dad let out a stream of profanities from behind his door.
Brady ran to the living room. “Oh, my gosh!”
“What?” Kaylie ran over to him.
“Look.” He pointed out the window.
Police cars pulled into their driveway. A fire truck and ambulance parked in front of Laura’s house.
Brady and Kaylie exchanged wide-eyed glances before turning back to the front yard. More police cruisers pulled up. Some into Laura’s driveway and another into theirs.
“Don’t open the door,” Dad ordered.
Kaylie whipped around. He stood by the stairs, a backpack slung over his shoulders and two more bags in his hands.
“Dad?” Brady asked.
“Stay in here.” He started down the stairs.
“What’s going on?” Kaylie asked.
“No time to explain. Just stay where you’re at.”
“But… but…” Brady shook and tears ran down his face.
Kaylie put her arm around him. “It’s going to be okay.”
Dad’s footsteps echoed down the stairs, past the front door, and down the bottom level.
Brady just continued trembling in her embrace.
The sliding glass door downstairs squeaked as it opened and then slammed shut.
“Where’s he going?” Brady whispered.
“I have no idea.”
Someone banged on the front door.
Brady jumped. “What do we do?”
Kaylie peeked outside. “Dad said not to answer it.”
“Should we?”
“Open up!” More pounding. “Police!”
“It’s the police,” Brady said.
“I know. But…”
The cops continued banging on the door. “We know you’re in there!”
Brady shook harder. “I don’t want to go to jail.”
“They’re not going to put you in prison. We didn’t do anything wrong.”
“What if Dad did? Can they make us pay?”
“This isn’t the middle ages. Come on. We better answer it.”
“Open up!”
Brady took a deep breath and then nodded. He wiped his eyes.
“We’ll be okay. I swear.”
“I don’t believe you this time.” He slid his hand in hers, like when they were younger.
Kaylie squeezed his hand and then they walked slowly to the front door. She felt like they were headed for their execution.
She swallowed and then opened the door. Three officers stood in front of them. Surprise covered all of their faces.
“Where is Chris Oates?” demanded the tallest one.
Brady turned to Kaylie, his eyes bigger than she’d ever seen him.
She turned back to the police. “He’s not here. Did you try his work?”
“Excuse us, we need to get by.”
“Don't you need a search warrant or something?” Kaylie asked.
The tall one stepped forward, forcing her and Brady out of the way. The first two ran up the stairs.
“Come on in,” Kaylie mumbled.
The third officer stopped and looked back and forth between Brady and Kaylie. “Why don’t we go outside?”
Brady clung to Kaylie.
The cop gave a reassuring smile. “We’re here to help you.”
Listening to the other two stomp around upstairs, Kaylie doubted that. They were there to find Dad. But why?
“Follow me,” said the officer.
Brady looked at Kaylie. She nodded, and they went outside. It seemed like emergency vehicles lined the street, but it was really just their house and next door. Cops swarmed Laura’s front yard.
“What’s going on?” Brady whispered.
Medics carried someone on a stretcher through Laura’s yard.
“No!” Kaylie released Brady’s hand and ran next door. Had Dad hurt her? Was that what all this was about?
Laura wasn’t on the stretcher. It was a guy. Fear pierced Kaylie, worried that it was Uncle Rusty. He was friends with Laura. But the injured man was shorter and had longer hair.
Relief washed through her. Brady appeared at her side. “Who’s that?”
“I have no idea. Where’s Laura?”
More medics came around from the other side of the house. They were helping someone in an orange and brown dress. Laura.
Kaylie ran over. Blood was spattered over her shoulders and a big round stain sat near her middle.
“Laura!” Kaylie exclaimed.
She looked over. “Are you two okay?”
“Yeah. You’re bleeding!”
Laura shook her head. “It’s not my blood.”
A cop came up to them. “We’ll need your dress for evidence.”
“Right now?” Laura asked. “Or can I go in and change?”
“You can go in with some of our officers.”
A couple more police came over to them. They looked at Kaylie and Brady.
“Where’s your mom?” asked one.
Kaylie scowled. “Dead.”
“Oh, right. The suicide from last week.”
“She didn’t kill herself!” Brady screamed. “I wish everyone would stop saying that.”
“We’ll have to take you two into custody.”
Kaylie’s heart raced. “What do you mean?” She grabbed her brother’s arm.
“Your dad’s going to be booked downtown.” The officer flicked his head toward their yard.
Dad was in cuffs, surrounded by cops. Kaylie’s heart sank.
“We’re going to jail, too?” Brady asked.
The officer shook his head. “No, but you’re going to have to enter foster care. I’m sorry to say, but you’ll probably be separated. Not many people are willing to take on two teens.”
Brady clung to Kaylie.
“He’s eleven.” She glared at the cop.
“I’m just saying the chances of you two staying together aren’t good.”
“They can stay with me,” Laura said.
“You licensed for foster care?”
She shook her head.
“They have to go with a blood relative, otherwise the foster system. Are you a relative?”
Laura shook her head again and her face fell.
“Uncle Rusty!” Kaylie exclaimed.
The officer glanced around. “Your uncle’s here?”
“Not here, here,” Kaylie said. “But he’s in a hotel nearby. He was staying with us before. He can come back.”
“Rusty, you say?” The cop scribbled notes onto a pad of paper. “Same last name as you?”
“Russell Caldwell,” Laura said. “He’s their mom’s brother.”
The cop wrote more down. “If he agrees to take care of you kids, and we see proof of identification, you two can stay with him.”
“He will,” Kaylie assured him. “He flew all the way out here just to help us out.”
“Then you may be in luck.” He glanced at Laura. “In the meantime, you should get cleaned up.”
She glanced down at her bloody dress. “Yeah, I should.”
“Someone have Russell’s number?”
“I do,” Kaylie and Laura both answered.