Free The Immortalists by Kyle Mills Page B

isn’t two, right? And it’s definitely not three.”
    They followed Seeger inside, Carly pausing as they passed a half-finished quilt in the living room. “If his wife’s dead, who’s working on that?”
    “Maybe he got remarried.”
    “Then wouldn’t his wife be the one making the cookies?”
    “Give him a chance, Carly. You wouldn’t believe the stuff I heard about him fighting the Russians in Afghanistan.”
    “Maybe he was exaggerating.”
    “Actually, he never talked about it. Some of the guys he fought with would come to the hospital every now and then. That’s who I heard the stories from.”
    She nodded noncommittally and followed her daughter’s voice into the kitchen with him close behind.
    “Do you have an Xbox?” Susie was asking through a full mouth as they entered.
    “Susie! Why on earth would Burt have an Xbox? And do we talk with our mouth crammed full or do we keep it shut and chew?”
    “Sorry, Mom.”
    “Your mother’s right,” Seeger said gravely and then broke into a grin. “But I do have a Wii. With all the best games. Do you know how to fly a fighter jet?”
    “No,” Susie said, wide eyed.
    “You don’t? Well, in my opinion, all young ladies should be able to fly a fighter jet. You never know when it might come up. If you play your cards right, maybe I’ll teach you later. But for now, why don’t you head back there and watch a little TV. Your parents and I have some catching up to do.”
    She rushed off before there could be any protests from her mother about watching TV when the sun was shining.
    “I stayed in touch with people from the hospital for a few years, and one of them told me your daughter was ill,” Seeger said, taking a seat at the kitchen table and indicating for them to do the same. “I’m sorry. I know what it’s like when someone you love is sick.”
    “Burt’s wife had cancer,” Richard explained. “She was part of that clinical trial I was involved in.”
    “No one ever talked to us. They treated her like a piece of meat,” Seeger said and then pointed to Richard. “All except the new kid, who showed us real kindness and friendship. Richard always had time to explain what was happening and make sure our questions were answered. We both appreciated that. More than you can imagine.”
    “I’m sorry we couldn’t save her, Burt.”
    “I know you are. But it wasn’t your fault. People die.”
    “So did you remarry?” Carly said, obviously still concerned about the quilt.
    “Never found the right woman. Not yet.” He glanced at a picture of his wife hanging next to the refrigerator, and his face slackened noticeably. “Now, I don’t mean to be rude for the second time today, but my curiosity is killing me. I assume you didn’t show up on ol’ Uncle Burt’s doorstep to reminisce.”
    “No,” Richard admitted. “You once said you owed me a favor. Did you mean it?”
    “I never say things I don’t mean. It’s a disgusting habit.”
    “Well, then get comfortable. We’ve got a little story for you.”

13
     

Hagerstown, Maryland
April 18
     
    Burt Seeger rummaged around in a kitchen cabinet for a teabag and dropped it into the pot on the stove. According to the clock on the wall, they’d finished telling him everything that had happened more than two minutes ago. Since then the only sounds in the tiny house had come from the living room where Susie had figured out how to get the Wii running.
    Spoken aloud, their story seemed even more dubious. In all likelihood, the old soldier would throw them out of the house and call the cops. It was undoubtedly the smart move.
    “Maybe we could go to the FBI,” Carly said, obviously unable to bear the silence anymore.
    Seeger turned and leaned against the counter, crossing his arms across his chest. “With what? It sounds like the police have a pretty strong case against Richard, and this Sands guy will sure as hell tell them that he thinks you staged the attack on Susie. There’s a