Free A Beautiful Funeral: A Novel (Maddox Brothers Book 5) by Jamie McGuire Page B

come to learn. “Where’s Jim?” I asked.
    He hugged me quickly. “Thanks for coming so fast.”
    “Trenton,” I said. “Tell me what’s going on.”
    “It’s Tommy,” he said, his voice ragged.
    “Oh, God. The baby?” America asked.
    My stomach sank. Stella was only a couple of days old.
    “No”—Trenton shook his head—“no, she’s fine. Super healthy.” He looked down at the boys. “James and Jess are upstairs. Why don’t you guys go find ‘em?”
    All three boys took off, and America grabbed my arm with both hands, bracing us both for what Trenton might say.
    “Tommy was shot outside his house earlier. Just after they brought Stella home.”
    “Shot?” I said, feeling dizzy. All the air had been sucked out of the room while I tried to process his words. “But he’s okay?”
    Trenton’s face fell. “It’s bad, Shep.”
    I was getting angry, and I wasn’t sure why. “Like a drive-by or …?”
    “We’re not exactly sure. The agents have been instructed to wait for Liis before giving any more info,” Trenton said.
    America’s nose wrinkled. “Agents?”
    Trenton gestured over his shoulder to the men in suits sitting at the dining table. “FBI.”
    I leaned over to get a better look and then stood back upright. “What are FBI agents doing here?”
    “We’re not sure about that, either. I think it has something to do with who shot Tommy. Maybe they’re on the Ten Most Wanted or something.”
    “But why wouldn’t they give you more information? Have they asked you any questions?” America asked.
    “No,” Trenton said.
    America approached Abby, whose entire body looked swollen, even her nose. “You don’t find this situation odd? Where’s Travis?”
    Abby touched America’s arm, giving her an unspoken signal to be patient.
    “It’s going to be okay, Mare,” Abby said. “He went to pick up Liis from the airport.”
    “Liis is here? Why isn’t she with Thomas?” I asked.
    Before Abby could answer, Jim hobbled in from the living room.
    “Uncle Jim,” I said, hugging him.
    He patted my back. “Just waiting to hear something.” When he pulled away, he looked weary and heartbroken, as if he already knew what was coming.
    “Can I get you something, Dad?” Abby asked.
    “Just getting some coffee,” Jim said.
    “I’ll get it,” Camille said. “You should both be resting.” She meant Abby and Jim, but I felt like sitting down myself.
    “She’s right. Put your feet up,” America said.
    As America walked past me, leading Abby to the living room by the hand, I noticed the absence of the same fear and devastation that was weighing down the faces of everyone else in the room—everyone but Abby. Normally, she would be interrogating those agents until she got answers.
    America nodded, a glimmer of understanding in her eyes. I wondered what she knew that I didn’t. The boys screamed, and America rushed to the bottom of the stairs, looking up as she yelled, “Any blood?”
    “No ma’am!” all three called back in unison.
    Camille smiled and filled a glass with ice and water, handing it to Dad before escorting him back to his chair.
    “This doesn’t look like coffee,” Dad said with a smirk.
    “I know,” Camille said.
    America and I joined everyone but Trenton in the living room. He was in the hall on the phone, trying to reach the twins in Colorado. America sat on the couch, and I settled in on the floor between her legs, trying not to groan when she began rubbing her thumbs in circles over my shoulders.
    Trenton walked in, holding his phone in the air. “Twins got a flight for the morning. I’ll pick them up.”
    “I’ll follow you in the van,” I said.
    America’s fingers pressed into my sore muscles even further. “When do we find out more about Thomas?” she asked.
    “Soon,” Abby said.
    America shot her a look. Something was up, and my wife never appreciated being kept out of the loop. I thought that when Travis and Abby eloped, America would