Free Distortion (Moonlighters Series) by Terri Blackstock Page B

they’re going to put him in the ground.”
    “Are they, Mom?” Abe demanded.
    She squeezed Abe’s hand. “Honey, we bury the bodies, but your dad isn’t in there. He’s in heaven now. His body is just . . .” Her voice gave out, and she took a breath and tried again. “It’s a shell.”
    “How do you even know that he’s in heaven?” Zach asked.
    The question was like a splash of ice water in her face. She tried to modulate her voice. “Because I believe your dad understood what Jesus did for him on the cross. He wiped away your dad’s sins. That’s how.”
    Zach looked out the window. “How do you know that’s true?”
    Juliet’s mouth fell open. “I thought you believed that.”
    “I don’t know what I believe,” he said. “I’d never believe my dad would be shot, or that my family would be doing this.”
    Juliet glanced at Abe. He gaped at his older brother, his mouth hanging open as tears stained his face. “Zach, we’ll talk about this later, okay?” She pulled Abe close. “Abe, don’t listen to him.”
    “Don’t listen to me?” Zach repeated. “My opinion doesn’t matter?”
    “It does!” Juliet bit out. “But you’re not the only one in this car who’s grieving today.”
    Jay looked back from the front seat. “Come on, buddy. Give your mom a break. Be mad at the guy who did this, not at your mother.”
    Juliet wanted to thank her brother, but instead she studied Zach’s face, wishing she knew what he needed from her right now.
    “Where are we going?” he asked as they pulled away.
    “Our house. People are coming over and bringing food. After it’s over, we’ll go back to Jay’s.”
    “Bringing food? Like a party?” Zach asked. “Why?”
    She sighed. “They’re coming to serve our family. It’s traditional.”
    Now his face turned crimson, as if his skin couldn’t contain his anger. “The funeral wasn’t enough, but now we’ve got to have a party with them?”
    “Just for a little while.”
    “I’m not doing it,” Zach said. “I’m going upstairs.”
    “Me too,” Abe said. “I’m not hungry.”
    “That’s okay. If that’s what you want.”
    When Jay pulled into the garage, Zach burst out of the van. Right behind him went Abe, wiping his tears on his sleeve.
    Juliet just sat, shaken. Jay cut the car off and looked back over the seat. “You okay, Sis?”
    She shook her head. “No.”
    “I know. Been there.”
    As Jackson got out of his seat belt, Abe came running back. “Mom, something’s wrong. Somebody’s been in the house!”
    Fear coursed through her again. “What?” She got out of the van. “How do you know?”
    “The back door is broken and open, and everything’s a mess.”
    Her heart jolted. “Zach!” she called. “Get out of there!”
    Zach came out, his face white. “Mom, call the police.”
    She turned back to Jay. He was already calling. “Stay here, both of you,” she told the boys. She went to the door and stood at the threshold, looking in. The house had been ransacked. Bookshelves were turned over, couches slashed open, bar stools toppled onto the floor, drawer contents spilled out.
    Nausea rose in her throat, and she stumbled to the mud sink in the garage and threw up. She could hardly breatheas she straightened. By now, Cathy, Michael, and Holly had arrived, and others were pulling up out front and getting out with casserole dishes in their hands.
    She saw that Jay was telling her sisters what had happened, the phone still held to his ear. Then Cathy and Holly rushed out to the street to turn the mourners away. They wouldn’t be taking meals today.
    Juliet got a lawn chair that had been on a hook in the garage and sat down, her head hanging. These people . . . these killers . . . had broken into her house. It wasn’t just Jerome Henderson. There were others, and they wanted something. But what?
    Two police cars arrived and soon after, Max and Forbes drove up. Juliet went upstairs with them, assessing the