The adjacent dining room housed a large mahogany table with six chairs and a matching hutch filled with plates and trinkets.
“First and foremost, I’d like to offer my condolences,” Audrey said to Stephanie and Morris after they took seats beside each other at the table.
Duke and Audrey sat opposite them at the oval-shaped six-seat dining table.
“Thank you,” Stephanie said. All the nurses he knew were tough on the outside. They’d seen more than most and had watched folks take their last breaths while in their arms. They knew how to do hard things. Stephanie was no exception. Her eyes had deep lines carved underneath, and her mouth had deep grooves.
Morris, on the other hand, was a big teddy bear. A steady stream of tears leaked from his eyes. The tip of his nose was red, and his shoulders were hunched forward.
There were no signs of abuse or neglect in the home, but that didn’t always mean what it should. Even teens who were well cared for went astray, got involved in illegal substances or bought prescription pills from friends to dabble with because it looked cool or they thought it might make someone like them more. Some of those kids ended up addicted, and what happened from then on always broke their families’ hearts. It happened in good families. It happened in bad families. Duke had heard enough stories to realize no one was immune.
Stephanie reached for Morris’s hand as though to steel herself against what was coming next. “You came here for a reason.”
“Yes, we did,” Audrey began, leaning forward and clasping her hands on top of the table. “I’d like to hear more about Jenson’s known activities.”
“What do you mean?” Stephanie asked with a perplexed look. “Was he in some kind of trouble?”
It was Duke’s turn to lean forward. “He was hanging out—”
Before he could finish his sentence, the front door swung open and a teenage girl burst into the adjacent living room. Halsey, Jenson’s sister.
“Mom. Dad,” she said as she scanned everyone’s faces, looking barely able to contain her emotions—emotions that were the equivalent of a volcano about to erupt. “Is it true?”
“Sweetie, come sit down,” Stephanie said, motioning toward the nearest empty chair.
“No,” Halsey said. “Not until you answer my question.”
Stephanie took in a slow breath. “Yes, I’m afraid it is.”
“Jenson’s gone?” Halsey continued as the first sob tore from her throat.
“Yes, honey,” her mother said, pushing up to standing as the teen came barreling toward her mother.
How did Halsey hear the news?
Duke had been forced to deliver bad news to families. It was all in a day’s work. He had been fortunate never to have to do this with anyone he knew. And although he wouldn’t exactly say he knew the Napiers well, he’d seen them around town his entire life, and the situation hit hard. He could only imagine what it must be doing to Audrey, who called Mesa Point home.
Stephanie guided her daughter to the table after a long embrace and then introduced her to him and Audrey. He reached for Audrey’s hand under the table to find it trembling. She calmed down after he linked their fingers.
Duke leaned forward and clasped his hands together. “How did you find out?”
“My best friend is Clifford’s cousin,” Halsey said. “He called to check on her when we were together and told her what happened. Told me that I should get home but, like, I couldn’t believe it.”
Duke nodded.
“I was just telling these nice people about your brother,” Stephanie said to Halsey before turning her attention toward Audrey. “You were asking about...”
“Known activities,” Audrey clarified when Stephanie couldn’t pull up the answer.
“Right,” Stephanie said. “Well, he goes to school and does his homework.”
Halsey blew out a loud breath as she crossed her arms over her chest. She shook her head. “That’s what you guys think. He’s been forcing Landry to do his homework all year.”
“Landry Pickens?” Stephanie asked, clearly shocked at this development.
“Yes,” Halsey continued in a defiant tone. “I know you guys think Jenson is perfect, but he wasn’t.”
“Halsey,” Stephanie admonished.
“Ma’am,” Duke said with as much respect and courtesy as he could muster. This was going to be tricky territory, and he would have to navigate it carefully. “Would you mind allowing your daughter to explain?”
Stephanie looked lost for a moment. But then she nodded. “Go ahead. Maybe we’ll all learn something new about my son.”
“All I’m saying is that Jenson wasn’t the perfect kid you and Dad believe he was,” Halsey said like that explained everything. She sat there in a leather bomber jacket, looking more street-smart than she probably was.
“Do you have examples other than forcing someone to do his homework?” Audrey asked, her voice calm.
A picture of a bully was emerging.
“I mean, yeah, my brother wasn’t exactly a nice person,” Halsey continued. “Like, everybody knew he was getting into bad cra—”
Halsey stopped long enough to glance at her parents. Shoulders hunched forward, she apologized for almost swearing in the tone only a teenager could pull off. “I’m sorry, but it’s true. Jenson became a real jerk last year.”
“Do you have any guesses as to why?” Audrey asked.
“I don’t know,” she huffed. “He started liking a girl who was trouble, and she treated him like cr—”
Once again, she stopped herself in time.
