After people got done looking in the window at Stewart’s body, they walked back up to the front of the house. I was waiting up there for Thorn, and they all sort of congregated around me even though no one was saying anything.
“You guys know that the Brew Station is open right now, right? Viv is there giving out soup and coffee for anyone who wants to eat or just wants some company,” I finally said.
“Maybe we should all head over that way,” Olivia said. “I don’t think we’re going to do any good here. Maybe we’d all feel better with some hot food and coffee.”
“What about the boy? They might need us to help look for him,” someone said.
“I’ll call Viv and let her know if there’s going to be a search for the boy,” I said. “Until we know for sure that’s necessary, why not go get something to eat?”
There probably wasn’t going to be anywhere for any of them to sit once they did get food and coffee, but at least the rain had stopped. It was a bit chilly outside, but at least it wasn’t cold. Perhaps Amelda would let people into the library to eat and warm up. I knew she was a stickler for the rules about eating and drinking in the library, but it was an exceptional circumstance.
I sent her a text asking her if she’d consider it.
Already on it. Was her reply. I should have known she would do everything she could to take care of the people in her town.
Reggie, Dorian, and I waited outside on the front sidewalk while Thorn combed the house looking for the man’s son. At first when he came out, I couldn’t read his expression, but then the corners of his mouth pulled into a soft, reassuring smile.
By that time, there were other deputies there. They’d all had to stop what they were doing and come to the scene, so Thorn went to speak with them. The three of us overheard the news, though, as he told it to Jeremy.
“There’s no child in the house,” he said.
“I’m going to call the kid’s mom, and then if she doesn’t know where he is, we’ll issue an Amber Alert,” Jeremy responded.
“We should have had the neighbors stay,” I said. “They’d know who to call.”
“Oh, we know who to call,” Jeremy said softly. “We’ve had to deal with Mr. Randell before. He’s in our system.”
I knew that we should leave, but I couldn’t until after Thorn called the child’s mother. Jeremy’s words about how Mr. Randell was in their system haunted me.
“Dixon is fine,” Thorn said when he hung up the phone. “His stepfather picked him up just before the storm.”
“You said Dixon?” I asked Thorn.
“Yeah, why?” He cocked one eyebrow up when he asked.
That was when it hit me that I recognized the dead man. He was the one that had come into the Brew Station before the tornado. Dixon was the little boy with him who he’d treated so terribly.
“We saw them before the storm at the Brew Station. It was really close to the time the tornado hit. He was just being awful to that boy,” I said.
Jeremy was writing down what I said. “And you can confirm this?” he asked Reggie and Dorian.
“I can,” Reggie said. “I saw it all, and so did Viv.”
“Not me,” Dorian replied. “I wasn’t at the coffee shop until later.”
“Why don’t you guys head over to the Brew Station and let the neighbors know the boy is okay,” Thorn said. “I’ll be along when we’re done with the scene to speak with Viv about her statement.”
“We should keep looking,” I protested. “We need to keep searching for people who need help.”
“No,” Thorn said softly. “Thank you for what you’ve done, but search and rescue is on their way here. The National Guard is coming as well. Red Cross is setting up in the square for now while they find temporary shelter for people who are displaced. You need to stay out of danger, and stay out of their way.”
“Come on,” Reggie said when she sensed me bristling. “Let’s go talk to the neighbors. We can find out why they hated this guy so much.”
“Reggie,” Jeremy warned. “Stay out of this.”
“No harm in having a conversation with some neighbors. It’s just gossip after all. Surely, there is no law against gossip, right?”
“Not in this town,” Dorian said.
It took us a while to walk back to the Brew Station, but at least the rain held out. The sun didn’t come out, but we stayed dry. As much as I hated myself for it, I started to block out the devastation on our way back. My mind and heart were overwhelmed, and my body had begun to follow.
Exhaustion gripped me in a way I hadn’t expected. My body felt heavy, and that was especially true of my legs and belly. I wasn’t in pain, but my stomach felt like a cannon ball. It was as if some sort of shift had taken place. Gravity pulled at me, but intuitively, I knew not to be scared. It was just… heavy.
Upon arriving at the square, we found Stewart’s neighbors sitting at a table set up outside of the Brew Station. I wasn’t sure where the tables had come from, but someone must have donated them to give patrons a place to sit. There were also people heading over to the library with bags and coffee cups in their hands.
We went inside the Brew Station to get some hot coffee, and I needed something to eat. At least I thought I did. I was at that point where I couldn’t figure out if I was starving or sick to my stomach. Since I felt a bit lightheaded too, I decided to eat something.
While we stood in line, I watched out the window. A few minutes after we arrived at Viv’s place, trucks started to roll into town. In addition to the Red Cross and
