fingerprints, but other than a phone call Ball had made from Chicago, there was no firm way of tying Lance to the guy, much less to his absence.
The longer he thought about it, the better it sounded. This tornado was still working for him all the way. Not only had it removed the only witness to his crime, but it had also given him support for the claim he intended to make—that he’d never seen Austin Ball.
Just as he was about to sit down to some reheated jambalaya, he heard the front door open. His heart leaped. The only other person who had a key to the house was Joe. He turned off the heat under the pan and hurried into the living room.
Joe Morgan was still in shock from the news Lance had given him. He couldn’t believe hisoldest and dearest friends were all dead—and so horribly. He had been anxious on the short flight from Savannah to Baton Rouge—eager to get home just to see for himself that Lance and Morgan’s Reach were okay. He’d rented a car at the airport in Baton Rouge and started driving toward Bordelaise, needing to see the devastation for himself.
Driving through Bordelaise and seeing his old hometown in such turmoil had been worse than he’d imagined. He’d stopped at Sumner’s Funeral Home, thinking he might be able to see the North family, only to learn they weren’t ready for viewing.
Sarah Beth Spellman hadn’t wasted any time passing on the newest gossip regarding the family, either. According to Sarah Beth, Cari’s cousin, Susan, had been in some kind of accident and just been released from the hospital. There was a question as to whether she would even be well enough to travel to the funeral, which would be held this Thursday.
She’d also passed on the news about four prisoners who’d been in the jail and were still missing, as well as the ongoing search for Katie Earle’s seven-year-old son, Bobby. She warned him to tell Lance to be sure and keep their doors locked, just in case the prisoners were still alive and on the run. Joe could only imagine Katie Earle’s horror, not knowing if her child had been killed in the storm or, as the authorities suspected, kidnapped by her ex. Then SarahBeth had added the news that old man Warren, who’d been in the nursing home for years, had died during the evacuation after the storm, making that four people they had to bury this week.
By the time Joe left Bordelaise, he was sick to his stomach. It didn’t get any better when he drove past the North property on his way home. The grand old house that had been there for over a hundred and seventy-five years was gone, as were all the outbuildings. He thought of Lance finding the bodies and wondered how he was holding up.
There had been a time when they’d all believed Cari North would be a part of their family and Joe had been almost as upset with Lance for cheating on her as Cari had been. But blood had turned out to be thicker than water—and infidelity. Ultimately he and Lance had to stick together, no matter what.
When he finally turned down the long driveway toward their house, he felt an overwhelming sense of relief. Even though the arched trees lining the driveway were missing some of their limbs and leaves, Morgan’s Reach was still there—in all her aging glory.
“Thank you, God,” Joe said softly, and parked next to his brother’s car.
He got out with a sense of urgency, anxious to see Lance’s face and make sure for himself that his younger brother was truly in one piece. He grabbed his suitcase and headed up the steps to the front door.
Lance met him in the foyer just as he walked inside. Joe dropped the suitcase and opened his arms. Lance walked into them with a smile as they hugged.
“Thank the Lord that you and the place were spared,” Joe said, as he clapped Lance on the back. “I can’t believe what a mess Bordelaise is.”
“I know,” Lance said. “I was there almost all day helping with cleanup and rescue.”
Joe grabbed Lance by the shoulders
The longer he thought about it, the better it sounded. This tornado was still working for him all the way. Not only had it removed the only witness to his crime, but it had also given him support for the claim he intended to make—that he’d never seen Austin Ball.
Just as he was about to sit down to some reheated jambalaya, he heard the front door open. His heart leaped. The only other person who had a key to the house was Joe. He turned off the heat under the pan and hurried into the living room.
Joe Morgan was still in shock from the news Lance had given him. He couldn’t believe hisoldest and dearest friends were all dead—and so horribly. He had been anxious on the short flight from Savannah to Baton Rouge—eager to get home just to see for himself that Lance and Morgan’s Reach were okay. He’d rented a car at the airport in Baton Rouge and started driving toward Bordelaise, needing to see the devastation for himself.
Driving through Bordelaise and seeing his old hometown in such turmoil had been worse than he’d imagined. He’d stopped at Sumner’s Funeral Home, thinking he might be able to see the North family, only to learn they weren’t ready for viewing.
Sarah Beth Spellman hadn’t wasted any time passing on the newest gossip regarding the family, either. According to Sarah Beth, Cari’s cousin, Susan, had been in some kind of accident and just been released from the hospital. There was a question as to whether she would even be well enough to travel to the funeral, which would be held this Thursday.
She’d also passed on the news about four prisoners who’d been in the jail and were still missing, as well as the ongoing search for Katie Earle’s seven-year-old son, Bobby. She warned him to tell Lance to be sure and keep their doors locked, just in case the prisoners were still alive and on the run. Joe could only imagine Katie Earle’s horror, not knowing if her child had been killed in the storm or, as the authorities suspected, kidnapped by her ex. Then SarahBeth had added the news that old man Warren, who’d been in the nursing home for years, had died during the evacuation after the storm, making that four people they had to bury this week.
By the time Joe left Bordelaise, he was sick to his stomach. It didn’t get any better when he drove past the North property on his way home. The grand old house that had been there for over a hundred and seventy-five years was gone, as were all the outbuildings. He thought of Lance finding the bodies and wondered how he was holding up.
There had been a time when they’d all believed Cari North would be a part of their family and Joe had been almost as upset with Lance for cheating on her as Cari had been. But blood had turned out to be thicker than water—and infidelity. Ultimately he and Lance had to stick together, no matter what.
When he finally turned down the long driveway toward their house, he felt an overwhelming sense of relief. Even though the arched trees lining the driveway were missing some of their limbs and leaves, Morgan’s Reach was still there—in all her aging glory.
“Thank you, God,” Joe said softly, and parked next to his brother’s car.
He got out with a sense of urgency, anxious to see Lance’s face and make sure for himself that his younger brother was truly in one piece. He grabbed his suitcase and headed up the steps to the front door.
Lance met him in the foyer just as he walked inside. Joe dropped the suitcase and opened his arms. Lance walked into them with a smile as they hugged.
“Thank the Lord that you and the place were spared,” Joe said, as he clapped Lance on the back. “I can’t believe what a mess Bordelaise is.”
“I know,” Lance said. “I was there almost all day helping with cleanup and rescue.”
Joe grabbed Lance by the shoulders
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