Page 52 of Solid as Steele
Pain creased his dad’s face. “That means you can’t ID her by looking at her.”
“Correct.” Owen would do his very best to never share the details with them. “I’m so sorry.”
“How are you dealing with this?” his mom asked in her true selfless mom behavior.
“Don’t worry about me.” He tried to smile but failed. “It’s you I’m worried about.”
She blinked a few times, and he noticed how deep the lines had become around her eyes since Cassie’s disappearance. “I guess I’m numb. I figured after all this time, that this day would come. I didn’t expect you to be the one to find her, though.”
“Me neither.”
“That’s got to make this even more difficult for you.” His dad’s voice broke.
Owen worked hard not to fall apart and be strong for his parents. “Not easier for sure.”
“I hate that for you, but in a way, I’m glad you were the one to tell us.” His mom took a shuddering breath and let it out slowly. Tears spilled from her eyes. She released Owen’s hand to throw herself into his dad’s arms.
She broke down. Deep, agonizing wails of pain. Almost animalistic. Owen’s dad held her, but tears flowed down his face too.
“I’ll make a pot of coffee.” Owen fled to the kitchen and leaned his back against the door.
Why hadn’t he let Mackenzie come in with him? He needed support. Something he’d always gotten from his parents. Two of the finest people and parents in the world, but he couldn’t let them worry about him now. They needed to grieve and find their own peace.
Owen could call Mackenzie. No. Continuing to rely on her meant he cared about her more than he wanted, and that was unfamiliar territory for him. He’d put off getting involved in any relationships until he located Cassie.
Maybe it was an excuse not to face the real issue. That someone else he cared about might disappear. If he didn’t add anyone beyond his parents to the list of loved ones, he didn’t have to worry about them. Perhaps that would be different if he could trust God to protect others. But he couldn’t, could he? Not after Cassie.
“Why did you let this happen to our family?” He forgot all about Mackenzie’s suggestions and cast the words out in frustration. “Just why?”
Then his own tears came, and he swiped at them. He’d expected Cassie’s death since the investigation went cold. Sure, he’d held onto some hope. His job told him not to. And yet, he had. Had prayed to God for Cassie to be the exception to so many missing people. That she had somehow simply walked away. But why would she?
She was happy. Had a great life. Loved her husband. Owen didn’t particularly like Keith. He was cocky and could be controlling at times. A problem some police officers faced when they couldn’t turn the job off at home. Husbands were often the first and best suspect when a wife went missing, but Owen’s cop radar said Keith was telling the truth about her disappearance, and he was sincere. No deceit at all.
No one searched harder and longer for Cassie than Keith.
A sob tore up Owen’s throat, but he wouldn’t let it escape, and he swiped at his eyes. He couldn’t let go, or he would completely lose it, and that wouldn’t help his parents.
Keep moving. Do something productive.
He crossed the room and gathered the items to brew the coffee. The piping hot liquid was soon dripping into its pot, the sound making him think of how Cassie’s life had dripped away.
Was the bullet really her cause of death? When did it happen? And who killed her?
He had to know. Would move mountains to find out. And then, make her killer pay to the full extent of the law.
Only then would he rest.
12
Mackenzie should have left but she couldn’t. Not after Owen’s dejected posture as he strolled up to the house, then stood outside the door for a few minutes before lifting his shoulders and going inside. She wanted to be here in case he changed his mind. Or even if he wanted her company to tell Cassie’s husband that they’d found her.
Her phone dinged, an email from Nick. He’d attached his background report on Cassie. Mackenzie sent a thank you reply, and then started reading the six-page report. Nick hadn’t included any information that Owen hadn’t already shared about his sister. Once they knew she was Owen’s sister, they could’ve stopped Nick’s background check, but he might have turned up surprises. It looked like she led her life just as Owen had described.
The garage door rose, and Owen walked toward a beige sedan, head down. At the vehicle, he looked out the garage door and paused. He started for her side of the car.
She lowered her window and peered up at him. “Hi.”
“You stayed,” he said.
