Page 2 of Pieces Into Place

“I just want to be left alone,” I whisper honestly. “I don’t like to think about it.”

“I know, sweetie.” Sliding her hand over to my other shoulder, she pulls me in for a kiss on the head, and I take comfort in the gesture.

I wasn’t lying when I told my mom I wanted to be left alone. None of this is within my control. It’s not like I chose this as my life.

The story goes like this: Almost eleven years ago, the infamous Sierra Falls Strangler, who had been targeting women for some time, had finally been caught. Actually, he was killed that day, but not before he murdered my biological father.

My father was murdered by a serial killer.

It was a national headline for weeks and then people moved on to the next big thing. Until it came back into the spotlight.

We’ve recently experienced an unusual amount of rain for this time of year, and part of a hillside on the west side of town slid down onto the highway below. The slide brought wood, boulders, and human remains along with dirt.

It turns out that hill was the home of a massive, undiscovered grave site. Most of the remains have been identified thanks to the advances in DNA-based evidence discovery. All of the women are thought to be the victims of the strangler. It’s been all over the news lately, and with it, the story of his last known victims and the final moments of their lives. That means my father, Theo Brissett, is once again front-page news.

There’s still some whispered speculation about the kind of man Theo was. Rumors fly rampant about how and why that madman targeted him. I don’t understand why the media makes him seem like he did something wrong. My mom says people don’t know anything, but that doesn’t stop them from “creating their narrative.” It sells papers and magazines.

As such, some people think being the son of Theo Brissett is the most exciting thing about me. Sometimes, they think it’s the only thing about me, even though I never met my father.

As it’s told, my mom didn’t know she was pregnant with me when everything happened. Theo sacrificed his life to save hers, even though she was in love with his college best friend. Theo adored my mother, and his last act in this life was one of love. He’s a hero, not a punchline or way to stir up interest in something that happened over a decade ago.

I’m sure he wasn’t a perfect man, but my mom says he was a kind and generous person. He didn’t deserve what happened to him, just as I don’t deserve the hateful words those boys were slinging at me. It feels like I’ve been dealing with questions and teasing my entire life.

Just then, my other dad strides into the office, looking irritated. He strikes a commanding presence, exuding an air of authority, and it doesn’t surprise people to learn he’s a cop. Wyatt Hudson is the only father I’ve ever known. He’s a good man, a great detective, and a little bit of a lookalike for Thor at the moment. He desperately needs a haircut.

He stops when he sees us, greets my mom with a kiss on the forehead, and then shifts his attention to me. I look up at him with embarrassment and guilt written across my face. I know better than to engage with jerks like those kids earlier. I’m sure he’s disappointed in my actions.

“Let’s take a walk, Kane,” he says sternly.

“Mr. Hudson,” the secretary calls, “the headmaster will be with you soon. He has asked that you wait here for him.”

He doesn’t spare her a sideways glance as he leads me past her desk toward the door. “We will be outside,” my father states politely but with authority. “My son and I need some fresh air.”

We walk in silence until we get out of the building, my stomach twisting into knots; then he turns and looks me in the eye.

“What happened?” he asks.

Sucking in a breath, I scuff my shoe back and forth on the ground.

“They were talking about my—“ I pause. My dad never seems upset when Theo is mentioned, but I still feel bad talking about him sometimes.

“Your dad,” he finishes with a deep sigh. “Kane, your father was my best friend. I loved him, too. You can talk about him and ask questions. You should do those things,“ he says earnestly.

“They were making jokes about him being dead,” I state, trying to keep the emotion out of my voice and the tears from trickling down my face. “Ever since that gravesite was discovered, it’s been worse.”

“Sounds like they deserved what they got,” he quips before exhaling a deep breath. “I understand why you snapped. But you’ve been involved with boxing and jiu-jitsu since you were six. It isn’t exactly a fair fight.”

“I know,” I reply, kicking a rock on the ground before me.

“Kane, this is going to follow you your entire life. It’s like something out of a movie, and people are fascinated by it. Right or wrong. That’s just the way it is. Some people will ask you about it, pry into your business, and push past acceptable boundaries. You can’t control that. You can only control how you react to it.”

“I know,” I say, biting the inside of my cheek. “I tried not to let it get to me.”

“I’m sure you did,” he says, ruffling my hair. “But we use self-defense only when we need to. Not to beat the crap out of idiots. That’s always been the deal. You weren’t threatened, right?”

“No,” I answer, shaking my head.

“You weren’t fearful for your safety?” he asks.