Page 98 of Between Now and Forever

“Mr. Bosh. Uh, there are a few things, I need more time to develop them--”

“You mean you want to keep working until my retainer’s spent!” I snap.

“Hey man, I’m working hard here, alright? Getting records on people in Winsome is nearly impossible over the phone.”

I sigh.

“But my statewide search found something interesting,” he drawls out.

“Spit it out.”

“Jeez, way to take the fun out of it. This is the juiciest—”

“Man, this isn’t fun for me. This is my life. Just tell me what you know.”

He clears his throat uncomfortably.

“I’m sorry. Okay. Susan Kendicott nee Walters gave birth once before. Almost ten years prior to having the baby I believe is you. I got a hit on a hospital in El Paso. She was admitted to the Labor and Delivery Ward and spent a few days in maternity before she left.”

“El Paso? What was she doing there?”

“Don’t know. She was born and raised in Winsome. The high school has her graduating from high school eight months after she listed as giving birth in that hospital.”

“That makes no sense”

“Well, if you want to know more about her--”

“I don’t. She’s nothing to me. What about the kid? You’re saying I may have a sibling?”

“Besides the hospital record that says Baby Boy Kendicott, there’s no record of him. My best guess is he was adopted by a local family. I can’t find any adoption records that match, but I have a friend in Winsome who’s looking for me. I’ll let you know what he finds.”

I’m reeling.

“So, we just… wait?”

“Well… there is one thing. But you probably wouldn’t want to—”

“Tell me. And let me decide. “

“Susan Kendicott is still alive. She would know better than anyone what happened to him.”

“You want me to go see her?”

“She’s currently in a maximum-security prison in Texas. But, because of her violent attacks on staff, even her own attorney is currently without visitation privileges.”

“Forget that.” The word ‘violent’ makes me shudder. I don’t want to know any more about her.

“What about her husband’s people? The man who was my biological dad.”

“Well, as far as we know, Evan Kendicott was a drunk. He worked at Wolfe Construction and when he died, he had a lot of debt. But his sister and some cousin still live in the area.”

“I have a theory,” he says suddenly.

“Okay…”

“It’s just a hunch. But I think the baby was adopted privately and locally. It’s a long shot, but I have a friend who can access all adoption decrees for that time period and I can go through them and get you a list of possible matches for your sibling.”

I start to say okay, but then pause. Do I want to go down this road? What if what I find is worse than what I already know? I’ve got a good life. Why can’t that be enough?

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