Page 68 of Where Secrets Lie

“I’m home,” Simon called.

Oh, right.Hez looked at his watch: 3:40 p.m. Of course Simon was home. He walked out to greet his nephew. “Hey, bud. How was your day at TGU?”

“Fine.” Simon dropped his backpack on the sofa without making eye contact with Hez. Then he bent over to pet Cody, who had materialized at Simon’s feet and started pawing at his shins. Marley watched with half-closed eyes from a pool of sunlight. His tail thumped the floor, but the rest of him stayed motionless.

The dogs gave Hez an idea. “You know, Cody and Marley haven’t been out in a while, and neither have I. Want to take them for a walk? We can pick up beignets downstairs if you like.”

The mention of the sugary treats got Simon’s attention. “Sure! I’m starved!”

“I’m always starved for beignets.” Hez clipped leashes on collars. “Make sure to keep yours out of dog range.”

Simon didn’t need to be told which dog. He gave Cody a stern look. “I still haven’t forgiven you for that slice of pizza. Or the cheeseburger.”

Cody grinned and wagged his tail, clearly excited to hear his name in proximity to so many food words.

They headed down the iron stairs, the dogs’ nails sounding like gravel poured on sheet metal. Mouth watering at the aroma of frying dough, Hez bought beignets from Petit Charms’ takeout window and handed one to Simon, who heldboth leashes while his uncle paid for the food. He reached for his dog’s leash. “Want me to take Cody?”

Simon handed over Marley’s leash. “That’s okay. I like taking Cody.”

Hez slipped the leash over his wrist as they headed toward the beach. A balmy salt breeze greeted them. “They’re both great dogs, but Cody is special.”

Simon gave a rare smile. “Aunt Savannah says he’s one of a kind.”

“He definitely is, but that’s not quite what I meant. He helped me get through some really tough times.” Hez took a bite of his beignet, and a dusting of powdered sugar drifted onto his shirt. “We helped each other.”

Simon looked up at him. “What happened?”

“You know that we had a daughter named Ella who died in September three and a half years ago, right?”

Simon nodded.

“It was my fault. I should have been watching her, but I got distracted. And there was nothing I could do to bring her back.” Hez took a deep breath to steady himself as the memories came rushing at him. “I went into a dark place for a long time. I hid in my work and... other things. I hid from everyone who tried to help me. I even hid from Aunt Savannah, who I love with all my heart. I was all alone.”

“Is that when you got Cody?”

Hez nodded. “I needed a friend, and he needed a home. It was hard for him—losing his old family and home and having to come live with me. None of it was Cody’s choice and he didn’t understand any of it. He was angry a lot, especially at first.”

Simon squatted and gave Cody a hug. “Poor guy.”

Hez patted Marley’s side so he wouldn’t feel left out. “Cody mostly hid under the sofa when I brought him home. After a few days, he decided my apartment was safe and he liked it there. Then he got very clingy and didn’t want to be more than a few feet from me. He even got upset when I wouldn’t let him follow me into the bathroom. I think he was afraid I’d abandon him like his first family did. It was a little rough on both of us.”

Simon gave Cody a final rub and straightened. “I’m glad you didn’t take him back.”

“Me too. It took us a while to get used to living together, and it wasn’t always smooth sailing—like the time he destroyed my most expensive shoes because I was ignoring him. But I love him and he loves me and we’re happy now. I wouldn’t give him up for anything.”

Simon held him with those piercing, intelligent blue eyes. “Not for anything? No matter what happened?”

“Of course not. He’s family—even when he steals food.”

Simon looked down and snatched his beignet away just in time. “No, Cody!”

Cody, who had been stalking Simon’s treat while the boy was distracted, huffed in disappointment.

They walked in silence while they finished eating. The breeze soughed in the seagrass. Simon dropped the last crumbs of his beignet for Cody, who grinned and gobbled them. “I’m glad you adopted him. I’ll bet he is too.” His gaze met Hez’s for the first time since Jess died.

***

Hez had been quiet all evening, and as they sat on the condo balcony watching the pinpricks of boat lights out on Bon Secour Bay, Savannah sensed his worry in the line of his back and the set of his mouth. Tomorrow would determine TGU’s future, but doubt of the outcome circled around them like a murder of crows.

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