Chapter 4 - UNCLE GRANT
Grant Hale smiled too easily.
That was Clara’s first thought.
He arrived at breakfast in a navy suit, carrying four expensive toy boxes and one enormous bouquet for Mrs. Whitaker.
The boys ran to him.
All except Theo.
“Uncle Grant!”
Cole threw himself at him.
Grant laughed.
“There are my little criminals.”
He handed over the toys.
Victor came in behind Clara.
“You didn’t call.”
Grant hugged Mason.
“Since when do I need an appointment to see my nephews?”
“Since you started showing up at midnight.”
Grant looked at Clara.
His smile remained.
His eyes didn’t.
“You must be the miracle worker.”
“Clara Bennett.”
“Grant Hale.”
“I gathered.”
He offered his hand.
Clara shook it.
His grip was slightly too firm.
“I heard you survived dinner.”
“I even survived breakfast.”
“Give it time.”
Victor poured coffee.
“Grant.”
“What?”
“You don’t need to scare the staff.”
Grant laughed.
“I’m kidding.”
Theo stared at his plate.
Grant noticed.
“Hey, buddy.”
Theo didn’t respond.
Grant crouched.
“What’s wrong?”
Theo’s fork stopped moving.
“Nothing.”
Grant put a hand on his shoulder.
Theo flinched.
Clara saw it.
So did Victor.
Grant removed his hand.
For one uncomfortable second, nobody spoke.
Then Mason ripped open his gift and shouted.
The moment vanished.
Later, Clara took the boys outside.
The Hale property stretched across nearly twenty acres, surrounded by trees and stone walls.
There was a tennis court, greenhouse, pool house, guest cottage, and a playground larger than most public parks.
Clara watched Mason chase Cole toward a climbing structure.
Ryder was digging for worms.
Theo stayed near her.
“Do you like Uncle Grant?”
Theo shrugged.
“That means no.”
He picked grass.
“He gives us stuff.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Theo looked toward the mansion.
“He says Dad doesn’t want us.”
Clara felt anger rise.
“What?”
“He says Dad works because he doesn’t like being home.”
“Has your dad ever said that?”
“No.”
“Then why believe Grant?”
Theo’s eyes filled.
“Because Dad never says anything.”
There it was.
The wound underneath the behavior.
Clara sat beside him.
“Your dad looks at you like someone who’s terrified of losing you.”
Theo frowned.
“He gets mad.”
“People can be mad and scared at the same time.”
“Can dads?”
“Especially dads.”
A scream cut through the yard.
Clara jumped up.
Mason stood near the pool fence.
Cole was inside.
Not in the pool.
On the roof of the pool house.
“Cole!”
The boy laughed.
“How did you get up there?”
“Ladder!”
Clara ran.
A metal ladder leaned against the back wall.
Cole stood twelve feet above the concrete patio.
“Come down slowly.”
“No!”
“Cole.”
“You said we can be angry!”
“Yes.”
“I’m angry!”
“Great! Be angry on the ground!”
He stepped backward.
His heel slipped.
Clara’s heart stopped.
“COLE!”
He fell.
Victor came running from the house just as Cole caught the gutter with both hands.
The metal groaned.
Clara climbed the ladder.
“Don’t move!”
Cole was crying now.
“I’m gonna fall!”
“I know.”
“I’m scared!”
“I know.”
“Get Dad!”
“He’s right there.”
Cole looked down.
Victor stood beneath him, arms raised.
“I’ve got you,” Victor shouted.
The gutter ripped loose.
Cole screamed.
He dropped.
Victor caught him.
The impact threw both of them onto the wet grass.
Clara scrambled down.
Cole clung to his father.
“I thought you were gonna miss!”
Victor held him so tightly the boy could barely breathe.
“Never.”
Grant appeared behind them.
“What the hell happened?”
Clara looked toward the ladder.
A chain normally secured it to the wall.
The chain had been cut clean through.
She touched the severed metal.
Fresh.
Victor saw her face.
“What?”
Clara held up the broken chain.
May you like
“This wasn’t the boys.”
Grant’s smile vanished.
