Page 3 of Dead Sure
“Why are they running when we each have our own eggs?” Ronan asked.
“Just because you can’t take their eggs, doesn’t mean they can’t take yours!” Ten offered an innocent grin.
“So that’s how it’s gonna be, huh?” Ronan shook his head and pushed past Ten. He was going to have to be smarter than the kids so he ended up with every single one of his treats.
“I found an egg!” Everly shouted from downstairs.
“Wait for me!” Ronan shouted, bounding down the stairs. When he reached the kitchen, both kids stood at the sliding glass door. Three plastic eggs sat in an empty flower pot.
“Coats, hats, and boots!” Ten called, walking into the kitchen carrying the winter gear. “You too, Ronan.” He knelt in front of Ezra, helping the little boy into his boots.
When everyone had their gear on, Ten opened the sliding glass door. “Be careful on the stairs, please. We won’t be able to eat Uncle Jude’s delicious ham if we’re in the emergency room with a cracked skull,Ronan.”
“Why are you always coming for me?” Ronan asked, shooting Ten a dirty look.
“Ronan, you’ve been to the hospital so many times that they named a room after you!” Ten rolled his eyes. “Better get in on the hunt!” Ten pointed to Everly and Ezra running around the backyard.
“This is really cool, babe.” Ronan kissed Ten and grabbed the purple egg in the flowerpot and headed down the stairs after the kids.
“Daddy! Look! Seeds!!” Everly waved a zip baggie with her name printed on it in black ink. “I got basil, rosemary, sage, lavender, and chamomile. We can make that tea I loved last summer.”
“I didn’t know the Easter Bunny brought seed packets to good little girls and boys.” Ronan looked behind Everly and found a similar bag next to the tilled garden soil with his name on it.He could see packets for cherry tomatoes, eggplant, corn, and zucchini.
“The Easter Bunny is part of the circle of life. He knows we’re the ones who have to take care of the planet.”
Ronan hugged his daughter. “You’re right. We’re also gonna help feed our neighbors.” He showed her his bag.
“That was so much fun last summer, having our own neighborhood farmer’s market on Sundays. You always have the best ideas, Daddy.”
“Oh, really? Good ideas even though I’m an old man?” Ronan poked Everly’s arm.
“It doesn’t matter how old you are, Daddy. I’ll always love you.” Everly wrapped her arms around Ronan’s neck. “Besides, it’s fun when you pretend to be offended.”
Ronan wasn’t about to tell Everly he wasn’t pretending at all. “We should go find the rest of our eggs before Ezzie scoops them all up.” He pointed behind Everly to where her brother was grabbing every egg he could find and shouting the word “mine,” like the sea gulls fromFinding Nemo.
“Ezzie can grab all the eggs he wants. We’re working smarter not harder.” Everly started to giggle, but stopped short, her eyes glassing over. “Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh. No,” she whispered.
“What is it?” Ronan felt his heart rate spike. “Is it Ezra?”
Everly shook her head. “No, not Ezzie. It’s Dad.”
“What about Dad?” Ronan asked, using all of his self-control to keep from panicking.
“Something’s coming. Something bad.” Everly’s blue eyes were wide with fear.
“Is Dad going to get hurt?” Ronan wasn’t about to ask if Ten was going to die. His heart couldn’t handle the thought.
“No, he’s fine but far away from us. I don’t know where or why.” Tears dripped from Everly’s eyes. “I can’t see anything else, Daddy. Why can’t I see more?”
Ronan wrapped Everly in his arms. “I don’t know, honey.” He gasped for breath as all the worst-case scenarios played through his head. “We’ll talk to Uncle Cope at dinner. See what he thinks, okay?”
Everly nodded. “Okay.”
“Sissy!” Ezra shouted. “Chocolate! Come see!” His lips were smeared with chocolate and grass clippings.
“Go help your brother. Make sure he’s not eating the grass along with the chocolate. Leave this thing about your father with me.” Ronan felt like he was going to throw up as he watched Everly run to her brother’s side. Looking around the yard, he saw several other purple eggs, but didn’t have the heart to collect them, not with something coming for Tennyson.
Ronan would do everything in his power to protect his husband and family from whatever horror had them in its sights.
