Page 41 of Keeping Collette

Collette scoffed. “Unlikely, considering she’s dead, and before that, was missing for weeks before she was found.” Her voice broke on the last word, and Deal tightened his hold on her.

He imagined that wasn’t the way she wanted to tell her parents, but given the fact her mother had just lied, or truly believed a drug-induced hallucination, blunt was the only way to go.

“What? She’s dead? That can’t be right.” Suddenly her father seemed more lucid than he had been a few moments ago.

“It’s true. She was murdered. And you both had no idea that she was missing, did you?”

Neither parent spoke, but there was more emotion on her father’s face than her mother’s. Collette’s mom was so lost in her drug high, that nothing either one of them said would make any sense. Or even penetrate her mind.

“We thought she’d finally moved in with you. She’d threatened so many times, but always returned home. When she didn’t, we just assumed she’d done it,” Collette’s father explained.

“And you didn’t think you should check?” Deal asked, unable to stay quiet any longer.

“Ohh, you’re handsome.” Collette’s mom wiggled her fingers in his direction.

“Unbelievable,” Collette said. “No, Courtney didn’t move in with me. She was kidnapped and then killed. I’ll make the funeral arrangements for her, but I’m not going to tell you about them, because neither one of you will care. I’m going to her room to get some of her things, then I’m leaving, and I’m never coming back. As far as I’m concerned, I no longer have parents.”

Collette didn’t wait around for them to say anything, Deal didn’t think they would. Her father looked a little distressed, but her mom was off in her own world. She stormed out of the room, and he followed her, not saying a word.

Collette had said what she needed to say, and he was damn proud of her, because this whole situation was killing her.

But she wasn’t alone anymore. Collette had him, and he wasn’t going anywhere.

Chapter Nineteen

The whole sum of her sister’s existence filled a shoebox. If Courtney had anything of value, it was gone, probably taken by her parents after they thought she’d moved in with Collette. Surprisingly, she had found her sister’s laptop hidden at the back of her closet. Clearly her parents hadn’t bothered to search it.

Part of her had hoped things would’ve been different. That the news would’ve shaken them.

What surprised her the most was how lucid her father had seemed, especially after she’d broken the news about Courtney’s death. For a second, he’d looked upset that Courtney was dead, but as quickly as the emotion had been there, it was gone.

Beating around the bush and breaking the news to them gently wouldn’t have registered in their hazy minds. They would’ve brushed it off as a drug dream, like the one her mother must have had when she’d said she’d seen Courtney the day before.

Perhaps, in some cosmic way, her sister had come to her mother in a dream. It didn’t matter now if it was true or not, the thin thread that had kept Collette anchored to this place had been cut, and there was no way she was ever stepping foot in that house again.

It had been hard to walk into Courtney’s room. Unlike the rest of the house, it was tidy, although there were a few things strewn around, but Collette had put that down to her parents looking for things to sell.

Where Courtney’s bag was, was anyone’s guess. No doubt who’d ever taken her and killed her must have had it and gotten rid of it because it hadn’t been near where her body was found.

All Collette had of her sister was her computer, and the couple of plushies she’d given Courtney when she’d been a young girl. They looked as if they’d been well loved, and Collette would love them as much as Courtney had.

She’d also found a journal under Courtney’s bed. She’d held it close to her chest when she’d discovered it. The leather-bound book contained her sister’s deepest thoughts, and probably dreams. Dreams that wouldn’t come true now.

Courtney wouldn’t mind if she looked through it, Collette believed that deep in her soul, but when she got around to it would be anyone’s guess. Her death was too raw for her at the moment. It might be months or years before she had the courage to open it.

“You doing okay?” Deal’s soft question soothed her.

“As well as can be expected. I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“That is the last thing you need to apologize for. Given what you’d told me about them, I wasn’t the least bit surprised or shocked by what I saw.”

Collette sighed. “I know. Still, seeing it can be jarring.”

Her hand closest to his became engulfed by his calloused one. “I’m sorry that you had to do that.”

“It’s done now, and I guess it’s time to make arrangements.” The very thought of handling it threatened to drown her, but she couldn’t let it. She had to say goodbye to her sister. She couldn’t remain in the morgue indefinitely.

“I can help you, and you know everyone at Alliez will too. I’m sure Astrid has probably called you offering her assistance.”