Again the baby. I was really glad that Bryce had Henry. Evelyn too.

“So no news on him, then?”

Bryce shook his head. “None. I’ve got some PIs on the job. Thanks again for the loan.”

“Don’t worry about it. And it wasn’t a loan. It was a gift.”

“I don’t take charity, man.”

“It’s not charity, and you know it. I have more than I need. If I can help my oldest friend in the world, I’m going to do it.”

His PIs wouldn’t find Tom, though. Mills and Johnson hadn’t unearthed him yet, and they were the highest paid investigators I’d ever come across. They’d get him eventually. I had no doubt.

“Thanks, bro. I will pay you back, but you’re the best.”

You’re the best. Would he still think that after I dropped the bomb that was hovering over his head?

“Hey,” I said. “You want to go over to Murphy’s and have a drink?”

“Nah, not much in the mood. But if you want something, I’m always pouring.”

“No, I’m good.” I just didn’t want to have this talk with him with his mother inside the house.

But since he wasn’t moving, and since I wasn’t leaving his presence until this was done, I was going to do it whether I liked it or not.

“I’ve been wanting to talk to you for a while now.” I drew my gaze away from Bryce. How could I look my best friend in the eye? How could I look anyone in the eye and tell him that his father was a maniacal child molester iceman?

And of course I had no solid proof, other than Tom Simpson’s birthmark. That was proof enough to me, and I knew it would be for Talon. But for Bryce?

“I know, bro. Seems like there hasn’t been a lot of time for us to get together. We keep getting interrupted.”

I’d been happy for those interruptions. They had given me a reprieve from this job I faced now. Something I could no longer put off.

“I know. I’ve been focused on the ranch, not to mention Talon’s situation. And Melanie.”

“That’s great. I’m happy for you, man. You seem to have something very special with her.”

I nodded. “I do.” Another truth I had to tell. I hoped my relationship with Melanie would survive when I told her that I had neglected her phone call the day she was taken.

“So what is it you want to talk about? Need advice on your love life?” Bryce chuckled.

God, I wished it were that simple. “This is pretty serious, Bryce.”

“All right. You’re freaking me out a little.”

“I’m afraid you’re going to be more freaked out by the time I’m done.”

Bryce clenched the book he was holding. “Okay, now you’re scaring me.”

Scared? He should be scared. He’d been living with a psychopath a lot of his life.

“We think we’ve identified another one of Talon’s abductors.”

“Really? That’s great.”

“You see, Talon remembered something about one of his abductors during his therapy.”

“Yeah? What?”

“One of the guys had a birthmark.”

Bryce’s eyes widened. “What kind of birthmark?”

I cleared my throat. The time of reckoning had come. “A tan birthmark on his upper arm, right below the armpit. Shaped like the state of Texas.”

“Wow, that’s—” Bryce stood. “No way. You’re not trying to tell me that you think—”

“Sit down. Hear me out. Please.”

“You’re accusing my father? The fucking mayor of Snow Creek? One of our finest citizens?”

“Please. I don’t make these accusations lightly,” I said. “If you have any respect for our friendship of thirty-five years, please sit down and hear me out.”

“Respect for our friendship? You’re the one with no respect for it. You really think my father could’ve done such a thing? My father raised me. He never laid a hand on me my entire life, even when I was a little piece of shit. This is my father. The man I trust with my life. With my son’s life.”

God, Bryce’s son. Every time that baby had been left alone with the Simpsons, I had chills. I wanted to drive over to that place and grab the kid and never let him set foot in the house again.

“I know this is hard to believe. But look at Larry Wade. He was the city attorney. No one believed it of him either.”

“You’re really going to compare my father to Larry Wade? That sick motherfucker?”

“If what we suspect is true, your father is just as sick, maybe sicker, than Larry Wade.”

“You, of all people. When my father has been missing for a week now. You want to lay this on my doorstep?”

I rubbed at my forehead. My head was starting to ache. “Did it ever occur to you to question why your father might be missing now? He knew we were onto him. He’s probably gone into hiding somewhere. We think we’ve identified the third abductor as well, and we haven’t seen hide nor hair of him in months.”

“Oh, yeah? Who’s the third abductor? Your milkman? Maybe an elementary school teacher?”

“No. He’s a man named Nico Kostas. You’ve heard me talk to Larry about him. He was dating Jade’s mother, and we think he tampered with her airbag, trying to kill her for insurance money.”

“You’ve lost it, Joe. Are you listening to yourself? Do you and Talon have such a need for vengeance that you’ve decided to write your own story? This poor Nico Kostas is probably as innocent as my father is.”

I shook my head. “Your father is not innocent, Bryce. Who the hell else has the exact birthmark Talon described? No one.”

“That’s not evidence. It’s circumstantial. I bet a lot of people have a birthmark like that. Talon probably saw my dad’s once and made it up. You’re trying to frame my father. What the fuck did he ever do to you?”

Rage boiled under my skin, and I stood. I had to stop myself from punching my best friend in the jaw. Cool it, Joe. He’s defending his dad. You expected that.

I took a deep breath and walked toward Bryce. “What did he ever do to me? Nothing. But he kidnapped and raped my brother, man. He killed his own nephew. Open your eyes, Bryce. Your father is a psychopath, and you’re better off now that he’s gone.”