“I have no idea what made him change his mind,” East continued.

South and West grumbled, went over and slapped East on the back. They did so as he took a swig of whiskey, which had him spilling some on his university t-shirt.

Macon’s mind change? That had been me. I’d been a sophomore at Harvard. Macon had learned from when South had gone to college the year before that I’d do anything to set them free. I’d made a deal with the devil for South. Then he’d threatened both East and West the following year—without their knowledge, although to them it was only dick moves on his part to fuck with them. Like getting East kicked off the football team.

Their freedom had been at stake and since I’d already bargained my life away, I did whatever it took.

Almost.

When I realized Jed was watching me, I looked away. Afraid he could read my mind.

“You’re the guy from the wake,” East said.

Jed turned to him, introduced himself. They shook hands and East glanced between Jed and me, his face filled with curiosity.

“My other brothers West and South,” I added.

“Don’t ask us to line up in order,” South said, taking a pull of whiskey. He was the shortest of the three, at six feet.

“I’m sure you get that all the time,” Jed commented.

“South’s got our mother’s maiden name,” I explained. “Southforth. East and West are short for Easton and Weston.”

They were twins, but fraternal. They didn’t look or act anything alike. One was a rancher, the other a university professor. Although they were two years younger, they were six inches taller.

“And North?” he asked.

I shrugged. “Just North.”

“Your father’s sense of humor gave you those names?”

South shook his head. “Macon? He didn’t have one. Our mother named us.”

“What are you doing here?” I asked. We might be shooting up Macon’s things, but I didn’t want to talk about him.

The sun was moving lower in the sky, creating a soft haze over the prairie. There was barely any breeze.

My brothers turned back to the pile of Macon’s things. West grabbed some kind of golf trophy, went over to the trap. East stood beside South, clearly they were content drinking and shooting at things for the next while.

“I told you I’d see you later,” Jed said, turning my attention back to him. “Overheard you were having dinner with your brothers.”

Ah, when he showed up at my office this morning.

“Why?” I started walking toward the house, leaving the guys to their fun. I’d lost interest.

“Wanted to meet them.”

“Again, why?”

“Because they’re the people you care about.”

I pushed through the mudroom door, bent down to work off my rain boots.