“And now it belongs to five people. Not just one. And while we’re asking questions, didn’t anyone ever come in here and clean for her after she got sick? And what happened to the middle of the kitchen floor? It sags. A lot.”

Birdie’s cheeks reddened with anger. “We checked on her. And why do you think you have the right to criticize? You went off and left everyone fifteen years ago and never came back. What’s that all about?”

Hunt’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t remember? Any of it?”

“Remember what? You were here when Mama left to take me to school, and when I came home that evening you were gone and everyone was acting like something bad had happened.”

“Oh, something bad happened all right. Someone in this house stole my college money. Eight thousand dollars I’d worked and saved for four years, and the morning I’m leaving for college, it was gone. Someone in this house took it. They all knew who did it, but they covered up for the guilty one, and Dad told me what was done was done…to get over it and figure something else out, so I did. Mom didn’t know what happened, either, but she knew where I went. She always knew. The fact that she never shared that with any of you is telling.”

Birdie was stunned.

“Oh, Hunt. Oh my God. I didn’t know. Where did you go?”

“To war. Now, I’ve got a lot to do to keep the promise I made. I’ll be staying here until I’ve finished, and then the house will go up for sale, as stated in Mom’s will.”

“You’ve seen the will?”

“She sent me a copy, along with a key to the house and a request to get it fixed up to sell.”

Birdie’s eyes welled. “I’m so sorry.”

Hunt shrugged. “You didn’t take it. One of them did. So you don’t have anything to apologize for. And just for the record, I didn’t come here expecting a warm welcome. I am a bad reminder of someone else’s sin.”

Then he turned his back on her and went back to work measuring the kitchen floor.

Birdie’s heart ached for him in a way she couldn’t put into words. But she offered what she knew.

“About the floor. Blessings flooded a while back during a hurricane. Water never came into the house, but it was beneath it. That might be why it’s sagging. I guess I never noticed.”

Hunt sighed. Her voice was trembling. Dammit.

“It’s okay, kid. I’ll fix it,” he said.

Birdie turned on her heel and left.

Hunt closed his eyes briefly, gathering himself and his emotions, and then went back to work. At least now they’d all know he was in the house, and why.