"I can't even imagine it," Mariah replied with a shake of her head. So many memories of happier times were running through her mind. They'd all been so young and carefree back then. It was a lifetime ago. "I hope this gives them some sort of peace."
Liza picked up her cell phone from the coffee table between them. They were drinking mid-afternoon in Mariah's apartment after having lunch together downtown. "Maybe I should call Ryan and tell him the news."
Mariah inwardly flinched but hoped her expression gave nothing away. She hadn't seen Ryan Beck in years, the last time at Liza's wedding five years ago.
"I'm sure he's going to come for Mom's birthday party. I told him he didn't have any excuse and that he'd better be there."
Mariah didn't even try to fool herself that it would be easy to see him. Sadly, they'd gone in different directions as they'd grown up mostly because he wouldn't compromise one iota. Ryan Beck was a stubborn jackass but he'd also been more than a boyfriend at one time. He'd been her best friend. Even now, she keenly felt his loss in her life. He was a man that was difficult to get over.
"I assumed he'd be there," Mariah replied, taking another sip of whiskey. "You should call him. He'd want to know about Brad."
"They weren't the best of friends at the end. Didn't he punch Brad in the nose when he got too close to you?"
At a party. The whole group had been there.
"I handled Brad on my own. I didn’t need Ryan to fight my battles for me.”
Even though he’d wanted to punch Brad. A whole bunch.
"He loved you a lot back then. You loved him too."
"Where are you going with this?" Mariah asked with a heavy sigh. "Because your brother and I broke up a long time ago and we're not going to get back together. Give up on that fantasy."
Liza made a face and then took a drink from her highball glass. "They say a first love never dies."
Mariah didn't want to believe that.
"They also say that a first love is just a rehearsal, a practice run for the real thing. I loved Ryan but we were both kids then. I hope that I'm grown up enough to realize that love isn't always enough."
Liza nodded sympathetically. "He's my brother and I love him but he can be a piece of work. All of his talk about not wanting to live like Mom and Dad or be like them. He wanted to make a name for himself on his own and all that jazz. I get it and all but you're right. He's so fucking militant about it. It gets on my nerves."
"He has a point, though," Mariah said. "He wants to be his own man and I respect that."
Liza's smile widened. "I think that maybe you have the patience for him after all."
"I said I respect it, not that I want a daily dose of it."
Liza laughed at Mariah's statement. "You have to admit that my brother won the gene pool lottery. He's still handsome as hell."
Ryan Beck had been completely and totally gorgeous when she'd known him. And he didn't care about his looks at all. She assumed he was still the same way.
"I wouldn't know. I haven't seen him in years, remember?"
Liza held up her phone. "I can show you a photo. I have one I took at Christmas."
Mariah thought it better to ignore the offer. She wanted to see it but it probably wouldn't be a good idea. With the news about Brad today, she'd already be thinking about the past far too much.
"I feel like we should do something," Mariah said, emptying her whiskey glass. She wanted another, to be honest. "But I don't know what."
Normally when someone died she'd send flowers to the funeral, but she didn't have any idea what the Harringtons were going to do. They'd never had a memorial service when Brad disappeared because they'd always held out hope that he would be found alive.
"That's how situations like this make you feel. Helpless."
Mariah didn't like that feeling one bit. She'd always prided herself on having control of her life. Was she simply fooling herself? Maybe no one had any control. Brad hadn't that night so long ago.
They'd all been together that evening, laughing and having fun. Then...something had happened. Something awful.
Funny how a person can think that they left their past far behind them, but the universe always had other plans. She'd be thinking about Brad and Ryan today. She'd be thinking about the girl she once was.
And what might have been. That was the most painful part of all.
3
Ryan went to lunch with the other guys on the taskforce - Luke, Chris Marks, and Knox Owens. As usual, they'd ended up at their favorite sports bar. The food was good, the prices reasonable, and the service friendly. The atmosphere was generally loud and boisterous with darts, pool tables, and about a dozen television screens all around the restaurant. No one was going to overhear them talk about a grisly murder or a bloody crime scene.
He ordered a greasy cheeseburger, extra crispy fries, and a soda. He'd work it off in the gym tomorrow morning, but in truth, he'd been born lucky with a fast metabolism. He could indulge now and then and today he didn't want grilled salmon with a side of broccoli. He'd only ever met one other person who could burn off their food faster than he could.
Mariah.
Nope. He wasn't going to do this. He had more important topics to think about. He had a decision to make.
Knox elbowed Ryan. "So what did Logan call you into his office about? Is it a new case?"
Three sets of curious eyes were looking at Ryan, waiting for his answer. What the hell...he might as well tell them. They'd find out eventually.
"It is," he confirmed, weighing his words carefully. He'd grown incredibly close to these three guys in the last year. Perhaps it was time to reveal a little more about himself. The men weren't the type to judge him. "When I was in college, a friend of mine disappeared and was never found. We assumed that he'd died but of course we didn't know anything for sure. Turns out his body was found in a construction site in Chicago a few days ago. His family wants me to look into the circumstances of his death and disappearance."
Luke's brows rose. "So when do you fly out?"
"That's the thing. I'm not sure that I want the assignment. I'm supposed to think it over tonight and let Logan know tomorrow."
There was silence as if they were mulling over his answer. It was unusual for any of them to get to decide what they worked on. If they were assigned, they were assigned.
"Is there a reason that you wouldn't work on this?" Chris finally asked, glancing around the table. "It sounds right up our team’s alley."
Now was the time. Bite the bullet and just do it.
"I've never really talked about my family much but we don't really get along. They didn't want me to become a cop. They wanted me to go into the family business."
"What is the family business?" Knox asked.
"Investments. Hedge funds. Real estate. Wall Street, basically."
Luke stroked his chin. "Sounds...lucrative."
"It is," Ryan sighed. "I don't really like talking about my family, to be honest. I'm close to my sister but my parents think I'm a failure and that they raised me wrong."