Chapter 171
“Are you sure you don’t want to come back to the house?” I asked now. “We’ve got plenty of food.”
“Not this time, Ty.”
Jimmy gave Ken a poke. “That sounds like you’ll be there the next time he loses a brother.”
“You know I didn’t—” Ken looked flustered.
“I know. It’s okay.”
They all came to Dad and shook his hand. “Mr. Small, we’re very sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you. I’m so pleased you’re Ty’s friends.”
The gang waved goodbye, piled into their cars, and I watched as they drove back to Clewiston.
“You have good friends, Ty.”
“I…” I had a niggling sensation at the base of my skull, and lost track of what I’d planned to say. I looked around and spotted a man and two boys hovering a few yards away from us. “Ekaterina?”
She strode over to them, spoke for a minute, and returned.
Dad was the head of the family, but she addressed me. “This man and his sons wish to approach.”
“I don’t know them. Dad?”