In Their Blood Read Online Free

time.”
    “They were my parents. I should have been there.”
    “Yes, you should have.” His uncle’s voice rose with the same clipped intonation his father’s had. “And maybe if you’d checked your e-mails. Or maybe if you hadn’t gone off in the first place—”
    “Dwight,” Selma rested her hand on his arm. “Please don’t.”
    Dwight pulled his arm away. “You think you’re the only one affected by this, Jeremy? The only one that’s suffering? He was my brother, damn it. My big brother. He taught me how to ride a bike, for chrissake. How to throw a ball. You don’t think that I’m devastated by what’s happened?”
    “I don’t know, Dwight. I honestly don’t know.”
    “Jeremy,” Aunt Selma said. “Please, honey. You don’t know what you’re saying. You’re upset.”
    Jeremy was trembling. “You’re right.” He took a deep breath. “Where’s Elise? Is she okay?”
    Dwight shook his head and took a sandwich off a platter on the counter.
    “She hasn’t been herself,” said Aunt Selma.
    “She’s as unfathomable as you,” Dwight said. “Won’t talk to us. Won’t eat with us. Locks herself in the guest room or goes for long walks.”
    “Wait,” Jeremy said. “Guest room? What are you talking about?”
    “She’s been staying with your aunt and me at our apartment.”
    “What?”
    “Where did you think she was? The police only released the house from crime scene a couple of days ago. And then we had to get a clean-up crew in here.”
    Jeremy tried to block that last remark. “I figured she was with my grandfather.”
    “He can’t cope with a teenager.”
    Damn. Jeremy had assumed Elise and their grandfather had been together. How had they gotten through this past week? “She can stay here with me tonight,” Jeremy said.
    “That’s fine with me.” Dwight threw the half-eaten sandwich in the sink.
    Geezer had followed Jeremy downstairs. He sniffed Selma and Dwight, then went to lie down in the front foyer. “I wasn’t expecting the dog to be here,” Dwight said.
    “Who’s been taking care of him?” Jeremy asked.
    “The housekeeper,” Selma said. “I forget her name. She had him at her place for a few days, but no pets are allowed there, so she brought him back here after the police left. She’s been feeding and walking him twice a day. ”
    “Flora,” Jeremy said. “Her name’s Flora.”
    “Of course,” Selma said. There was a smudge of lipstick on her chin. “She seems like a nice person.”
    His uncle had gone over to the liquor cabinet in the adjacent family room and was pouring himself a glass of Scotch. “Not everyone would be willing to work at a house where there’d been—”
    “Have a sandwich, Jeremy,” his aunt said. “The Castillos wanted you to have this food. There was a lot more, but I didn’t think it would fit in the fridge.”
    Dwight held up the bottle. “Want some, Jeremy?”
    “No thanks.”
    Dwight took a sip. “Listen, Jeremy. I know you and I never got along well, but in times of crisis, we need to work together.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    “Whatever our past differences, I’m still your uncle. I want what’s best for you and Elise.”
    “That’s a bit of a change from when our parents were alive.”
    “Your father and I had a few issues. But that doesn’t mean he and I didn’t love each other. And now, I feel responsible for you and Elise.”
    “I can take care of myself.”
    “Well, Elise then.” His uncle rested his glass on the counter. “We need to think about what’s best for her.”
    Elise. Jeremy’s chest tightened at the thought of her. Alone this past week. Without their grandfather. Without Jeremy.
    “Tonight you’ll be here at the house with her, but what about tomorrow? I need to know your plans, Jeremy. Selma and I have to make arrangements.”
    “I don’t know my plans.”
    “So you don’t know when you’ll be going back to Puerto Rico?”
    “Portugal. I was in