Behind Bridgette, Tommy and Blake sat in sunken plaid arm chairs with sullen looks painted across their faces. "Why aren't they breaking his door down?!" Shane wanted to know, referring to Mr. Kendricks, anger clear in his voice.
Bridgette turned around, exchanging what she really wanted to say with a reassurance, "Apparently they have tried going to the house in Gabbard's Bend several times, but he's not there."
"That's because he doesn't live in Gabbard's Bend," said Adam in a gruff voice from inside in the kitchen. Adam was sitting at the kitchen table with his grandfather Angus, who was on the phone. Papers were sprawled across the dated avocado Formica surface, missing person flyers with Tristan's face on the front, a notepad with leads, as well as several business cards for private investigators.
Bridgette turned towards Adam with a puzzled look, "What are you talking about?"
"Kendricks hasn't lived in Gabbard's Bend for years. That is where his mother lived. She’s dead now. He's got in an apartment in Elkhart."
The expression on Bridgette's face grew incredulous,
"What? How long have you known this?"
"I actually just found out the other day. I told Uncle Frank. We stopped by but it didn’t look like anyone was there. I was visiting Melissa at her flat one night this week, and I saw Kendricks come out of the apartment next door, keys in hand. Melissa said he's lived there for years. She’s keeping an eye out for us.”
“Dad, are you listening to this?!" Bridgette bellowed.
"I'm on the phone!" Angus shouted gruffly.
"Dad, it’s important!"
"So is this!"
"Dad!"
"I know the swine lives in Elkhart, I'm already on it!" Angus roared, pink rotary phone still at his ear.
"The guy you are looking for is at 10 Farringer Road, Third Floor, Elkhart. I'd rather not give my name."
Angus hung up the phone in a huff, glaring at Bridgette. "I know you're upset, we all are, and we are all doing the best we can. Simmer down."
Before Bridgette could reply, Moira came in the room. Still dressed in a floral house coat and hair cap, she was clearly not ready for a house full of relatives this morning. She walked into her kitchen and grabbed her frying pan from the pot rack that hung overhead.
"Who wants breakfast?"
Collectively, all the boys in the house lazily groaned "We do!"' Bridgette looking around, yelled "No you most certainly do not! You all had breakfast already!"
"It was just cereal Mom..." protested Shane.
“He's still hungry... I'm making pancakes” said Moira. Bridgette rolled her eyes as she slumped down into a kitchen chair, too exhausted to argue.
Moira finished preparing breakfast and Bridgette helped her set the table, placing the pancakes, bacon, hash browns, biscuits, and orange juice on the table. Everyone devoured their breakfast, even Bridgette, who hadn't had an appetite lately due to recent events. After everyone had eaten, they remained at the table, too full to move. Blake kept eyeing his aunt, appearing as if he had something he wanted to say, but too skittish to do so.
"Something on your mind, kid?" Bridgette asked giving her nephew a wary look.
Blake, looking embarrassed that she had caught him, "Err, yeah..."
"It's about last night, isn't it?"
"Yeah. I have some questions."
"Go for it. Things have been kept a secret for far too long in my opinion."
Surprised at their aunt's response, Tommy, Adam and Blake perked up, straightening their posture in their chair, eager to hear what she had to say.
"What was she like?"
“She was kind. Always doing something for someone else. Very giving. She always went out of her way to make sure people were well-fed and were comfortable in the house. She was energetic and laughed a lot, and boy, did she love your father. But on the days where her worry took over, she could be quite cold and distant. It was really sad to see, because as warm and vivacious as she could be when she was okay, her anxiety could get the best of her on days when she thought Kendricks might be lurking about.
"Did that happen a lot?" asked Tommy.
“He showed up a lot… there are photographs that your father keeps locked in his office that show a family gathering where you can see Kendricks lurking in the background. He sent her letters. Every single day. Jack had to start intercepting them because they upset her so badly. Then when Catherine started to ignore him entirely, not even so much as a leave me alone, he got really upset. Started coming out to the house, begging her to leave with him.”
Blake's face looked surprised.
"Were you two friends?"
"Yes, I looked up to her when I was younger. I loved her like my own sister.”
"Why didn't he tell us?"
"He honestly was trying to protect you. It took him years to come to grips with her death, and in some ways, he still hasn’t come to terms with it… and you all were so young. He knew he'd have to tell you someday, but he had to wait until you all were old enough to understand. He was most worried as to how Tristan was going to take it."
"She didn't take it well."