The Hero Next Time: A Novel of the Terribly Acronymed Detective Club (Book 4)

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Sunny, Saturday

"What's going on Sunny?" Tori asked. "Is there something you're not telling us?"

"Wait," he said. "Let's get all the adults together before I tell you."

They were about fifteen minutes in, at a branch that led off to a steep set of metal stairs on their left, when he called the other members of the LSDC back while the kids wandered into the trees and peered into the little streams.

"I want to tell you all something," he said. "It's something I never told you before because I never had to. It wasn't anyone's business but mine and my family's."

He saw their looks of concern, and marvelled again at how fortunate he was to have reunited with the friends of his youth; their strength and support these past few years had acted as a balm to his soul after the tragedy that had nearly destroyed his family.

He made sure the children were out of earshot before he continued. "Everyone," he said, "this was where they found Bishan."

Gasps. Lauren had both hands over her mouth as if stifling a scream. Joe placed a heavy yet comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Oh, God," Rachel breathed. "And yet you still came today?"

"Yeah, man, that takes a lot of courage," Al said.

"I don't know about that," Sunny said. "It's been years now, and I thought it was finally time to come see where she..." 

Suddenly he couldn't speak through the knot in his throat. His friends must have seen his struggle to hold back tears, because they all stepped forward to enfold him. He felt the warmth of their embrace and broke down, but he wouldn't let himself cry for long. They had work to do here, and there were other people walking these trails, and the last thing he wanted was to be memorable to them, especially if they recognized him as a municipal candidate.

"Is Dad okay?" Harpreet called from where she stood with Naomi and Emma, on a little footbridge on the way to the metal stairs leading out of the ravine.

"He's fine, honey," Tej called back. "Just a little sentimental about old times."

"You all get sentimental about old times! A lot!" Naomi shouted, rather cheekily.

"We're allowed to!" Lauren shouted back. "We're old farts, it's our privilege!"

Sunny cleared his throat and patted his friends' shoulders. "Sorry, everyone. Didn't mean to do that."

"Don't ever be ashamed to cry," Lauren said, wiping a tear from her own eye.

Tej kissed him wetly on the cheek, her own tears mixing with his. "It's hard being here," she said. "You don't have to pretend it isn't."

"Do you know about Bishan, Tori?" Rachel asked.

"Yes, Sunny told me the story," Tori replied. "I had no idea about this, though."

Sunny wiped his eyes with a tissue Tej handed him and got himself together. "Anyway, so, now that you know that--"

"Wait," Al said. "First your sister, and now her once boyfriend?"

"Hold on, hold on," Lauren said, raising her hands. "You're conflating the two."

"I didn't intend for anyone to make an artificial connection of the two events," Sunny said. 

"It is artificial," Rachel said. "Your brother-in-law was found guilty of the first. He's still in prison, right?"

"As far as I know."

"So, he can't be responsible for this one, assuming he'd even replicate his M.O."

"Did he even know about Jordan?" Joe asked. "I'm just asking hypothetically if he'd even have motive."