“Ma’am,” he said quietly, “we found your brother’s body earlier today. I’m very sorry for your loss.”
The room seemed to tilt beneath my feet. Rachel caught my arm as I swayed and gently guided me into the living room. I collapsed onto the couch Danny had helped me move just two months earlier. I could still hear him joking as he carried the heavier end, laughing that all his CrossFit workouts were finally useful for something besides making him sore.
“How?” I whispered, barely able to force the word out.
Detective Morrison sat across from me and opened the folder in his hands with slow, careful movements. It was obvious he had done this many times before.
“Your brother was discovered in a wooded area about forty miles north of here,” he explained. “According to the evidence at the scene and the coroner’s preliminary report, it appears he died from exposure to the elements. However… there are certain circumstances surrounding his death that we need to discuss.”
