Two Evils by Christina Moore Page A

the way from Boston on the off chance that I might be coming home? Can the DA’s office spare you for however long you’re going to be here?” she asked him.
    Andy shrugged. “My cases are such that they can spare me a day or two. And that Courtney fellow called Dad this afternoon to tell him he was bringing you back. I thought you might appreciate having four of the five men in your family here to greet you when you arrived, so I made the drive as soon as Dad called me.”
    Billie was surprised John had thought to call her father and let him know she was heading back to the States. She wasn’t sure what to think about the generosity of the gesture. Deciding not to concern herself with it now, she nodded—and then frowned. “He didn’t even know for sure I’d agree until this morning. That would mean you got here not long before me.”
    Andy nodded. “Got in about an hour ago. And I’m glad I made the trip—it’s good to see you, sis.”
    She offered him a smile. “It’s good to see you too, Andy. And since all of you got together hoping to see me—which I really do appreciate, by the way, it’s really very sweet of you all—why isn’t Tommy here?”
    Tom my was Thomas Ryan Jr. He was the oldest of the siblings, followed by Andy, then Kevin, herself, and Teddy. Like Billie, Tom had joined the military, though in his case he had chosen the Navy and was now the leader of an elite SEAL team. Last she knew his unit was undergoing training maneuvers in Florida.
    “Tommy got deployed again,” Teddy answered her. “’Bout six months ago, back to Iraq.”
    Billie’s face fell. She would have known that had she trusted her family to help her get past losing Travis. But she’d been too stubborn to accept their love and support, insisting she needed to be alone, away from their stifling concern for her well-being.
    “He’s safe, though—well, as safe as a guy can be in a war zone,” Teddy added. “I got a call from him something like a week ago.”
    “So tell us something, Billie Jo,” Andy began. “Where’ve you been that gave you such a lovely tan?”
    She took another drink of her margarita before replying. “St. Thomas. I’ve been working with a friend at a bar he bought down there.”
    “Those months on the beach have been kind to you, Billie,” her father said. “You look good. A little thinner, perhaps, but you look good.”
    “Thanks, Dad. Like I said, I’m getting better.” She sighed and looked down at the drink in her hands. “And I’m sorry for making you all worry. I know I should have at least told you where I was going. Of all people, you wouldn’t think I’d be the type to break down so completely. But after Travis died, I just…”
    Tears stung the backs of her eyes and she fought to control them. Teddy put a hand on her shoulder and rubbed it gently. “Doesn’t matter, sis, you’re home now. That’s the important thing.”
    Billie cast Teddy a grateful smile, and for the next hour or so her brothers and her father caught her up on what they had been up to in her absence. Teddy was on his third or fourth girlfriend of the year (“Fire bunnies are so fun to play with!”), Kevin had recently been promoted at the construction firm he worked for to project manager, and Andy had gotten engaged two months prior to a woman he’d met shortly after her departure. He joked that the one good thing to come out of her being gone for a year was that she hadn’t been around to scare Michelle away.
    “I’m home now, remember? I can still do that if you’re getting cold feet,” she returned.
    “Don’t you dare!” her brother said with a laugh. “Shelly’s a great girl, sis. I think you’ll like her, once you get to know her.”
    “She’d better be, if she expects to marry into this crazy family,” Billie had replied.
    Thomas informed her that he had also met someone. This was a surprise to not only Billie, but her brothers as well. He had dated only sporadically since