Every House Has a Secret - 15

 

 

"So?" Rand said, looking at the website Brady had brought up on his laptop.

 

"The previous owners are listed as Alan and Stephen Thatcher." Brady frowned. "If they were the sons of the man who owned it before them, they changed their last names. He was one Dennis Hodges. He bought it in nineteen fifty-four, meaning if he was in his twenties then, he'd be in his eighties now."

 

"If he isn't dead," Rand pointed out. "When did the Thatchers buy it, or take it over? Does it say?"

 

"They started paying property taxes in twenty-ten, so we can presume Hodges died soon before that, which would put him in his early to mid seventies when it happened."

 

"They'd be a bit older than us then, if they're the kids in the photos."

 

"Yeah," Brady agreed. "I'd say mid-forties. We should ask the realtor if they were."

 

"Have they been paying the property taxes, even though they abandoned the house in, what did the realtor say, twenty-twelve?"

 

"They have."

 

"Very weird." Rand shrugged. "I guess if they grew up in the house it held memories for them."

 

"Could be. Then they finally decided they weren't going to come back permanently and wanted to get rid of it. Ken said they were only here on the weekends."

 

Rand tapped his fingers together. "If they really were Hodges's kids, and not someone else who knew about the gun."

 

Brady leaned back, looking at him. "You want to turn this into one of the mysteries you read."

 

"Well, we have a gun, the photos of the men with 'X's' over two of their faces, the 'kids', with a different last name from Hodges, who abandoned the house soon after they inherited it, if they did." He nodded. "Prime mystery material. We have to find out more about Hodges."

 

"That would be a good place to start," Brady agreed. "But not right now. We need to get to bed."

 

"An excellent idea." Rand dropped a swift kiss on Brady's lips. "You'll get more after we shower."

 

"Or while we shower?"

 

Rand grinned. "Perhaps, if you're good."

 

"Love, you know I’m always—" Brady paused a beat, "—very good."