James stepped out of a dark SUV and stood for a second in the gravel drive, staring at the house like he was trying to force an old memory into focus. “That’s him?” James asked quietly when Cooper appeared beside Brian. “Yeah,” Brian said. “That’s Cooper.” James crouched automatically and held out a hand. Cooper sniffed it once, then leaned in.
James gave him a scratch behind the ear and stood again. Inside, Brian led him straight to the kitchen table. The box sat open under the light. The scarf. The photos. The tape. The little shoe. James stopped cold. He picked up the top photograph with both hands. His eyes moved over the woman, the man, the boy between them. When he spoke, his voice had gone thin.