Mattie sucked in a breath and leaped to her feet. Darrin. She didn't need to be told. She could feel it like a heavy rock in her heart. "Fuck," she muttered under her breath. "No." She'd hoped to whip him into shape. Now she wouldn't have the chance. [i]It was a mercy killing,[/i] she reminded herself, but that didn't make her last brother any less dead. The tears threatened again. A sob formed in the back of her throat, and it took all her might to keep it in. 

In as calm a voice as she could muster, she said to Nicholas, "Tell him I know. I'm going next door." And with that, she got up and ran into the next house over, tearing open the door and slamming it shut. Aided by starlight, and with eyes adjusted to the dark, she started down the basement. Bad idea, there could be something down there. So she went upstairs instead, up to the attic. Empty. Smelled like dust and model airplane glue. 

There, she let out those sobs.