Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 84227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
“I told you I didn’t kill them! Are you stupid? I admit I took those pictures of you and your little cocksucker.”
My hands tightened, and it took everything in me not to launch myself at him. He could talk about me but, “Don’t mention him. Keep Kellan out of whatever the fuck you have to say.”
He ignored me, his panic rising as he tugged at his hair and words continued to spill from his mouth. The alcohol probably helped loosen his lips. “I’m not going down for that shit. I’m not going down for killing those bastards. I took those photos because Jimmy was blackmailin’ me. He wanted to get you and your little boy back for him screwin’ with Jimmy’s family.”
I gritted my teeth. All Kellan had done was teach his grandson. That was why the photos were taken? “What did he have against you? What was he blackmailing you with—Susan and Robert’s murder?”
“How many times do I gotta say I didn’t kill them!”
And…I believed him. Not because I wanted to, but because I knew it was true. All the pieces were fitting into place. Robert had likely been Jimmy’s wife’s therapist, so when she left, he blamed Robert. There was no doubt he had been abusive. That was why Jimmy and Buck hated Kellan, hated the Caines…and maybe he’d helped my mom leave too…leave me. Was that why they’d taken me in? Did he feel guilty?
I shoved those thoughts from my brain. That wasn’t what was important. But Jimmy’s hostility toward Kellan made more sense…and the robbery… “It was you. You’re the one who held up the gas station. And Jimmy knew, so he blackmailed you with that to take photos of me and Kellan.” The ring…I could see my father stealing it. He pocketed whatever the hell he could, and this time it happened to be the wrong damn thing.
I didn’t even remember doing it, but somehow, I was on my feet. My hand wrapped around my father’s biceps. “Let’s go. You’re coming with me.”
“The hell I am!” He tried to pull away. “I’m gettin’ the hell out of here! I’m not admittin’ shit! If you had a case against me, you wouldn’t be here right now.”
Before I could say anything else, before I could fight him on it, the cabin door burst open. “Police! Put your hands in the air!”
North Carolina officers stormed into the room, we were handcuffed, read our rights, and both of us were arrested.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Kellan
My leg was bouncing up and down like crazy. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t keep it still. The first call that day from Chief Potter had been to ask if I knew where Chase was. Apparently, they had something on his father, were searching his place, and needed to find Chase.
Then later, the other call had come in. The one that had us at the police station now.
“You’re sure?” Griffin asked Chief Potter.
“George Hawthorne was picked up in North Carolina. They took Chase in with him, because no one knew what the hell was going on or who he was. I’ve been on the phone with them all day. It took a while to get things sorted out, but they’re releasing Chase. He went up looking for his daddy. I called the two of you this morning because we’d gotten a tip on another case. While searching the Hawthorne place, we found evidence to suggest—”
Griffin held up his hand. We didn’t need Chief Potter to say it again—they found evidence to suggest that George Hawthorne had killed our parents.
“I’m going to be sick.” I fell to the floor and heaved into the trash can. There was nothing in my gut to come up, but I kept dry heaving. Chase’s dad… God, Chase’s dad had killed our parents? I didn’t know what to say, what to think, what to feel. It was all too much, and I just… “How’s Chase?” This would be killing him. It was wrecking me too, but I thought I was a bit in shock. It hadn’t sunk in yet. I’d never expected their murder to be solved, and now it likely was, and it was… Oh God. I closed my eyes. Chase would hate himself for this. He would blame himself.
“I didn’t speak with him yet,” Chief Potter replied.
“But you’re sure? You’re really sure?” The whole thing wouldn’t sink in. It was too unbelievable.
“If you get hold of him before we do, can you tell him we love him and we want him home?” Griffin asked the chief, and my eyes shot over to him. This didn’t change anything for me. It wouldn’t. I loved Chase too much. But I’d been scared about Griff.
“Yeah, Griffin. I’ll tell him,” he replied just as his phone rang. “If you’ll both excuse me, I have to take this. It’s from North Carolina.”