Carl had quit moaning by then and was acting slick again. “This is a complete fabrication. Those drugs aren’t mine—I’ve never seen them before. I never threatened anyone. These people are lying. They were the ones who attacked me, not the other way around.”
He was being ultra-polite, his voice smooth, his fancy clothes commanding respect. Bryn and I, in our dusty shorts and T-shirts, looked like nobodies. I was afraid the police would believe him. The head cop walked past me, and I called to him. He came over and squatted down in front of me.
“What’s the matter, kid?”
“Carl’s the one who’s lying. He really did say all those things.” I turned the volume on my phone super loud and held it up so Carl could hear too. I pressed “Play” on the phone’s recorder, the recorder I’d turned on when Carl first showed up.
Carl’s voice came through loud and clear: You found all my tablets? All two thousand of them?… I’ve got customers waiting … I’ll laugh while your cabin goes up in flames.
I watched Carl’s face while I played the whole thing. If looks could burn, I would have ended up a smoldering heap of ash, but the policemen on each side of him held him back when he tried to lunge at me. His voice didn’t sound nearly so smooth when he was screaming profanity. The police stopped focusing on Bryn and Landon and turned all their attention to Carl.
“Good job with that recording.” Bryn waited until it was just her and me and Landon to say it. “And that was a world-class kick.”
“He deserved worse.” I was glad I’d gotten the chance, but no kick in the world was hard enough to pay Carl back for hurting my mom.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Bryn
The next morning dawned bright and clear, the totally wrong tone for the day. Dark skies and a steady drizzle would have been a far better match to my mood. We needed to see Del again. I needed to arrange for some sort of simple service for Sawyer. I needed to meet with his lawyer. And I needed to let Mom know what was going on.
Carl no longer remained a constant threat, but so much remained uncertain, I couldn’t relax. Landon, Josh, and I were expected at the police station late that afternoon to sign the statements we’d given the night before, and I sincerely hoped it would be the last time I’d have to think about Carl until his trial.
The lieutenant had inspected Carl’s pills with interest. “We’ve had a spike in the number of people landing in the hospital, not just here, but in a ten-state area. It’s been traced to counterfeit tablets like these—a mix of fentanyl and cocaine with a bunch of other crap thrown in. We’ll have to get them analyzed to make sure, but I’d bet anything these are from the same batch.”
I was only sorry Josh hadn’t kicked Carl harder. I’d been reaching for my knife, but I’m not sure I would have had the courage to use it or the skill to have any effect. Josh at least had the nerve to do what I hadn’t dared.
He was still subdued at breakfast, his eyes tired, but at least his appetite was better. He polished off a towering stack of pancakes and sat back with a sigh. “When can we go see Mom again? Maybe she’s better today.”
“We can see her again this morning.” I was glad Josh wanted another visit but feared he faced more disappointment if he already expected a noticeable improvement. “I’ve got an appointment with the lawyer at ten.” I gave Landon a questioning look, and he jumped in.
“Why don’t Josh and I go up to see Del while you take care of your appointment? We can grab a rideshare, and you can meet us there when you’re done.” The two of them headed out together, deep in conversation.
The lawyer, a young outdoorsy guy who looked like he’d be more at home rock climbing than trapped in an office, expressed little surprise at the news of Sawyer’s death.
“I didn’t know him well, but he struck me as a man tying up loose ends. Organized and intentional but resigned and a little sad. I’ve seen people like that when they’re terminally ill, when they know they have very little time. He transferred everything into these trusts—his house, his truck, all his investment accounts. He commented that the only thing he had left after signing the paperwork was whatever cash he had on hand. He was in a hell of a hurry too—paid quite a premium to get all this in place so quickly.”
He walked me through the details of not one trust, but two—the one I’d already learned about for Del and a second for Josh. My name was all over the documents, giving me the power to change trustees, change money managers, review expenses.
“So, if Sawyer had died before I showed up out here, you would have, what, sent me a letter or something?”
He nodded. “Yes. He assured me you knew all about it.”
I tried to imagine what it would have been like if Josh had not come to me for help. No Carl. No cross-country trek. No confrontation with Sawyer. Just an unexpected I-regret-to-inform-you letter that would have left plenty of unanswered questions. I certainly would have been happy to miss out on Carl, but I was glad I’d had the chance to see Sawyer one last time and get some answers.
The amount of money involved in the trusts left me gasping, dumbfounded by so many digits. When I expressed my surprise at the totals, the lawyer shook his head. “Apparently he had a knack for Bitcoin. I wish I had that kind of talent.”
I took a deep breath before I asked him my final question. “Sawyer won’t be officially declared dead for quite some time. They’re hoping a body will turn up, but as rough as that lower canyon is, they tell me it may be days or weeks. If ever. Does that impact any of these arrangements?”
He didn’t hesitate. “No impact at all. A death certificate affects distribution of an estate. But in this case, there is essentially no estate left, because all of Mr. Whitman’s assets were transferred into these irrevocable trusts. Your sister’s care won’t be affected in the least.”
A surge of relief buoyed me for a moment. If we had been forced to detangle the mess involved with Sawyer’s false identity before we could access the funds, I’d be old and gray before the legal issues were settled. At least Del could count on staying where she was.
I thanked him, collected copies of more paperwork, and left to join the others at Elk Creek.
The whole drive there, I kept thinking about Sawyer. He had successfully faked his death in the plane crash. Was this a repeat performance? He’d told the lawyer he’d handed over every penny, but there was no way to verify that was true. If he was really playing around with Bitcoin to grow his money, he could easily have stashed assets wherever he wanted. And he’d made quite an effort to distribute his money in a way that didn’t require a corpse.
Was he dead, or had he managed yet again to disappear into a new life? I was certain of only two things. First, I was going to keep my doubts to myself. I would never say anything to anyone—including the police and definitely including Josh—about the possibility Sawyer was still alive. And second, if anyone ever reported seeing Sawyer’s twin alive and well in some obscure bar halfway around the world, I would be the last person on the planet to go looking for him.
I reached Elk Creek and parked, but I had little enthusiasm for going in to face Del again. I ran my fingers over Landon’s carved version of my homestead, seeking some strength. I should probably sit right there and call my mother. Fill her in on everything that had happened in the past day, give her the details about Del’s condition and its cause.
I picked up my phone, but I couldn’t call. I knew how the conversation would play out—the anguish, the sobs. Maybe she’d retreat into her grief. Maybe she’d fly out on the first possible plane. But regardless of her reaction, she wasn’t going to take responsibility for decisions about Del’s care, and she wasn’t going to reach out to Josh. Whatever choices had to be made about the future would fall to me, no question.
I slipped the phone into my pocket. There were things I needed to take care of before I could face that particular challenge. I gave Tellico a pat and headed inside.
The waiting area of the rehab center was empty, and the r
eceptionist led me to the same room as the previous day. The sight of Del, once again in her dark blue robe, once again sitting calmly in a chair staring at nothing, caught me off guard, a gut-wrenching reminder of her new reality.
Josh sat in a chair beside his mother. Not talking. Just watching. Her gaze shifted every few minutes, moving from one object to another. When she happened to look at Josh, she gave him the same calm consideration she gave to a vase of flowers or an embroidered pillow.
Landon sat on the couch with a book in his hands, but he wasn’t even pretending to read.
“Hey, how’s it going?” I kept my voice quiet. The room’s funeral-home hush made the lavish surroundings depressing instead of cheerful.
“Hey there. Josh filled his Mom in on the rest of the story he started yesterday.” Landon’s voice was normal volume, as if trying to include Josh in the discussion. “And then we’ve been hanging out.”
I walked over to my sister, and this time I was the one who knelt beside her and took her slack hand. “Del. It’s me. Bryn.” She didn’t react. Didn’t even look at me.
There had been times growing up when I’d wished I were an only child. But now, tears streaked my cheeks, and a tightness squeezed my heart so hard I was surprised it could still beat. I’d added a new chapter to my history with Sawyer, and it had given me added peace. But I would never have the chance to do the same with Del.
Silence took over the room. Not the peaceful silence of a moonrise or sunset, but an expectant silence, as if each of us was waiting in vain for something—anything—to improve.
The air grew heavier and denser with each minute. After an endless hour, a nurse arrived once again to lead Del away to meet some sort of schedule. Josh kissed his mother on an unresponsive cheek. His jaw tightened and his head dropped forward, his face contorted with a wrenching, deep-rooted grief.
Landon, Josh, and I walked out of the building, and I held up a hand. “Let’s sit here in the garden for a few minutes. I want to catch you up on what happened at the lawyer’s.”
They waited, and I detoured to let Tellico out of the truck. We followed one of the winding garden pathways and reached a long bench that looked over the valley. In the winter, snow would lie deep here, but now the dense green of the conifer forests was sliced by the lighter green of the summer ski slopes. The town itself lay below us, long rows of windows sparkling in the sunlight.
We sat. Josh pulled out his phone, but I gave his knee a tap to hold his attention. “Listen up because this is about you. I met with the lawyer, and like I told you last night, your father set aside money in a trust for your mother that will take care of her for as long as she needs. It’s all down in writing—she can stay here, or we can find a different place for her if we think that’s best. The lawyer is the executor of the trust, so he’s the final decision maker, but it’s stipulated that family input has to be considered.”
“You mean she could live closer to home?”
“Yes. We can investigate treatment centers closer to home and decide what we think will work. But I think we should let her stay where she is for now. She’s settled here, and we don’t know what other options are out there.” I paused for a moment to let it sink in. “The bottom line is she’s not coming back to your apartment. Not for a long while.” If ever.
Josh stared at his feet. “They’ll keep her safe? They’ll look after her?”
“They’ll do everything they can.”
“And we can come visit sometimes?”
“Of course.”
He ran his fingers over the lanyard bracelet. I had considered suggesting he return it to Del, in the hope it would be a reminder for her, but I was glad Josh still wore it. He needed its comfort far more than Del now. After a minute, he gave a slow, defeated nod. “Okay.”
He had lost his father, he had lost his mother, and in some ways, he had also lost his vocation. Taking care of Del had been far more than a part-time job.
Landon started to ask something, but I held up my hand. One more topic to get through. “Josh, your father set aside money for your mother, but he also set aside money for you. It’s enough to pay for ongoing expenses, and it’s enough to pay for college.”
His eyes whipped up toward mine. “He did that? For me?” Tellico came over and nosed Josh’s leg, alerted by the distress in his voice. Josh reached down to give him a pat, but not before I saw quick tears cloud his eyes.
“It’s in trust, and it’s set up to cover only the basics plus education costs, not crazy stuff. But it means you can make your own choices about your future.”
He shook his head, disbelieving, then he got up and walked a dozen feet away and stood, staring out over the valley. I started to follow him, but Landon put a restraining hand on my arm. “Don’t worry. Give him some space. He’s not going to disappear this time.”
I settled back to wait. “After things get wrapped up here, Josh and I will have to drive back east. It’ll take a few days.”
Landon nodded. “I can stay for another day or two if that will help, then I’ll head back home. Don’t worry about the farm—take what time you need. I can keep things going until you get back.”
“Thank you. That would be wonderful.” I’d been thanking Landon a lot lately. He’d arranged for security at the farm, taken care of things while I helped Josh, set aside his hesitations about traveling to fly all the way out here at the drop of a hat. Why had I held this man at bay for so long? Perhaps the emphatic no I’d given him weeks ago was no longer the right answer.
Josh returned, and I scooted over to make room for him on the bench beside me. His eyes were red-rimmed, but he was holding himself together.
“So,” he asked, “what about me? What about the apartment?” He squared his shoulders and glared at me. “And don’t start talking about Grandma, because I won’t go live with her.”
And there it was, the question that had hovered ever since I knew Del wouldn’t be coming home with us.
I loved my homestead and my life there. The peacefulness of a silent morning, alone, before I settled into the day’s tasks. No fuss. No interruptions. No surprises. I was at no one’s beck and call, and I didn’t have to maneuver around anyone else. It was a life I’d worked hard to create. A life I treasured.
The past two weeks had tossed all that aside, my real life on hold while I dealt with this unexpected nephew and an endless string of surprises. I was still reeling from it all, and Josh had it even worse. Regardless of where he ended up living, he’d probably be looking at a different school. Different friends. A different life.
To compound it all, he’d come close to death, and I knew exactly the ways such a narrow escape could haunt you. I’d never considered myself a candidate for motherhood, but perhaps I could make a difference for this particular boy.
“I think you should come live with me.” It wasn’t until I heard the words spoken out loud that I was certain what I was going to say. “We’ll add a bedroom to the cabin. The school bus comes down my road.” My voice got stronger as I went. “There will be a lot of changes for you, and it may not be easy. But I think we can make it work.”
“Really? You would do that?” His voice choked. His disbelief was obvious.
“I’m sure there’s some sort of paperwork involved for me to get temporary custody. Hoops we’ll have to jump through. But, hey, I’m your aunt. I’ll fight like hell to make it happen. I promise.”
He looked calmer than I would have expected. Tired, but maybe a little hopeful. On my end, surging hope had trumped my fatigue. This decision might give Josh a chance of moving forward, but it opened a door for me as well. I was tired of building walls.
If I wasn’t careful, I was going to start getting maudlin. “An unpaid employee, that’s what I’m getting here. After all, I need plenty of help with those goats and the garden.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m seriously looking up those child labor laws.” Josh gave me half a smile. “Can Marcus visit sometime? He’d like the goats.
And maybe we could take him kayaking?” He paused, as if rethinking what he’d just said. “Maybe on a nice quiet lake?”
We both laughed. “Of course. We can shop for bunkbeds for your new room.”
He reached for his phone and started texting madly, already spreading the news.
I glanced at Landon. The breeze ruffled his hair, and his strong workman’s hands rested quietly on his knees. I was acutely aware of his physical presence. Aware of his body and the promise it held.
The shift in my outlook on our relationship may have come too late. My offer to Josh had just made my life far more complicated—maybe too complicated for Landon. He liked his independence as much as I did, and he didn’t share my reasons for feeling an obligation to Josh. Adding a fourteen-year-old into the mix might have screwed up any chance at something more than friendship between us.
But when I caught his eye, he gave me a smile. “It’ll be good to have both of you back home. I’m glad I’ll have the chance to get to know Josh better. We’ve got a few months before school starts, and it will give us all the chance of some uninterrupted time.”
I liked the way that sounded. The fears of the past still lingered, but I’d faced my fears on the river when the risk was death. If I had the strength to do that, who knows what else I could conquer?
Josh finished texting, and I reached over and took his hand. He gripped mine in return, holding on like he was determined not to let go. A life without risk is no life at all. Sawyer was the one who used to say it, and it was one thing he got right.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Bryn has reacted to Del’s betrayal by withdrawing from life. Do you think her relationship with the past is healthy? How should she have managed this differently? How have you dealt with difficult memories?
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