Darper Danver: The Complete First Series

by Amy Cross

  She makes another note on her legal pad.

  "He really wasn't," I add.

  "Okay," she says, making yet another note.

  "I still have the board," I say, figuring I need to distract her from all thoughts of Fisher. "It's in the basement. If you want, I could go get it for you."

  "Could you?" She smiles, and it's clear that she thinks I'm finally starting to open up. "That'd be wonderful. I'd love to get a few pictures of it. I'll be honest with you, Cassie. The book can't veer too far toward supernatural elements, because a lot of readers will be deterred. They'll start to assume that it's fiction, whereas what we want is to promote the idea that this is the plain, unvarnished truth." She pauses, and it's clear that she's trying to decide which angle to pursue. "Still, it might be good to add some color to the narrative about your life before the incident. People should see that you and your friends were very bored. Was the Ouija board in the cabin on the day that Bobby died?"

  "No," I say, getting to my feet. Damn it, I feel like my entire body is aching, but at least the fever has gone down. My back hurts, too, but I just have to push through the pain. It's as if my entire body is breaking down. "I won't be long," I mutter, turning and heading toward the door that leads down to the basement. Right now, the thought of going down there fills me with dread, and it's as if I barely have the energy to move.

  "Jesus Christ," Lenora says after a moment, sounding shocked.

  "What?" I ask, turning and seeing that she's staring at me as if she's just seen something horrific. It's the first time since she walked through the door that she seems to be showing genuine emotion.

  "What's Darper Danver?" she asks.

  As soon as she mentions the name, I feel a cold chill run through my body. There's no way she should ever know that name. In fact, it's the one part of the whole story that I've been carefully keeping back from her.

  "Is it a person?" she continues, staring at me with a stunned expression. "A place?"

  "I don't know what you're talking about," I mutter, my mind racing as I try to work out how to distract her.

  "Your back," she says. "It's like... Are you bleeding? My God, Cassie, what happened to you?"

  I look down at my t-shirt, and suddenly I realize that the carved name on my back must have soaked through the white fabric. As I try to think of an explanation, I realize that it's too late. Lenora's hurriedly writing something on her legal pad, and after a moment she stands up and hurries over to me. Without saying anything, she grabs the back of my t-shirt and stares at the marks.

  "Did you do this to yourself?" she asks, her voice sounding tense.

  "No," I say, still trying to think of an explanation.

  "Who did it to you?"

  "No-one," I reply.

  "Cassie, who did it to you?" She grabs me by the shoulder and turns me around to face her. "I'm an investigative journalist and author," she says. "Don't treat me like an idiot. It's my job to get to the bottom of things like this, and if you think I won't find out the truth eventually, you're wrong. If you don't cooperate, Cassie, your family will lose the fee and I'll write the book anyway, and I can assure you that it won't be sympathetic to your position." She pauses. "So let's get started all over again. From the beginning. You're going to tell me everything that happened, and you're not going to leave anything out. First, I guess we'll start with the scratches on your back. It's a name, isn't it?"

  I stare at her.

  "It's a name," she continues. "So who is it, Cassie? No bullshit this time, or I'll walk straight out that door. I want the truth. Who the hell is Darper Danver?"

  Fisher Benhauser

  Parking at the side of the road, I switch off the engine and stare out the window. Cassie's house looks just how I remember it, albeit a little more rundown than before. It's weird to think about all the times we used to hang out on the lawn, or in her room. Those days seem so long ago, and somehow that simple, happy life has become twisted and gnarled, eventually growing to become a nightmare.

  With every fiber in my body, I want to go and knock on her door. I want to talk to her about Darper Danver and see if we can work out what to do. More than anything, I want to be close to her. At the same time, I'm too scared. I mean, sure, Darper's name turned up on my door, but that could just be a coincidence. A very unlikely coincidence, but still, I'd be a fool to go and talk to Cassie now.

  I have to be strong.

  Spotting movement nearby, I see Mrs. Briggs carrying a pair of grocery bags to the house. It's the first time I've seen her properly for a few years, and I'm stunned by the look of fatigue in her eyes. The woman seems to have aged a few decades in just a couple of years, and she's so caught up in her thoughts, she walks straight past my truck without even glancing at me. I guess it's better this way. The last thing I need is to end up talking to her about Cassie.

  Starting the engine, I drive away, heading for the other side of town. I just hope I'm wrong about Darper, and I hope Cassie can be okay by herself. The life I have now, with my wife and in particular with my son, is too important for me to risk it all by getting involved in Cassie's problems again. If Darper Denver has truly returned to Fort Powell, Cassie's going to have to face up to her alone. For once in my life, I have to make the right decision.

  Cassie Briggs

  "Knock knock," my mother says meekly, poking her head through from the hallway. "How are you two doing in here?"

  "Great," Lenora says with a broad smile. "We've been getting some really constructive work done."

  "You have?" It's clear that my mother is surprised. "That's wonderful," she adds, turning to me. "Do you see, Cassie? I told you that it'd be good to clear the air. Are you..." She pauses. "Well, I mean, are you cooperating? Are you giving Ms. Mackleberry what she needs?"

  "She's being brilliant," Lenora says.

  "So you..." Pausing, my mother seems a little confused as she stares at me. "I mean, have you told her everything? Even the things that you never told anyone else?"

  I pause for a moment, and then I nod.

  "Even... what happened to Bobby?"

  "Cassie has told me the whole story," Lenora says. "She's answered every question fully and, in my opinion, truthfully. I admit it was a rocky start, but we finally made a breakthrough and now we're really moving forward. I believe we can get a blockbuster book out of the information Cassie has already given to me, and the public will finally know the truth. Honestly, I couldn't have asked for more."

  My mother stares at me for a moment. "Well... What did you say? What happened?"

  "I'm sorry," Lenora says, "but Cassie can't tell you. Not yet."

  "She can't?"

  "Trade secrets."

  "But..." My mother pauses for a moment. "I mean, I'm her mother, so..." Her voice trails off, and it's clear that she knows this is a fight she can't win.

  "I'm afraid it has to remain top secret until the book is published. We can't afford any leaks, so I've made Cassie promise to keep quiet. She's told me the truth, and that's all that matters. When the book comes out, everyone will see that Cassie didn't kill Bobby Madison." She pauses. "The book will contain the name of the real killer."

  "It will?" My mother pauses, and it's impossible to miss the sense of relief in her eyes. "Oh Cassie," she says, rushing over and giving me a hug. "I told you it would all be okay. Didn't I tell you? All you needed to do was open up and tell the truth. It's always like that. The truth sets you free, honey. Doesn't it feel absolutely amazing to finally tell people what really happened? Don't you feel like you've cleared your name?"

  "I guess," I mutter, glancing at Lenora and seeing the knowing look in her eyes.

  "I'm so proud of you," my mother continues, taking a step back and wiping a tear from her cheek. "We've spent five years living under this shadow, and now the truth is flowing through our lives, washing away -"

  "I get it," I say firmly. "You're pleased. Great."

  "The book is going to be rush-released," Lenora continues. "It s
hould be in stores in six weeks, so you'll have a chance to find out the truth at last, Mrs. Briggs, along with the rest of the world. And of course we'll need to set up some interviews for Cassie. I think one big appearance would be better than lots of smaller ones, so we'll see if we can work out a deal with Barbara Walters or Oprah, someone with a track record of breaking big stories."

  "Of course," my mother says, "but surely I can -"

  "No leaks," Lenora says firmly. "I'm sorry, but you have to understand the delicacy of the situation. If any part of the story gets out before the book is released, not only will your family forfeit the publisher's fee, but I'm quite certain the company will come after you to repay all the costs of printing and then pulping the book." She pauses. "This is serious business, Mrs. Briggs. Cassie has delivered the bombshell revelation I was hoping for, and it's now my duty to protect that revelation until the date of publication."

  "But what about the police?" my mother asks. "Don't you have to tell them?"

  "Cassie will be utterly exonerated by this revelation," Lenora explains. "As for whether the police choose to pursue the new angle, I'm sure they'll do their best. There's no legal imperative for us to go directly to the authorities, however, and I don't want to add another possible leak into the chain. Until the book hits stores, the only people who'll know what Cassie has told me will be my boss and I." She reaches across the table and takes hold of my hand. "You've been so incredibly brave, Cassie. Please don't think that I fail to appreciate how hard it was for you to do this. I can only promise that you'll be rewarded a thousand times over once everyone realizes that you're innocent."

  I smile awkwardly. Turning to my mother, I can see the stunned look in her eyes, and it's clear that she's been waiting for this moment for so long. I just wish it could last. I wish I had told Lenora what really happened, and that this wasn't part of my plan to keep the truth hidden forever. I almost feel sorry for her, but I have no doubt that I've done the right thing. Poor Lenora Mackleberry arrived in Fort Powell on a mission to discover the truth. If only she'd accepted the lies I told, she'd have been able to leave again. Unfortunately, she insisted on digging further, and now she's going to find out what really happened. It just won't be quite what she's expecting.

  "I don't know what to think," my mother says eventually. "I just... Couldn't you have done this sooner, Cassie? Couldn't you have saved us all the heartache? Five years of suspicion and gossip, and it could all have been avoided if only you'd been able to be honest from the start."

  "I'm sorry," I mutter.

  "What matters is that she's finally doing the right thing," Lenora adds. "She's taken control of her own narrative, and her own life. It's this kind of empowerment that's going to ensure that instead of being a victim -"

  "Everything's going to be okay," I say, interrupting her. I look over at my mother. "I promise. Lenora made me see things differently. She helped me to understand what I really need to do. I'm just glad she came. Without her, I might have spent the rest of my life being dragged down by the memory of what happened. I guess I didn't think I could ever tell the truth, but now..." I pause, figuring that I should at least pretend that I'm feeling emotional. "It's going to be okay," I say again. "Everything. It's all going to start going back to normal."

  "I think we've done enough work for today," Lenora says, sliding her legal pad back into the folder. "I thought it would take several days to get to this point, but I can honestly say, Cassie, that you've been by far the easiest client I've ever worked with. The best thing right now would be for me to go and see if I can tie up a few loose ends, and then I can come back tomorrow so that we can get started on the more boring aspects of the book." Getting to her feet, she smiles. "I'm afraid there's going to be a lot of very repetitive work during the rest of the week as we nail down the background to what happened. Still, it'll be worth it. We'll work hard over the next few days, and then I think we'll be sitting on one of the most explosive true-life crime books that's ever been published."

  "Thank you so much for your help," my mother says as she shows Lenora to the door. "I can't believe how much of an impact you've had already. My husband and I spent so long trying to get Cassie to open up, but I suppose we just didn't know the right words."

  "It probably helps that I'm a stranger," Lenora replies. "Talking to family members can be very difficult, whereas a stranger can sometimes seem less judgmental and more willing to listen to the whole story. The human mind is a complicated thing, Mrs. Briggs, and the most obvious solution is often quite wrong. I'm just glad I was able to get Cassie on my side. She's been through so much, but she's clearly a very intelligent and perceptive young woman."

  "Oh, she is," my mother continues. "She's just been dealt some very difficult blows in life. I'm sure she'll be able to bounce back, though." She pauses for a moment. "Can't you at least tell me what she said about that poor young boy's death? Did she finally say what really happened?"

  "Sorry, Mrs. Briggs. No spoilers. The contract is very clear. If the truth gets out in any way other than through the book, there are strict financial penalties. There's no need to worry, though. Cassie has been wonderful today, and once I get the news back to Noah in New York, he's going to be ecstatic. This could be the biggest book of the year."

  I sit at the kitchen table for a moment, listening to them as they exchange pleasantries. They both sound so relieved, as if they think they've cracked a particularly hard nut. I guess it would be nice to feel the same way, but while I can fool them, I know I can't fool myself. Nothing's going to be okay. With Darper Danver back in town, the same old cycle of violence is going to start up all over again. At least I might be able to delay it, though, now that I've hopefully given Darper a nice distraction.

  Slowly, my body still aching, I get to my feet and head through to the hallway.

  "I'll see you tomorrow morning," Lenora says with a grin. "Get some sleep, Cassie. We've still got some hard work ahead of us."

  I smile politely as she walks away.

  After shutting the door, my mother hurries over and hugs me.

  "Thank you," she whispers, clearly close to tears. "Thank you for finally telling the truth."

  "It's fine," I reply, waiting for the hug to end.

  "I wish you could tell me -"

  "I can't," I say quickly, having anticipated that she'd try to ferret the facts out of me as soon as Lenora was out the door. "Just be a little patient," I continue. "It'll be okay in the end. I promise."

  "You still feel warm," she says, pressing a hand against my forehead. "You should lie down for a while, honey. You must be exhausted."

  "Sure," I mutter. "I'll get something to eat, and then I'll go to bed for a few hours. I'm sure I'll be okay by tonight."

  Once my mother has gone through to the kitchen, I open the front door and watch as Lenora Mackleberry gets into her car. She looks so goddamn pleased with herself, as well she might; after all, as far as she's concerned, she's finally cracked the inscrutable and evasive Cassie Briggs. She probably thinks she's sitting on the single most explosive crime book of the year. It's sad, in a way, to think of what's going to happen to her next. I wish there had been another way, but there wasn't. Some things just have to happen, and there's no way I can stand up to Darper. What she wants, she gets. I learned that the hard way.

  I know what I have to do.

  After a moment, I realize that it's starting to rain.

  "She's all yours," I whisper, hoping that somehow Darper can hear me as Lenora's car pulls away. "She's coming to you. It's all I can do for now. I'll have more soon, though. I promise. Please, just leave me alone. I'll give you everything you want, but you have to leave me alone."

  Fisher Benhauser

  "Fancy seeing you here," says a familiar voice.

  Turning away from the diner counter, I find none other than Becky Madison standing behind me with a big grin on her face. Without waiting to be invited, she takes a seat next to me. There's something about Becky that
has always wound me up the wrong way, and right now, she's the last person I want to meet.

  "A little birdie whispered in my ear," she says, fixing me with a determined stare. "Apparently, someone's been carving names into the trees again. The thing is, it's been a while since someone did that. Five years, to be precise. What are the odds, huh? Doesn't it make you think?"

  Staring at my coffee, I wait for her to give up and leave me alone.

  "It's funny how things work around here, isn't it?" she continues. "You start noticing patterns after a while, and then you start wondering if dangerous people are maybe becoming dangerous again." She pauses, as if she's waiting for me to reply. "One minute you're on the lookout for a spot of revenge," she continues eventually, "and the next, you're wondering if there are more pressing concerns. It'd be a tragedy if history repeated itself, huh?"

  I continue to stare at my coffee. Why the hell doesn't she just get the message and go away?

  "I'm serious," she says. "You might not like me very much, Fisher, but you can't ignore the warning signs. We both know what she did all those years ago. Can you be sure she won't do it again? What if she's psychotic? What if she's going to kill again and again until she's stopped?"

  "I don't have anything to say to you," I mutter after a moment.

  "Do you wanna know where I was last night?" she asks, suddenly sounding much more chirpy. "It was somewhere pretty fucked up."

  "Did you hear what I said?" I reply, taking a sip from my coffee. "I don't have anything to say to you, so just leave me alone."

  "Got out the wrong side of the bed, did you?" she replies, before taking a moment to order a coffee. "I was up at the cabin," she continues. "You know, the cabin. I don't really know why. I guess I was just drawn there. Sure, it's an empty space, but sometimes I feel like empty space can hold a hell of a lot of history. It was almost like I could feel the air vibrating, five years after Bobby stopped screaming. I mean, I assume he screamed. The only people who'd know for sure would be people who were actually there. The official story is that only Cassie was there, but I can't help wondering if maybe someone else was in the cabin. Can you think of anyone who might have been there, Fisher?"