I went to the Sip and Save on Maple Road in Corbeau, Louisiana, in the early morning hours after the accident that killed Henry and Vanessa Price to pull any of the surveillance video that might have recorded the accident. The store was just opening and the young man working handed over the tapes without issue. I didn’t look at what was there until I got home. At this point, Paul Granger had been arrested. Randall Everett was led to believe his son wasdriving the car and I let him believe I had covered for him even though the real driver was Margaret Wilson. I knew Randall Everett would pay for my silence to protect his son, but not his son’s girlfriend. I take full responsibility for Paul Granger being incarcerated even though he was innocent of this crime. Now I’m facing death and will have to answer to God for my cowardly and greedy decisions. I’m hoping by setting the record straight, God will see how sorry I am and have the grace to forgive me and let me into heaven.
1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness
Silas leans back in his chair, his eyes closed, as he takes a deep breath in, holds it, and then lets it out slowly. He looks like he’s ready to explode. “Makes sense now why Margaret went to see Ben. She wasn’t worried about me, she was worried he was going to find out it was her behind the wheel.”
“I know you’re not okay and I get why,” I say. “But I’m worried about what you’re about to do.”
He shakes his head. “Don’t worry about me.”
I wait for him to say something else, but he doesn’t. “I’m leaving this house and I don’t think I’m ever coming back.”
He nods but doesn’t open his eyes. “I don’t blame you.”
“I’m going to tell Hank about last Saturday. About St. Francisville and Aubrey.”
Another nod. “Where will you go if you won’t stay here?” He knows I won’t go to the house I shared with Ben.
I shrug. “Not sure, but I’ll figure it out. Hank is picking me up in a little while.”
Silas lets out a deep breath. “We found that tracker on your car and removed it. There’s no reason why you can’t drive it.”
I shake off his words. He thinks I’m being silly but I can’t explain why all of it feels so tainted…my house, my car…everything. I change the subject. “You’re going to tell everyone it was Margaret?”
Silas sits up abruptly then ejects the drive, putting it in his pocket before he gets up from his chair. “No. I’ll take care of Margaret.”
He opens the door and Frank is waiting outside. Silas turns back to me before he leaves the office. “Go back to the house and wait with Mom and Dad until Hank gets here.”
Silas is going to his house to confront Margaret, taking Frank with him. I don’t want to be anywhere near that, but I don’t really want to be around my dad right now either. They take off while I sink down in his desk chair and try to wrap my head around what I just saw.
A few minutes go by and I decide to call Hank and ask him to come get me now. I don’t want to be here anymore. Leaving the office, I walk back through the shop since my phone is in the kitchen.
“He saw it, didn’t he?”
Margaret’s voice startles me and I twist around to see where it’s coming from. My hand presses against my chest, my heart racing underneath it.
She steps out from behind some metal shelves that hold fertilizer and other chemicals they use on the farm.
“What are you doing hiding in here?” Just looking at her makes my blood boil. If she hadn’t let my brother think he was guilty of her actions all those years ago, how different would each of our lives have been? Ben wouldn’t ever have gotten under Dad’s thumb. I wouldn’t have been offered up to him as the prize for his loyalty. Silas wouldn’t have been stuck with her either.
“Saw Frank when I was leaving from lunch. Followed him in here instead. There’s only one reason he’d be here. Silas told me you said there was a video so I’m guessing y’all found it.”
The audacity of her talking about this like it’s nothing. “You mean the video that shows you were driving Paul Granger’s truck that night and not Silas? The video that proves you killed them but let my brother believe he was a murderer all these years?”
She storms closer. “You don’t get to just show back up here after all these years and act like you give a shit about Silas. You have no idea whathehad to do make sureyourhusband was successful and that you had everything you wanted!”
Margaret pivots and tries to leave the shop but I’m on her before she gets too far away. “Oh, hell, no. I don’t know where you’re going but we’re not done.” I grab her by the back of the shirt and jerk her back.
She loses her footing and slips, taking me down with her. “Get off of me!”
Margaret pushes me away and slips free then gets to her feet while I’m still on the floor.
“Did you kill Ben too, you murderer? I know you were at my house that day!”
This stops her cold. She turns around and looks down on me. “No. Was I worried about what Ben would do if he discovered he covered for me instead of Silas? Yes, of course I was. That’s why I wanted to talk to him. To see if he knew. But I didn’t kill him.”
I glare at her with narrowed eyes. “Why would I believe a liar like you?”
Margaret screams and lunges for me. I only have a few seconds to cover my head before she’s on top of me. “I’ve always hated you! You’ve turned your back on this family yet they all still worship you!”
