My eyes widened. “You never mentioned it to the police?”
“Even if I’d wanted to do that, which I didn’t, I had no proof. He was a good man, Lauren. That probably wasn’t the best way to handle the situation, but I had a younger brother that I wanted to protect. I understood that instinct.”
“But people blamed you and Cole,” I reminded him.
He shrugged. “I think it hurt Cole a little, but I didn’t give a shit. He got over it once he became an adult and got out of Montana. It’s been years, Lauren. Let it go. Anybody who gossips about us isn’t someone we’d call a friend. It doesn’t hurt either one of us anymore.”
“So, you don’t want me to tell Ralph Norton the truth?” I asked. “You don’t want me to clear your name?”
“There’s no reason to clear our names. We never did anything in the first place. Do I want you to satisfy the gossips with more gossip? I wish you wouldn’t. I’d much rather you let it go and talk to my brother. He hasn’t seen you for a week and he looks like he’s about to lose it,” he finished drily.
“What if he wants me to talk to Ralph?” I questioned as I motioned toward the living room. “Do you want to come in and sit down?”
He shook his head. “He won’t. I know my brother. He’ll ask you to do the same thing I’m asking you to do. I think we’d both like to forget the past and move on with our future. Our father doesn’t deserve to take up space in our heads anymore. And no, I don’t want to come in. I have to go. I just wanted to stop by and give you my opinion. I’d really prefer it if Keith could just rest in peace.”
I nodded. God, I really want that, too. “You’re right. Your father doesn’t deserve a second thought from either one of his sons anymore. I’ll do whatever you and Cole both want. Let me talk to him.”
Asher reached into his pocket and held something out to me.
I opened my palm, and he dropped the object.
“A key?” I asked.
“Cole’s,” he said with a smirk. “In case you decide to put my brother out of his misery later tonight. I’m assuming he hasn’t gotten around to giving you a key because you aren’t living together yet. Goodnight, Lauren.”
With that, Asher turned, opened the door, and let himself out.
I let out a long sigh after I’d locked the door behind Asher.
Still shaking my head at the fact that Asher had actually come to my home, I walked back into the living room.
I guess that just showed the level of closeness between Cole and Asher.
Asher seemed to be willing to do anything to secure his younger brother’s happiness.
I sat down on the sofa and did something I hadn’t done for eight days.
I picked up my brother’s journal, opened it, and decided to read the very last entry.
I needed to read the last words my brother had written before I could move on.
The entry was dated the night before my brother’s death, and it was relatively short…
Everything is done.
I’ve sold all of the personal property I can sell to put more money in Lauren’s college savings account.
I’ve paid the rent until Lauren’s departure for college. She was raised in this rental home, but it isn’t like she can keep paying the rent while she’s on the East Coast in college.
Besides, it’s time for her to leave this place behind for now and enter an exciting new future.
I’m going to work one last day tomorrow. I’ll be going straight home to talk to Lauren before I go to the police station here in Crystal Fork.
Going to prison isn’t going to be the worst part of this confession.
Nothing could be worse than telling my sister what I’ve done.
She’ll somehow find a way to blame herself for my asinine mistake. She’s always been the kind of girl who tried to take the blame for every shitty thing that happens in anyone’s life.
