Guilt wasn’t quite what she felt about it—at least in this moment of not knowing how he fared.She’d done what she had to do.There really hadn’t been another option except let him shoot someone who didn’t deserve it.
From the sounds of things they’d all heard, Daryl Everly deserved everything he got.
Still, there was a flicker of a worry, that whatever had broken inside her father last year that had led him to killing Sandy McCoy, was inside her too.
Nate’s arm around her tightened, like he read her thoughts and wanted to squeeze them away, when it was just happenstance because Jake had appeared and called Glenda back first.
Sam watched as Glenda went back with Jake.Then Jill.Followed by Cal.Sam didn’t really care for being left for last, but she understood that Glenda, Jill, and Cal all knew more than she did.She had just swept in and… done something.
She was dozing on Nate’s shoulder when Jake finally called her back.Exhaustion didn’t even begin to cover what she felt.Shaky.Light-headed.A little slap happy.But she got to her feet and followed Jake back to a room with a table and chairs.
Jake gestured to a seat.
She took it mostly because her legs felt like jelly.“So, going to arrest me?”
He spared her one disdainful look before he glanced down at what she assumed were his notes.
“I just need you to take me through what happened from your point of view before I arrived on the scene.”
Sam sighed.The past twenty-four hours had been a bit of a nightmare, and she wasn’t too keen on relivinganyof it, but better to get it all out now while it was fresh than have to come back here and talk about it more later.
So she went through staying back when Cal went into the cabin, seeing Everly lead them out by gunpoint.Following them up into the state forest.
“He said he was going to kill one of them,” Sam explained.“I heard it plain as day.I had to shoot.I tried to aim for damage without fatality.”She still couldn’t decide how she’d feel about fatality.
Maybe she needed sleep before her mind could engage with that possibility.
Or maybe she was more like her father than she thought.
She shook away that terrible thought and tried to focus on Jake.
“I haven’t heard anything yet regarding his prognosis, so presumably he’s still kicking.Look, Sam, I’ll be honest.All the statements I’ve taken match yours.I doubt any charges will be filed, regardless of how he ends up.”
She hadn’t realized she’d been worried—unreasonably worried, but worried nonetheless—until he said those words and her shoulders finally relaxed.She’dknownshe was justified but hearing it from an actual cop helped accept it.
She wouldn’t be in jail with her murderer of a father.She wasjustified.Or something.
“What about everything he said to Glenda?You heard that right?About…” Sam trailed off, because it occurred to her a little belatedly that part of everything Daryl had said involved Jake’s dad.That it wasn’t just a case to him.
“Yeah, I heard,” Jake said flatly.“I also recovered the bag Everly had,” he said.“Let’s just say for getting away with murder for twenty-five years?He wasn’t very smart about it.There was an entire diary outlining him killing my father, convincing Gerald to call it an accident, then killing Gerald and convincing Glenda it was self-defense.In great detail.”
Sam wondered if that didn’t make sense because it didn’t or because her brain wasn’t firing on all cylinders.“Why would he do that?”
“I’ll let a psychiatrist determine that.”Jake shrugged.“If he survives, he’ll be arrested.His own words used against him.Including his involvement with the police officer who hung himself.Should be open and shut.”
“If he doesn’t survive?”
Jake looked at her.“Then he doesn’t,” he replied simply.
Sam managed a nod.She didn’t really know how she felt about that, but she supposed it was as simple as that.Either way, they all had the truth now.
“So, those hikers who found your father…”
Jake shrugged.“As far as I can tell?Happenstance.Really weird happenstance.But sometimes that happens.”
She nodded.It was true, and so much of this ended up connecting, it didn’t surprise her that one thing didn’t.
“That’s all I need from you tonight, Sam.You can all go now.Get some rest.You’ve had a hell of a few days.”
