Piper reached back and laced our fingers together. I stayed right behind her.
“I know about the affair between your dad and my mom,” she said. “Zach told me. He brought me here and told me everything. He tried to kill Danny a few days ago.”
“Oh God,” Dillon whispered. “When I heard about the stabbing, I was afraid…but I wasn’t sure…”
He didn’t look like a twenty-something man anymore. Dillon looked like a scared little kid.
“I wanted to tell you, Piper. About you being my sister. Zach told me not to. I’m sorry.”
“I know. It’s okay. But there’s more.” She took a step toward him. I stayed close, ready to lunge if Dillon lashed out. “Zach wasgoing to hurt me. I tried to run, and Zach followed me. We fought and…he went over the edge.”
Dillon started to move toward the slope, but Piper touched his shoulder.
“Don’t look. He’s gone, okay? You don’t want to look.”
Dillon fell to his knees, tears streaming down his cheeks. Piper kneeled and wrapped him in her arms, and he dropped his face to her shoulder.
She was holding him up. Being the strong big sister the poor kid needed. So I went to my knees too and put my arm around her waist. Making sure that she could lean onme.
The wail of sirens drifted through the air, but none of us moved from that spot on the grass.
“Mom!” Ollie cried.
He started running, and Piper caught him in her arms. “Ollie-bear. Hey, bud. I love you so much.”
“I was scared.”
They hugged for a solid minute. Then, to my surprise, Ollie let go of his mom and hugged me around the middle. “Thank you for finding her.”
We were at the Silver Ridge PD headquarters. I’d spent way too much time here a few days ago, and certainly hadn’t expected to be back so soon. But this time, I was in the waiting area along with a whole crowd of people.
Grace had brought Ollie here because he couldn’t wait to see his mom.
Shortly after Piper had told Dillon his brother was dead, a police car rolled up. Milo had called them, like I’d asked. After the reports that Piper may have been kidnapped, they’d agreed to send a car to check the old house at the Kirby property.
As of now, the county coroner and crime scene techs were probably working on the scene. Piper had given a short statement,the cop told us to head to the station for a full interview. So here we were.
Dillon hadn’t been in any state to drive, so the three of us had piled into my truck to drive back to town. But along the way, we’d pulled off to the side of the road for Piper and Dillon to talk. She’d wanted him to wait to hear the rest of her story, but the kid had insisted.
Dillon had only known bits and pieces about Danny’s blackmail plan from his brother. A few days ago, he’d worried Zach could be involved in Danny’s stabbing. But he’d wanted to talk to his brother before making any accusations.
Dillon admitted to scheming with Zach and Chad Bronski to plant the fake drugs at my house, though. He’d confirmed that what Zach said was true. Even if he’d had no idea that Zach stole my sweatshirt or the knife from Piper’s house to frame us.
But the worst part by far was when Piper recounted the true events of the night of the fire. How Zach was the one who’d started the blaze without knowing his sister was inside the house. How he’d blamed Piper for living when Jeanine had died.
It was horrifying. Even with all I’d been through with Ashford, he hadn’t actively wished me harm. How could anyone know Piper, see how much sunshine she brought into this world, and want to snuff her out of it?
But maybe that was the very thing that had tortured Zach for years. Knowing she was his sister without being able to acknowledge it. And losing his other sister because of his own tragic actions. The guilt must’ve eaten him alive.
“Can we go home, mom?” Ollie asked.
“Not yet, buddy. Chief Nichols wants to ask me some questions about what happened today.”
“What did happen?”
Piper met my gaze. Then turned back to Ollie. “I’ll tell you everything I can. But I need you to stay with Grace and Grayden for now. And keep being brave. Can you do that for me?”
His chest lifted and he nodded. “I will. I’ll be right here when you’re done.”
