Brantley felt a cold chill race down his spine.The same one that washed over him the first time Holt used that word to describe Kylie’s death.
“Not her death,” Holt said defensively.“The events of the day.The car accident, her going to the hospital.Yes, it was a tragic turn of events, but for those with an agenda, it was convenient.They took advantage of the opportunity.Manipulated the situation because it aligned with their needs.”
“There was noaccident,” Brantley seethed, breathing through his nose as anger flooded his bloodstream.
“I—”
“Juliet Prince hit Kylie with her car,” Reese said calmly.“It wasn’t an accident, but it wasn’t premeditated.Not that we can tell, anyway.Kylie was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“I know.”Holt shook his head.“I know this sounds insane.Maybe it is.But based on the information I ascertained, it was the perfect situation to take advantage of.Kylie’s injured, and if someone were hoping to lure her mother out of hiding, what better way to do that than to fake her death?”
“Jesus Christ.”Brantley took a step back.“That sounds like fictional bullshit.Yeah.I can understand an agenda, but that’s goin’ too far.How the hell does one woman hold so much power over the Adorites?Even if Meredith witnessed a hit, there’s nothin’ to say it would take down the whole family.”
“But she didn’t,” Atticus contributed.“Which makes it even more questionable.”
“You’re right,” Holt continued.“It’s a stretch, I’ll give you that.But something makes me think everything that happened that day happened because it needed to.”He turned to Atticus.“And you’re right, too.According to Decker, she didn’t witness a hit.But I think Martin Calloway’s convinced himself it’s the key to takin’ down the Adorites.”
“Why’s this guy got a hard-on for these people?”Atticus asked.“Because they’re doin’ illegal shit?That seems like overkill, no?”
Simon chimed in with, “Yes, it does.My guess is, Calloway’s not after Max because he’s a criminal.”
Atticus frowned.“Then why?”
“More than likely,” Archer spoke up, “something happened in the course of the original investigation that made it personal.”
Brantley frowned.“You’re sayin’ he’s out for revenge, and creating a fake witness is gonna take him down?”
“I doubt Meredith’s the only weapon in his arsenal,” Simon stated.“But until he finds her, she’s a loose end.”
Brantley hated to admit that it made sense.Some of it, anyway.As for the possibility that someone could fake Kylie’s death … he didn’t see that it was feasible.He remembered that day.The family had descended on the hospital, everyone waiting for news.The doctor came out and delivered the devastating blow directly to Travis and Gage.
“I want someone to look into the doctor who signed her death certificate,” Brantley told Atticus.“I want everything there is to know about him.”
“Got it,” Atticus said, typing something on his computer.
No wonder Travis was spiraling.Brantley could only imagine what the man thought when Holt told him this fucked up fiction.And now Brantley had dragged him into it.Although Travis had walked out, Brantley knew deep down the man would not be able to brush this off.Not without a flame of hope burning until they knew for sure.
Holt looked his way.“I can already tell you think I’m nuts.”
Yeah, well.If the straitjacket fits…
Brantley shook his head, but it wasn’t to deny the accusation.“I don’t believe for one second—”
The words ended abruptly.He couldn’t finish that sentence.No, he didn’t think it was true—that Kylie was still alive and breathing—but he couldn’t deny there was a twinge of hope, a tiny flame sparked from the need for it to be true.
What if?
He didn’t necessarily believe in questioning things he couldn’t see, but in this case, it was difficult not to.
“Say there’s some merit to it,” Archer prompted.“And we already have mention of FBI agents lingering in town.We haven’t identified them, but they could be around.”
“They are,” Holt confirmed.
“And what?”Reese prompted, looking at Holt.“You think they’re hangin’ out, hopin’ Kylie’s mother will pop up again because she’s heartbroken and wants to mourn her daughter’s death?”
“Nearly two years later?”Brantley tacked on.
“I don’t believe in coincidence, so yeah.”Holt nodded.“I think they’re waiting for something.”
