“Blake’s last will,” Dan said as the document exchanged hands. Judge Temple seemingly couldn’t decide if he wanted to look at the document or Dan.
“This is dated the day he died.”
“It’s a legitimate will,” Dan argued. “No matter when it was signed.”
They stared each other down, but facing off against Dan, Judge Temple wisely agreed. “Fine. It’ll do.”
Dan looked over his shoulder to where the captain stood. “Well?”
“I’m gonna need a cause of death,” Captain Stevens said.
“Looks like a heart attack to me,” Dan smiled.
“He has gunshot wounds to his chest and head.” Stevens looked unamused.
“Suicide.”
“Two-hundred witnesses saw him fleeing an attack.”
With a sharp exhale, Dan ran his hands through his hair. “I have to come up with the story, too? Fuck. Fine. Murder suicide, jealous colleagues shot him and killed themselves.”
The captain exchanged a look with the judge. Dan tapped his foot impatiently.
“Alright, that’ll work.” Judge Temple signed the release form and death certificate.
“Fucking great,” Dan said, snatching the paperwork from the judge’s hands. He watched each of them closely as they filtered out first. Leaving him alone with the slab that hosted Blake’s dead body.
“Goodbye, you fucker,” Dan smiled.
* * *
Paul signed the hospital discharge papers and handed them back over the counter. Leaning against the nurses’ station, Paul watched the doctors and nurses buzz around him, living much more important lives than his.
He recognized none of them, but he was looking for someone in particular. It had been so long since he’d seen her. So long since he’d been allowed to see her that he hoped she’d still recognize him.
“Hi there, stranger,” a female voice said, and Paul’s heart did a little flip.
Paul smiled a wide, toothy grin when he spun to see his little sister, Brooke.
Brooke let out a smalloofwhen Paul pulled her into a hug so tight that she couldn’t even lift her arms in return.
“Brooke,” he said. “It’s so good to see you.”
Her voice choked up as he released her enough for her to hug back. “It’s so good to seeyou,big brother.”
When they pulled away, Paul wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.
“I suppose if you’re here,” Brooke said, “that means it’s over.”
Paul nodded.
“Well,” Brooke smiled, brushing some hair back from her face. “Please tell your friends to stop getting shot.”
Paul threw his head back in a hearty laugh. It had been a long time since he’d felt free enough to laugh like that. “I will ask them to tone it down in the future.”
“Please do,” Brooke said.
“How’s our patient?” Paul asked. Much as they had five years ago, as soon as they left the mansion, they rushed Mercedes to Brooke for treatment of her gunshot wounds. But being the paranoid fucker that he was, Paul wouldn’t allow himself to see his sister until Dan had confirmed that Blake’s dead body was in the morgue.
