If I Should Die_ A Novel of Suspense - Allison Brennan [98]
When Joe died, Ricky got angry again. In the isolation at the cabin, he realized that the reverend had used his anger, turning it against Adam and Tim.
Ricky sat at the top of Bear Rock and stared at the sinking sun. It had been a warm day, but now the air turned chilly. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, his fingers brushing against the small gun that Jon Callahan had given him last night for protection, but Ricky had never shot anyone. Could he kill a human being? He didn’t know. Except, Aunt Bobbie wasn’t human. She was a monster, through and through.
The sky was so clear, he already saw a few of the brightest stars shining from the heavens. Guilt and grief overwhelmed him, and he prayed that Adam could forgive him. He hoped Joe was up there and understood that Ricky didn’t mean to hurt anyone.
A doe and her fawn walked by only twenty yards away, heading away from the clearing and toward the safety of the woods. Suddenly they froze, their ears at attention. Then Ricky heard what they did, a motor, far in the distance, but coming closer. The deer bolted into the trees, and Ricky almost followed, until he recognized the motor as belonging to an ATV.
He turned and saw the quad emerge from the woods and stop at the base of Bear Rock. Ricky remained alert, staying low on the rock, his hand wrapped around Jon’s pistol. The engine cut out and the rider took off his helmet. It was Adam Hendrickson. He waved. Ricky didn’t wave back.
He watched as Adam climbed Bear Rock. He slipped a few times, and Ricky scowled. They’d come here many times and Adam used to be so sure-footed. Now he was a soft city boy.
Ricky didn’t budge when Adam sat down next to him.
“Leave me alone,” Ricky said. He averted his face so Adam couldn’t see that he’d been crying.
“Sean Rogan seems to think you and I need to talk.”
“I don’t want to talk.”
“Talking to you isn’t my idea of fun, either. Why did you do it? My dad liked you. He took you fishing and horseback riding, even when I wasn’t around.”
Saying nothing. Ricky stared at the horizon and wished he could disappear as easily as the sun.
“Listen, Ricky, there’s a lot of stuff happening right now, and I’m willing to put this crap aside.”
“Why? Go ahead, call the cops, have them arrest me.”
“We’re not turning you in.”
“I wish you would.” He meant it.
“You want your life to be over? For me to just send you off to juvie and be done with you? Do you think that’s what my dad would have wanted me to do?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t—” He stopped. There was no excuse for what he’d done. He could have said no. He whispered, “I’m sorry.”
“I know you are. Dad liked fishing with you, even when I wasn’t here. I’m glad he had you around. I’m a little jealous that you knew him so well, and I only got him two months out of the year. But life isn’t fair. Frankly, it sucks sometimes.”
Ricky grinned, then masked it. Adam smiled. “It really does. But from now on, you’re part of my family. That’s what my dad would have wanted. And it’s what I want.” He paused. “I’m sorry about your uncle.”
Ricky coughed to hide his sudden emotion. “Thanks.”
“I need to call Sean and tell him I found you. Trust us, okay? Sean’s going to keep you safe, but you have to listen to him.”
“I didn’t know Aunt Bobbie was in town. My father always hated her, but I never knew why. When he went to jail she came to see my mother. She—” He stopped. He couldn’t do this. He didn’t want to think about it anymore.
“Sean went to visit your father today. And we found out that Bobbie Swain had my dad killed.”
Ricky shook his head. “It was a heart attack.”
“He was poisoned. There was no autopsy because Doc Griffin signed off that he had heart trouble. I didn’t know he hadn’t. I should have been here. I could have saved him. Or at least known about his medical condition so that I’d known enough to demand an autopsy.”
“Bobbie would have killed you, too, Adam,” Ricky said. He stared at the glowing horizon. “She knew my mom had cancer and was going through