Murder Checks Inn - Tim Myers [70]
‘Take it easy. I’m still a little shaky.”
As she helped him up, Armstrong said, “What happened here?”
“Steven killed Jase trying to get a will that was never written. He tried to kill Ashley, then he went after me a few minutes ago. That’s all I know,” Alex said.
Vernum looked at the sheriff, then said, “My real name is Mathias Trask. My son killed himself when he realized he couldn’t get away with it any longer. I tried to stop him, but I wasn’t fast enough. Isn’t that right, Ashley?”
She looked at her father a full beat before she said, “That’s exactly the way it happened, Father.”
Suicide? Alex had heard them struggling. It was most likely self-defense, but Alex was almost positive that if Vernum’s hands were tested for gunpowder, the truth would come out. And who would it serve? Steven had killed Jase; Alex had heard the confession himself. Was it possible Vernum was telling the truth? Or was he lying to himself already, trying to create a memory he could live with that didn’t put his own finger anywhere near the trigger? Either way, Alex would never know what had really happened while he’d been fighting for his life.
Cynthia joined them, nearly out of breath. She saw Steven lying there, then began to wail. “Get away from my son!” she shouted at Vernum.
“Cyn, it’s me. He’s my son, too.”
Cynthia threw herself at Vernum. “You killed him! You killed him, Mathias.” All it took was the sound of his voice for her to know her husband. So that was why Vernum always ran whenever someone else was near. He’d only talk to people who hadn’t known him before, for fear of giving himself away.
Mathias let his wife pound on him, taking it all without flinching. Cynthia cried, “You did this with your stupid little game. You might as well have pulled the trigger yourself.”
Mathias said, “I just wanted to see my family again, and I wanted you all to get to know Julie. Nothing else mattered. I’m so sorry. I never dreamed it would end like this.”
Cynthia collapsed, and Armstrong was right behind her. “Ma’am, let me help you down the steps. You don’t need to be here.”
Cynthia turned to look at the body of her son one last time, then stumbled away with the sheriff. Mathias turned to Ashley. “You believe my intent, don’t you?”
“I’ve missed you so much,” Ashley said as the two of them followed the rest down, never answering his question.
Alex took Elise’s hand and said, “Let’s go.”
Elise said, “I’m so sorry this all happened up here, Alex.”
He shook his head. “The lighthouse takes it all in, the good and bad. We spread Jase’s ashes up here, and his killer died less than a foot away from that exact spot. There’s a kind of justice to it all.”
Cynthia left to make arrangements in town for Steven, while Mathias and Ashley caught up on their lives with the sheriff hovering nearby. Alex was surprised to find Tony waiting for him at the bottom of the lighthouse steps, his luggage at his feet. Alex and Elise had descended slowly, his legs still shaky from nearly going over the edge.
“So you’re out of jail,” Alex said gladly.
“Armstrong was just letting me go when Elise called. I came out to make sure you were okay.”
“Tony, why don’t you hang around?” Alex asked. “We could get to know one another again.”
Tony shook his head. “Thanks, but I’m done with family reunions. All this place has left for me is bad memories.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way,” Alex said.
“Don’t be; it’s not your fault. Vernum told me he was the source of the anonymous phone call. He heard you and Elise talking at Bear Rocks and jumped to his own conclusion. Turns out he and Jase were friends from way back, and he truly thought I’d killed him.”
“Don’t leave it like this,” Alex pleaded.
Tony said, “It’s the only way it can be.” He offered a hand to Alex, and despite everything, despite the pain and hard feelings they’d shared over the years, Alex stepped inside the extended hand and hugged his brother. He knew in his heart it was probably the last time he’d ever see Tony, and he didn’t want to end it with just a handshake.
His brother