“Stalemate means no one wins.” I twisted my lips to the side, considering how to proceed.
“Just leave it where it is.” This suggestion came from Beau and everyone turned their attention to him. “Leave the evidence where it is, if you can. Then, if you need it, if you need the leverage, you have it.”
Jethro huffed a laugh and shook his head. “You know, Beau. You’re a lot more like Cletus then you let on.”
“Thank you.” Beau grinned at me. “In light of recent events, I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Beau’s point was a good one. Insurance against the Wraiths, against their influence and violence wasn’t a bad thing. I still needed to meet with Repo about the unpleasantness with Isaac last Friday. Knowing I was just a phone call away from taking down the entire organization wasn’t a bad bargaining position.
When the time came to make the call—and I felt a level of confidence that sooner or later the time would come—it had to be right. I had other considerations now. I had Jennifer, my Jennifer. I couldn’t keep manipulating people, not caring about the consequences. I didn’t want my machinations to adversely affect her.
She was my priority.
“What was the second thing?” Ashley asked softly, her eyebrows raised expectantly.
The second thing?
The second thing.
I closed my eyes for a moment, allowing the abrupt wave of sorrow to wash over me, and then retreat. But it didn’t retreat. I needed more time to prepare. The first thing—the Wraiths and their downfall—was the easy thing. This . . . this was the tricky thing.
“Cletus?” Ashley pressed, sounding worried.
I didn’t have more time. The time was now.
I opened my eyes. I didn’t lift them beyond the carpet, I couldn’t.
“Darrell Winston had a third family.”
As expected, this news was met with a void of stunned nothingness. The stillness was so complete, it was deafening, and it propelled me to speak.
“Darrell had another son.”
Ashley made a sound, a quick intake of air, but nothing else.
I continued, surprised by how difficult this was to say. “His name was Eric and he died. He died of cancer. I found out two years ago, after he’d passed. I thought y’all should know.”
Curiously, my eyes stung. And this was curious because I’d never shed a tear over the loss of the brother I’d never met. I was not opposed to crying, I just didn’t do it often. I cried when my momma died. The wails and sobs were cathartic, until they weren’t. So I’d stopped.
But Eric, it didn’t feel right to cry on account of his passing. He’d never been mine to mourn. He’d been lost to me, lost to all of us, before I’d known he existed.
Movement out of the corner of my eye caught my attention and I looked up to find Duane walking toward me. Unexpectedly, he pulled me into a hug. After a short moment I moved to pull away, but he held me tighter, squeezed me tighter, and wouldn’t let me go.
Jethro stood next and walked over to us, along with Roscoe and Ashley. Their arms came around us and each other, Ashley burying her head against my neck and breathing, as though breathing me in, and holding me in her lungs as though confirming that I was still here and alive.
Beau and Billy joined soon after, Billy ruffling my hair and squeezing the back of my neck, drawing my attention to him. Our eyes met and I almost lost it because I’d seen pictures of Eric and he’d looked like Billy. He’d looked like Ashley. He looked like my family, like a brother.
Looking at this brother who I loved, no matter how much I tried to ignore and reason away the pain, I realized I’d lost a brother. We’d all lost him.
Roscoe was the first one to sniffle. The unexpected sound drew light laughter from the rest of us.
“Aw, come here.” Ashley separated from the group and folded Roscoe in her arms. She sniffled too.
“This is shitty news, Cletus,” Duane said, making us all laugh again. “When are you going to share some good news?”
Billy gave Duane a small, indulgent smile, then moved his eyes to me. “Any more secrets, Cletus?”
I paused, meeting his searching gaze, debating how to respond.
I loved my family and I missed my momma. I would miss Duane when he left. I missed the brother I never knew. Some burdens were meant to be shared, those that centered on loss and love.
But some burdens were not meant to be shared.
Eventually, I shook my head. “None that I want to share.”
And that was the truth.
I thought back to my good friends in the sheriff’s office, officers Dale and Evans and the mechanizations I’d put into place to ensure Darrell Winston would always be within my grasp. His fate was at my whim, as it should be.
I’d allowed my siblings to vote on what happened with the Wraiths, and I would respect their decision. Taking down the Wraiths was for my family.
But taking down Darrell Winston . . . well, that was for me.
***