“No, and trust me, I’ve had fifteen years to ponder it, replay the weeks, months and days leading up to Sylvia’s death. Trying to remember her actions, recall anything unusual she might have said or done. But my mind goes blank.”
He paused a minute and then said, “I do know that it was during that time when Granger Aeronautics was at its peak. We had government contracts coming in from left and right, and we’d just finished work on our first supersonic combustion engine. The model had been unveiled the year before. Everything was going great.” Except for my marriage. And Sheppard refused to discuss just how terrible his relationship with their mother had become during that time.
“There are a lot of unanswered questions, Dad. So we hope you understand why we want to reopen your case,” Jace said, leaning forward in his seat to stare directly into his father’s eyes.
Instead of answering, his father handed him a slip of paper that had been lying on the corner of the table. “I don’t want you to do that for this reason,” Sheppard said.
Jace read the contents on the paper before passing it on to Caden, who skimmed it quickly and passed it on to Dalton. When Dalton saw his father frown, he figured that neither he nor his brothers had reacted the way their father had expected.
“So someone has threatened to kill us,” Jace said casually.
“Yes, so hopefully now you understand why you can’t reopen the case.”
“Sorry, but we don’t understand,” Jace countered. “The one thing I think the three of us remember before you left for prison is that you always told us when the going got tough, that’s when the tough got going. You said never to back away from a fight.”
Sheppard nodded. “Yes, and I also recall telling you to choose your battles wisely. I’m taking that note seriously, guys.”
“So are we, Dad,” Caden said softly. “I would just love to meet the coward who wrote it. Evidently, there’s information surrounding Mom’s death he doesn’t want exposed.”
“And if he killed once, what would stop him from killing again?” Sheppard interjected.
“I dare him or anyone to mess with any of us,” Dalton said angrily, tossing the paper back down on the table.
“What about your wives?”
Dalton’s lips curved into a happy smile. “I don’t have one of those.”
Sheppard rolled his eyes. “I was referring to your brothers.”
“And what about our wives?” Caden asked, holding his father’s gaze captive.
“If you reopen the case, this demented person, whoever he is, will not just strike at you but might be crazy enough to go after those close to you. Those you love.”
“I’d like to see him try,” Dalton snarled. His eyes had darkened and seemed to flitter with deadly outrage, though moments before he had been quick to disavow having a wife.
“That’s something the two of you need to think about,” Sheppard said, addressing Jace and Caden, deciding for the time being to ignore the simmering fury radiating from his youngest son.
“Do you think we haven’t, Dad?” Jace asked, rubbing his hands down the front of his face. “Caden and I talked it over with Shana and Shiloh, and they feel the same way we do. We want you out of here, and to do that, we have to expose the real murderer.”
When Sheppard didn’t say anything for a long moment, Caden asked, “If it were me in here instead of you, Dad, and someone made you the same threat, would you let me stay in here out of fear?”
“Damn it, it’s not fear, Caden!” Sheppard said, raising his voice in frustration.
“We know, Dad,” Caden responded gently. “And you’re right. It’s not fear. It’s love. You might as well have given up your life fifteen years ago, at least life as you knew it. And if one of us...all of us...have to give up our lives for you, it will be worth it.”
“Don’t you see that it won’t be worth it? If I were to lose any of you, I would lose everything.”