Ross smiled at Kane over my shoulder, and then he stepped through the door. He had a briefcase in his hand, and he was wearing a suit. I was still in the same dress I’d started out in the day before. It was a rumpled disaster at this point, and my hair was pulled back in a high messy bun that I’d fixed with a hair tie after getting out of the bathtub.
It was now eight-thirty, and Ross intended to take Kane away from me in exactly thirty minutes. For a house without a single clock on the walls, all I could seem to hear was the tick… tick… tick… of some imaginary timepiece. I’d never hated and loved a time more in my entire life. This time was precious to me; it was also painful.
Every time Kane touched me I could feel a tremble in his fingers. I could see it too when he reached for the coffee pot and poured us both a cup. He caught me looking, and he instantly fisted his hands, forcing a smile to his lips.
“Helene, Kane would like to designate you his power of attorney. He wants to ensure you have legal access and rights to his assets while he’s away. Would you be willing to act as his power of attorney?”
I glanced at Kane, and he was gnawing on his lower lip.
I nodded. “Okay.”
“Okay.” Ross pulled a set of documents from his briefcase and set them on the counter in front of Kane, handing him a pen.
I watched Kane sign and initial the documents, and when he was finished, he slid them back to Ross. Ross notarized the documents as we watched and then slipped them into a manila envelope.
“I’ll stop at the recorder’s office as soon as I’m able.”
Kane nodded, but he remained quiet. He leaned over, kissing my temple and letting his lips linger for a moment. When he pulled back, he fished his keys out of his pocket and handed them to me. But he didn’t look at me.
“Umm…” He cleared his throat. “House keys and keys to the truck.” When he pulled a drawer open, he grabbed a folder from within. He had to clear his throat again. “You’ll find everything you need in here for the pending life insurance claim, my bank account information, the title to dad’s truck… You should just sell it. I don’t…” He was stammering, and when he abruptly went quiet, he closed his eyes.
“Kane?” I touched his waist.
He wiped his hands on his jeans as though his palms were sweaty, and then he abruptly turned away. “I’m going to take the garbage out,” he said quickly. He grabbed the two garbage bags he’d set by the front door and walked out, leaving the lawyer and me to stare after him.
“He’ll be okay,” Ross said when Kane closed the door behind himself. Ross pulled a business card from his pocket, handing it to me. “Kane’s left explicit instructions that I answer any questions you might have openly and honestly. He wants to make sure you’re always informed of what’s happening.”
“What is going to happen to him?” I asked. “I… I just…”
Ross smiled at me. “My only goal is to help him do this in a way that will protect his life and his future. I believe he deserves that, and I’m going to do everything in my power to get him back to you where he belongs as soon as possible.”
“Could it really be ten years?”
Ross cocked his head to the side, and my heart fell.
“There’s no such thing as a statute of limitations on murder, and Pennsylvania doesn’t have a limitation on manslaughter either. This is a manslaughter charge to me at minimum. But speaking from a strategic point of view, we hold a confession related to a crime no one knows about. That gives us the upper hand. Kane won’t spend his time worrying about that. He’s intent on putting this to rest, and I’m going to let him. But, it’s my job to make sure it’s done in the best possible way for him. And he does finally understand that.”
He smiled at me. “You know, when I first met him almost a year ago, he came to my office in Philadelphia seeking information. It wasn’t about strategy to him. He was prepared to walk in, give his statement, and let the chips fall—against my good advice I might add.” His smile pulled into a smirk. “But … then his father had a stroke, and it delayed his plans. And somewhere along the way, things changed for him. Over the past month or so, he’s started thinking strategically. He understands the importance of protecting his future. I have no doubt that’s because of you. He’s very lucky to have you.”
I nodded, but I looked down.
“I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure this isn’t elevated beyond a manslaughter category crime. It would be a gross injustice if it was, and I’m committed to fighting that, even if it means going to trial. That said, pleading this out will likely be our best bet, and it’s what I expect to happen; it’s what I want to happen. I’d like to say involuntary manslaughter, but in truth, my gut says it’s likely voluntary with very strong mitigating circumstances that need to be taken into consideration when it comes to sentencing.”