Twelve months ago, the warrant for his execution had been signed and he had twenty-eight days left on earth. That had shaken him to his very core because he’d been innocent. He thanked God every day for the second chance at life he’d been given with Saige.
Just thinking about Saige, his eyes found her as they always did. He smiled as his wife hugged his brother and Christina goodbye, which caused Quinten’s heart to swell with love for the amazing woman. Her strength and resilience, after everything they’d both been through, had known no bounds. Her love and compassion held him together on the days when his past really got to him.
Saige stood back so he could hug Christina, and then it was his brother’s turn. Men or not, he pulled Alex into his embrace and held him tightly. “Thank you,” he whispered. “Thank you for everything.”
Alex held tight and the brothers embraced for a long time before Alex stepped back. Quinten couldn’t place the emotion on Alex’s face as he backed up to the driver’s side.
Quinten frowned and wrapped his arm around Saige when she snuggled into his side.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, and kissed his chest.
He shook his head. “I’m not sure.”
Before Alex disappeared into the car, he stopped and looked at them. “I’m sorry, Quinten.” He turned and looked out at the mountains that surrounded the house before turning back to Quinten and holding his gaze. “You never should have been blamed for the college girls.” His face was serious, then he smiled like the old Alex before he climbed in the car and drove off.
Day 366
Dear Mr. Peterson,
* * *
Things aren’t going too well for me here, at least, nothing like I thought they would. The food is okay but the mattress is so lumpy that I think I’d rather sleep on a bed of leaves on the forest floor. Perhaps, it wouldn’t be as scary as this place. They have really bad people inside these walls and they keep threatening to do bad things to me.
I wish someone could help me.
I did kill Jocelyn, Fern, and Tracy, and I did take Saige with help from Jocelyn, but that is all. I didn’t kill anyone else, even though I nearly killed Detective Robinson with that bomb. I’m sorry about that.
You see, I know who killed those girls, because I had an obsession with him. He had the life that I wanted, but knew that I could never have. Who would look at me the way the girls looked at him? So one night I followed him thinking that he was meeting up with a woman, except he went to that shack. I saw what he did to that first girl. I didn’t see everything, only the ending, which is why I’ve never been able to tell the police about that first one.
I was prepared for the second one though, and I watched and waited. When he left to go home for the night, I snuck into the shack and that’s how I got the souvenir. I had a good collection, too bad they didn’t let me keep it.
He loved frightening them. They were terrified of him, and of me. I learned a lot from him and used my new skills to kill that lying bitch, Jocelyn. She deserved everything that she got.
But the real killer isn’t behind bars, is he?
They had the wrong brother all along. I know the college girls killer is you, Alex Peterson. But don’t worry, I won’t tell. I’m good at keeping secrets.
* * *
Paul Lewis
* * *
Alex folded the letter and tossed it into the fire, watching as it was engulfed in flames. He waited until it turned to ash before heading toward the bedroom to join Christina. She was finally completely his, and nothing or no one would take her from him.
* * *
THE END
Afterword
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