It wasn’t more than thirty minutes later that Tempest yelled from the other side of the house. “Silas,” she said. “I found what we’re looking for.”
I followed her voice to my mother’s bedroom, where she stood holding a small book. “What is it?”
“Your mom’s journal,” she said. “I just started paging through it, looking for what was around the time of her death.”
“Luke came through here and didn’t see anything,” I said. “Where was it?”
Tempest pointed to the wall. “I took the grate off the wall, there,” she said.
“How’d you know to look there?”
Tempest shrugged. “I figured if there was anything that might link the sheriff to something hinky, he’d have probably already been here and taken something if it were hidden in a place that was obvious, like under the mattress or in a drawer. The place doesn’t look like it’s been tossed, but if he’s smart, that’s what he would have done. The grate is where I’d stash something if I needed to hide it. Or under a floorboard. Or outside, under a crawlspace. Or -”
I interrupted her. “Okay, I get the picture. Did you read it?”
She opened to a page. “Only a little bit,” she said. “Just to see if there was anything there.”
“Is there?”
She nodded. “You probably should sit down.”
“Well, fuck,” I said. “So, Luke and I were right. There was something going on, and Jed and his dad are both dirty. That’s no big fucking surprise.”
“Now you have answers, at least,” Tempest said. “How do you feel about your mom?”
“You mean, reading her confession to killing my father?” I asked, shaking my head. “Pissed off.”
“I’m sorry, Silas,” she said.
“It’s not even the fact that she’s the one who killed him,” I said. “I mean, he’s been a dickhead my whole life. He beat on all of us. It’s the fact that she killed him now instead of years ago, when we were kids.”
“Back when he was terrorizing you,” Tempest said.
“Exactly,” I said. “I mean, he beat on us right in front of her, you know? You’re going to watch your kids get the shit kicked out of them, going to let that monster kick the shit out of you, and not do anything about it? But you’ll kill him over money? That’s fucked up.”
Tempest shook her head. “It’s a shit deal, Silas.”
I shrugged. “It is what it is, I guess,” I said. “I didn’t shed any tears for her before, and I feel a hell of a lot less inclined to do so now.”
“We also know what’s going on in the town,” she said. “And we have an idea of who killed her.”
“We should bring this to my brothers,” I said.
Tempest’s face looked drawn. “I don’t know if I should go with you,” she said.
I covered her hand with mine. “You think Elias hates you,” I said.
“I know he wouldn’t have been happy about what happened, Silas,” she said. “Me leaving and all. Yeah. I’d guess he hates me.”
I smiled. “And you care what he thinks?” I asked. “This Tempest who gives a shit is really endearing. This nervous Tempest is pretty cute too.”
“Shut up, Silas,” she said. “I didn’t even say I would go.”
“I have the car,” I said. “You’re going.”
“Where the hell have you been?” Elias asked, his voice loud. Then he looked behind me. “Who’s this? You have a girlfriend. Why didn’t you say that?”
I rolled my eyes. “Elias, this is Tempest.”
“Hi, Elias,” she said. I reached beside me, took her hand in mine. It felt cold, and I looked at her, biting her lower lip. I couldn’t help but feel happy she was nervous; it meant she cared enough to worry about what Elias thought about her.
“The Tempest?” he said. “I didn’t even fucking recognize -” He stood in the doorway, not moving or inviting us in. “What the fuck are you doing back here? And what the hell are you doing with her? This girl tore you to pieces when she left.”
Tempest’s face flushed, but she didn’t say anything.
“Elias,” I said through gritted teeth. “It’s not any of your business.”
“Screw that,” he said. “Of course it’s my fucking business. I’m your damn twin.”
“Elias Saint.” River’s voice cut through the tension, and Elias turned his head a fraction of an inch, still glaring at me. “Get out of that doorway and invite them inside.”
I glanced at Tempest and mouthed “it’s okay” while Elias turned around and walked down the hallway toward River, leaving the door open behind him.
“Come on in,” she said as Elias stormed past her. “Tempest, is it? It’s lovely to meet you. I’m thrilled to see Silas looking so happy. I’m River.”
Tempest smiled. “We watched one of your movies the other day,” she said. “Silas told me about you.”
“Good things, I hope,” River said.