“Stay here, Kyle,” he instructed.
Looking irritated, Kyle crossed his arms. “What’s going on?”
“Just wait here,” Isabel agreed.
Pouting slightly, he sat back on the couch, huffing. “I’m not a child, you know,” he called after them.
They all looked at each other in an almost comical fashion, his words causing them to smile. “Yes, you are,” all four voices rang out at once.
Once they arrived in the kitchen, Peighton turned to face Izzy. “How did you know about Todd’s death?” she asked bluntly.
“Know what, dear?”
“Frank said you told him you know Todd’s death wasn’t an accident. How did you know that was true?”
“I certainly didn’t know for sure. Mr. Todd was nervous, depressed even, for days before his death. When I heard he’d died, well, I just…knew. I can’t explain it. It was a feeling in the bottom of my stomach unlike anything I’d ever felt.”
“What does that have to do with Drew? And why wouldn’t you tell me? Or the police?”
“Drew? What on earth are you talking about?”
“How did you know that Drew…well…” Peighton couldn’t bring herself to say the words.
“Killed Todd,” Frank finished for her.
Isabel’s face fell, horror filling her eyes. “What?” She gasped.
“You didn’t know?” Clay asked her.
“How could I have? Mr. Todd was a nice man. A good man. Why would anyone want to hurt him?”
“But, Izzy, I thought you knew. You said—”
“I said we both knew his death wasn’t an accident because I thought he’d…well, killed himself,” she told them. “I thought his secret had started weighing on him too much. I never would’ve guessed it could be anything else.” She touched Peighton’s arm softly, staring off into space. “I can’t believe it. Why would he do such a thing?” Utter shock filled her voice.
“We don’t know,” Peighton answered. “We think he may have killed Clay’s wife too. He was more dangerous than we knew.”
“I never would’ve believe it. He was a polite young man. His eyes were kind,” Isabel said, shaking her head.
“I know,” Peighton agreed. “I don’t want to believe it, either, but it’s true.”
“You can’t tell anyone,” Frank spoke suddenly, “this is just between us for now.”
“I’ve never told a single secret I’ve learned in these four walls. I won’t start sharing now,” she vowed. “But the question remains, why did he do it? And how?”
Peighton didn’t answer. The logistics hadn’t occurred to her: why he’d been there, what would make him do something so horrible. For Sarah, she believed it could have been jealousy over Clay if Drew had fallen for him. She was living proof of how easy that was to do. But, he’d loved Todd. He’d even said so in the letter. Then again, Peighton had seen his evil side when he’d threatened to go public with the relationship. He was capable of destroying a person.
“Maybe he wanted Todd back and he refused. He would’ve wanted to punish him, like before,” Frank said. “Todd would’ve let him in if he’d come by. He trusted Drew.”
“What about the cameras?” Peighton asked, the idea popping into her mind. “Could we check them? See if he came by that day?”
“They only record when the alarm is sounded,” Frank told her quickly. “I’d already thought of that.”
Hopelessness overcame Peighton. She pictured her sweet husband opening the door for a man he’d believed to be a friend, a man he’d once loved, only to have his life ended so senselessly. It broke Peighton’s heart to think of her husband’s kind soul, trusting even to his downfall. She felt tears filling her eyelids and brushed them away quickly.
Isabel, noticing Peighton’s sorrow, patted her arm. “There, there, dear. You loved him with all you had. That’s all he could’ve asked for,” she soothed.
It wasn’t true though, Peighton thought. Sure, she’d loved Todd just as much as any wife could love her husband. Their marriage had been full of happiness, there was no doubt, but the truth was that he deserved more. He deserved a long and healthy life, a marriage with someone he could love in every way, and to watch his son grow up. He could’ve asked for more—he should have.
Peighton touched Izzy’s hand, unable to express all that she was thinking. “Thank you.” Frank and Clay stepped toward her, comforting her too.
“We’re here for you,” Frank said.
“I’m here too, Mom,” Kyle said, walking into the room.
“Kyle,” she scolded, “you weren’t supposed to be listening.”
“Did you honestly think I wouldn’t be?” he asked. Without waiting for a response, he went on. “You guys have to stop treating me like a baby. I’m old enough to handle the truth.”
Peighton pressed her lips together. “You shouldn’t have to, though, Kyle. Don’t you see that? I just want you to be a kid.”
“I don’t want you to have to deal with all this alone. It’s just like when Dad would go on business trips and ask me to protect you. He’d say I was the man of the house until he came back. Well, he’s not coming back, Mom, not this time. So, let me be the man he wanted me to be. It’s time.”
Peighton didn’t say anything. She couldn’t. She stood and watched as her baby, the seven-pound, six-ounce infant that she’d brought into this house less than sixteen years ago became a man right before her eyes.
And in that moment, though she knew it was impossible, she couldn’t help but think he looked just like his father.
Forty-Two
PEIGHTON
It was almost a month before they found Drew’s body. Peighton watched the short segment the news had on it. It had already been ruled a suicide before she heard much, though the reporter mentioned nothing about the note.
Two weeks after they’d discovered the truth about Todd’s death, Frank had left to start his new job in New Orleans. Two months after that, Peighton had asked Clay to move in with her and Kyle.
Today, she was somewhat regretting that decision as she stared around at the many, many boxes of his she would now have to find room for. She sat on a stack of boxes, sighing to herself. It was just after nine in the morning and she was already exhausted. Clay walked into the room, grinning at her.
“Are you ready to kick me out yet?” he asked.
“Just about,” she joked, pulling a picture of Sarah out of a box and setting it on the vanity next to a photo of Todd. He walked up behind her, wrapping his warm arms around her waist and kissing her ear.
“I can’t wait to have you all to myself,” he told her.
“Get a room,” Kyle’s voice rang out behind them. Peighton turned around, her face red.
“Are you ready?” she asked. He held a duffel bag in his hands, his hair still wet from the shower.
“Yep, let’s go.”
“Are you sure you’re okay with Clay taking you to the airport? I don’t mind. Or we could drive you if you’d rather do that.”
“No, Mom, honestly it’s cool. I know you have a deadline to meet for work. Besides, I like flying. And, as long as Clay leaves the radio alone on the way to the airport, we’ll be fine,” he joked. “None of that old country crap.”
“Hey,” Clay scoffed, “that ‘old country crap’ is classic. I’m going to have to teach you about good music, kid.”
“In your dreams,” Kyle teased, throwing his bag over his shoulder.
“You’ll be good for Frank, right?” Peighton asked him. “Don’t go anywhere without him. New Orleans is different than home.”
“I’ll be fine, Mom. It’s just two days,” he promised, kissing her cheeks.
“We’ll be there to pick you up Sunday. You call me if you need me, though.”
“Okay,” he agreed. “I’ll see you on Sunday. Now, let’s go.” He turned to leave, calling a quick “I love you” over his shoulder.
“I love you too,” she called after him. “I love you,” she told Clay, kissing him softly. “Be careful.”