29. The Last Line
THE LAST LINE
CAIN
T he interrogation room smells like sweat and old metal. Lo told me that Paula may not do time, considering her role in the assault, unless I press charges for theft. I am thinking about it.
My parents don’t know what to do. They’re on their way back, and they’re blaming themselves, convinced that leaving Silverton was what let Paula drift so far from everything they raised us to believe in.
My baby sister looks up when I walk in.
She doesn’t look defiant. She looks wrecked.
“Cain,” she whispers, like the sound of my name might be her last chance.
I sit across from her. A part of me wants to warn her that Lo is listening to our conversation—this is not privileged. But another just wants her to confess the truth and pay for it.
I pull out my phone and find pictures of when Faith had been beaten up by Jamie, the last time that had propelled her to run.
“The man Melody gave my apartment keys to, Paula, he did this to Faith.”
She looks horrified. “Oh my God. Is she okay?”
I don’t bother correcting her—those photos are from the past. And given that Faith clocked the bastard with a cast-iron pan, he’s probably still seeing stars. But Paula doesn’t need to know that. I want her to stay in the dark and feel guilty.
“Do you care if she’s okay?” I demand.
“I didn’t know,” she blurts out. “I swear to God, I didn’t know Mel was going to do that. I thought…”—she swallows hard—“I thought she was just going to try to sleep with you. Stir up some drama. Make Faith leave.”
“Stir up drama?” My voice cuts sharp. “Is that what we’re calling it now?
Melody contacted Faith’s abusive ex. Gave him access to my apartment, thanks to you.
Made sure to do it when I wouldn’t be there.
And he beat her within an inch of her life.
” I lean forward, voice low and furious.
“You think that’s drama? That’s attempted murder, Paula. Don’t dress it up.”
Paula shakes her head in despair. “I didn’t know about this guy…I mean, I knew he existed. I…Mel said that Faith stole from him, and she talked to him.”
“Why would Melody talk to this asshole?”
Paula closes her eyes, tears leak out. “To…figure out how to get rid of Faith, get her to leave Silverton.”
“And you were in on the plan?”
She purses her lips, nods. “I…I always thought you and Mel would get together. My best friend and my brother.” A sob tears through her. “I wanted that. Mel is nice and?—”
“Melody made you a co-conspirator in assault, Paula. She orchestrated my girlfriend getting hurt. You think that’s nice?”
Paula nibbles at her lower lip, sniffling. “She’s so beautiful. And she dresses nice and…she’s…she’s my best friend, Cain.”
“So, the plan was to scare Faith with her asshole ex, who used to beat her, so she’d run from here like she did from Seattle?”
She nods, her eyes closed.
I let the silence settle, let her sit with what that means.
“She could’ve been killed, Paula.”
“I know.” Her voice cracks. “I didn’t know it would go that far. I didn’t?—”
“But you gave Melody my apartment key.”
“Because I was stupid. I thought if Melody could get you to sleep with her, you'd...you’d walk away from Faith. And maybe come back to us. To me.”
I sit back. “I’m your brother. I’ve always been there for you. This is you being cruel to someone to impress your friend. High school was over a long time ago, Paula.”
She starts crying in earnest. “I know.”
“I’ll get you a lawyer,” I interrupt. “Mom and Dad said they’ll help if you’re willing to go stay in Palm Desert with them. Get your shit together. Get some space. They’re done enabling you. So am I.”
She presses her palms to her eyes, shoulders shaking. “Please don’t hate me, Cain.”
“I don’t hate you. But I can’t be your brother the way you want me to be. Not if it means sacrificing everything decent left in me.”
She tries to speak, but I’m already walking away.
Melody is next. She’s pacing the interview room like she’s rehearsing a monologue.
She throws herself at me when I walk in. “Cain! Oh my God, thank God. Please. You know I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I just wanted to scare her. Make her leave. I?—”
“Stop.” I set her away from me and sit her down on a plastic chair.
She sobs harder. “I didn’t know he was going to hurt her like that?—”
“You gave him my apartment keys, told him when she’d be alone, you wanted her hurt.”
“Cain, please ?—”
“I’m here to look at you before you spend God knows how long in prison, so I can live the rest of my life knowing you’re paying for your crimes.”
She blinks, stunned. “I grew up with you and Paula, Cain. I’m her best friend.”
“You fed on Paula’s delusions and called it friendship. You weaponized your jealousy and called it love. But all you ever did was poison the well and cry when the water turned black. Now you can both rot in it.”
I exhale, releasing some of the horror inside me over what these two women did.
She screams something behind me as I leave. I don’t turn around.
I talk to my parents on my way to Faith’s place. They’re at the airport waiting for their flight. They’re disappointed, heartbroken, and in pain. I don’t know how to help them. And I doubt my method of feeling better, which is to cuddle up with Faith, is going to work for them.
When I walk into Faith’s apartment, she’s curled up on the couch, a book open on her lap. She looks up, and everything in me stills. I take my shoes off and walk up to her. Kiss her softly.
“Hey,” she says gently.
I get on the couch and lay my head in her lap.
“Done?” she asks, fingers moving through my hair.
“Yeah. With all of them.”
“She’ll always be your sister, Cain.”
“I know. But I can’t be her brother any longer.”
She leans down and kisses my forehead. “Okay.”
“Yeah?”
“That was a ‘ we’ll discuss this at another time’ okay.”
I grab her hand and bring it to my lips. “Thank you.”
“For?”
“Being here. Being you. Being with me. Being mine. Letting me be yours.”
“My, my, that’s a lot of things you’re thanking me for,” she teases.
“I know.”
We are quiet after that.
I doze off on her lap while she strokes my hair, reads.
It’s nice.
I’m home.