Chapter 37
Camille
AFTER THE ALIBI
I’m eyeing the clock, counting down until the moment Hank gets here to pick me up. I’ve got all my things packed and ready, because when I leave, I’m not coming back. This week has been hard enough on its own, but being back in my parents’ house is sucking the very life out of me.
It’s as if the distance I’ve managed to create over the last ten years has evaporated completely. Dad insisted we all go to church together, sitting in the same pew we’ve all but owned since I was a baby. Then family lunch after at home.
Mom has carried the conversation throughout the meal with meaningless small talk. “We’ll probably just do leftovers for dinner,” she says. “Hate for all this food to go to waste.”
Everyone is picking at their food because no one really wants to be here except my parents. Dad is reveling in having everyone home together like my husband’s murder isn’t what brought me here. Their mourning period is over.
“I have other plans for dinner,” I say.
Dad perks up. “I’m not sure it’s a good idea for you to be seen out to dinner a week after your husband was killed.”
His words hit like a slap across the face. Of course the first time he mentions Ben’s death, it’s used as a weapon.
I tighten my grip on my fork. “Hank is picking me up. There are a lot of things we need to go over and I don’t want to put it off any longer.”
Silas throws me a questioning look but I ignore him. Margaret is steadily sipping her glass of wine, ignoring the judging glances Mom throws her way. Drinking at Sunday lunch is completely frowned upon in her opinion.
“Y’all can discuss whatever you need to here,” Dad says, looking at me pointedly.
Before, I would have given in and done exactly as he wanted, but I refuse to slide back into my old role any more than I already have.
“No. We’ve already made plans and I’m not changing them.”
We have a silent standoff of sorts across the table.
Finally, Mom breaks the tension. “Everyone has been so kind to drop off food this week. The fridge is bursting. I’ll send a few things with you to give to Hank since we’ll never eat it all.
” Then she looks at Margaret. “You can take some to your house too.”
Margaret nods but doesn’t look up from her plate.
The rest of lunch is quiet, and Margaret leaves the second our plates are removed from the table.
I can’t wait to get out of here even though I know I can’t go back to the house I shared with Ben.
Yesterday proved that. Silas keeps telling me that it’s only because the grief is so new and finding Ben like that is still so fresh, but he’s wrong.
There would never be enough time to make that house feel like a home.
Silas offered for me to stay with them but that’s basically like staying here since their house is on the property, a golf cart ride away. Plus, I can’t even stand to look at Margaret right now. I have no idea if he told her I know everything and I don’t care.
Once I’m settled in a hotel, I’ll tell my parents I’m not coming back because I know if I mention it before I leave, Dad will throw up every obstacle he can to keep me here.
I’ve decided to come clean with Hank and tell him everything.
He’s bound by privilege to keep my secrets, but I think he would anyway because he’s my friend.
While I trust Silas with my life, he’s wrapped up in this in a way that dictates his actions.
But I’m not. I need someone to talk to who isn’t connected to any of it.
Silas can tell I’m planning something but he hasn’t said anything.
I talked to him before church about Hank’s call and the search of Aubrey’s house.
His reaction…or lack of it…tells me this was not news.
He’s been weirdly quiet all day but also glued to his phone.
Whatever he’s got going on, I have no desire to know what it is.
Before, I was furious that Ben, Silas, and Dad had kept so much from me, but now I would welcome that ignorant bliss.
I’m putting the last bit of leftovers away when Silas appears at my side. His expression is strained.
“What’s wrong?” I ask him.
“I need a favor.”
I dry my hands off on a rag and throw it in the sink. “Okay.”
He nods for me to follow him. Mom has disappeared to some other part of the house and Dad is half asleep watching the Saints game on TV.
Neither of us speaks as we move across the yard to the shop on the other side of the driveway.
It’s a big metal building where most of the equipment is stored but it also houses a small office where Dad and Silas take care of farm business.
We enter the shop, the only light coming from the few windows on the left side of the building.
Just before we go inside, Silas stops. “My guy found the video. Aubrey had it this whole time. He’s here with it and it’s…
unsettling to think about watching it but I need to see what’s on it. I just thought if you were here…”
He’s scared. Scared to see what he did all those years ago. And while he’s struggling with that emotion, it’s actually a relief to me to see it. It means he’s human. It means Dad hasn’t completely ruined him.
“Of course I’ll watch it with you.”
He gives me a brusque nod but I catch the relief in his eyes before he opens the office door, allowing me to enter first. I was expecting the room to be empty so I’m surprised by the man sitting on the couch.
My hand flies to my chest. “I’m sorry, you startled me.”
He tips his head but doesn’t say anything. Silas shuts the door behind us. “This is Frank. He works for me.”
“You were the one watching Aubrey?”
Frank looks at Silas, who has sat down in the chair behind the desk. He motions for me to take the one in front of it. “Frank found a way to get close,” Silas says cryptically.
Turning to face Silas, I ask, “That’s how you knew Aubrey’s house had been searched by the cops, isn’t it?”
He nods. “Yeah, Frank was keeping me posted.”
I drop down in the chair next to Silas’s desk.
“Does Dad know you got the video?”
He shakes his head. “No. Not yet. I’ve got to figure out how much of this I’m going to tell him. His idea of fixing problems tends to be a bit more nuclear than I’m comfortable with.” He pauses a moment, swiveling slowly toward Frank. “Okay, let’s have it.”
Emotions I can’t put a name to rush through me as I watch Frank pull a USB drive from his pocket, handing it to Silas. “I wouldn’t have found it if I hadn’t been there when Aubrey got a call from Hank Landry.”
I sit up straighter at the mention of his name. “What do you mean?”
“Apparently, he went to the Angola Rodeo today and had a little chat with Paul.” Frank fills us both in on Hank’s call to Aubrey.
I don’t know how I feel about Hank calling her about this.
Silas inserts the drive into the port on the side of his laptop while Frank moves to the door. “I’ll be outside.” And then he’s gone.
I get up from the chair and stand behind his so I can have a clear, unobstructed view.
His mouse hovers over the device name but he doesn’t click on it.
Putting a hand on his shoulder, I give him a gentle squeeze.
Finally, he opens it up and we’re looking at a list of folders.
All of them are labeled with dates going back over twenty-five years.
“Oh my God. You weren’t kidding.”
Silas doesn’t say anything, just clicks on the file name with the date that corresponds with Aubrey’s parents’ deaths. There are two files. A video file and a Word document. His fist clenches as the internal fight wages inside of him then he clicks the video file. It’s dark and grainy.
“Where is that?”
“The parking lot of the convenience store on Maple.” He points to the right side of the screen. “The accident happened right here.”
There is no movement for several seconds. The only thing visible is the empty intersection lit by a lone streetlight.
And then it happens so fast. A car, presumably Aubrey’s parents’ car, enters the screen from the left side just as a truck runs the stop sign at the intersection. We both jump when the two vehicles collide even though there is no sound on the video.
“Oh my God.” Even in black and white, it’s difficult to watch knowing the outcome.
The two vehicles spin in a full circle, and when they stop, the driver’s side of Paul’s truck is visible to the camera, the front end embedded into the passenger side of Aubrey’s parents’ car. It’s easy to see why her mother died instantly. Nothing happens for a few seconds.
I don’t realize I’m crying until Silas hands me a tissue from the box on his desk.
The driver’s-side door opens. Slowly. I glance at Silas. He’s staring intently at the screen, his jaw clenched.
A person falls out of the driver’s seat. I’m expecting to see Silas, ten years ago, but it’s not him. It’s a female. Long blond hair. She’s disoriented. And then she turns toward the store, giving us a clear shot of her.
“That fucking bitch.”
“Is that…is that Margaret?” I ask. “Was she driving?”
“It seems she was.” His voice is hard and I can almost feel the anger rolling off him.
We watch as Margaret seems to get what’s happened. She goes back to the driver’s side and leans in. It takes a few minutes, then she’s pulling someone else out of the vehicle. Silas.
He falls on the ground the second he’s more out of the truck than in.
It takes her another minute or so to wake him up.
She uses her shirt to wipe away the blood on his face.
Once she’s gotten him on his feet, he stumbles around.
He appears drunk and is probably suffering from a concussion.
He seems to gather himself and looks toward the other vehicle.
Takes a couple of steps in that direction.
But Margaret grabs his hand, pulling him away.
They disappear out of the bottom corner of the frame.
At least Silas attempted to check on them but she didn’t hesitate running from the scene without a single glance to see if anyone was hurt.