I opened my eyes to the familiar surroundings of the hospital, only this time Cade was hovering over me.
“I’m glad you’re here,” I said.
He wrapped my hands inside his. “I’m glad you’re alive.”
“It’s over now. He’s dead.”
“I heard. Looks like you’ll have a few scars from your ordeal earlier today.”
I smiled. “I’ll just add them to my growing collection.”
There was a knock on the hospital room door. We looked over. Robert Falstaff peeked in and said, “Hi there, can I come in?”
I nodded.
“I’ve just spoken with the police,” he said. “They filled me in on what happened to you. I’m glad you’re all right.”
“I’m sorry I was so forward when I saw you yesterday,” I said. “If I would have known what would happen, I would not have been so bold.”
“It’s all good. I’m feeling much better now.”
“I’m also sorry about your son. No matter what John did, he was still your child.”
I glanced at Cade, who had just put together whom I was talking to. He moved closer to me, standing so close he was like a human shield.
I squeezed his hand. “Cade, it’s okay.”
Cade stared at Robert. “I know it is,” which was his way of letting us both know he wasn’t budging.
“I wondered if I could talk to you for a minute,” Robert said.
“Sure,” I said. “What’s on your mind?”
“I wanted to tell you something I should have before. It’s something I should have dealt with a long time ago and didn’t. Maybe if I had, my son wouldn’t have turned out the way he did. Maybe he would have had a chance.”
“Okay.”
“When he was young, his mum had been stepping out on me, you see, with my brother. At some point, John must have found out about it, but he never said anything to me. I’m not sure why. Maybe he was trying to spare my feelings. What I do know is that my wife had planned on leaving us and running off with my brother. John must have overheard them talking about it, and it upset him.”
At such a young age, he was about to be abandoned by a person who was supposed to love him. I couldn’t imagine what he must have felt.
“One morning, my brother and I went for a hike,” Robert said. “We took John. At a point during the hike, my brother got his camera out to take a photo. He got too close to the edge and slipped over the side. I ran to help him, but John got there first. He leaned toward my brother and told him he hated him and that he wouldn’t let him ruin his life or his family. Then John did something I didn’t expect—he kicked his uncle in the face. My brother lost what little grip he had, and I stood there, watching my brother fall to his death, knowing my son had killed him.”
“What did you do?” I asked.
“I knew then something was off about John, but I think I’d always known. I just hadn’t wanted to accept it. I could have told the police what really happened, but I didn’t. I said my brother fell over the side, and that was the end of it. When my wife found out what happened, she killed herself. John was devastated. I thought eventually he’d be okay, but he was never okay after that. Some people might say his actions aren’t my fault, but in a way, they have always been. And I just thought it was time to tell the truth. Probably sounds crazy, but it’s what he would have wanted.”
“Did you ever talk to John about what happened?”
“I didn’t. It’s one of my biggest regrets. Anyway, I just wanted you to know.”
He nodded and walked out of the room.
“Do you think if he would have told the police what really happened back then, John would have turned out differently?” Cade asked.
I shrugged. “It’s hard to say.”
Noel, James, Victoria, and Grace entered the room. Grace was carrying a giant stuffed koala in her hands that had balloons attached to it. She ran to the bed and threw her arms around me.
“I picked the koala out myself,” she said. “I hope you like it.”
“I love it,” I said.
James held a hand out to Cade, and they shook.
“You must be the husband,” he said. “It’s good to meet you.”
“You too,” Cade said.
“How are you feeling?” Victoria asked.
“A bit beaten up, but otherwise all right.”
While the men talked, she bent down and whispered, “I talked to James.”
I smiled. “And?”
“The feeling’s mutual.”
“I’m glad.”
Noel walked over and patted me on the head. “Glad you’re going to be okay.”
“Thanks,” I said, “for saving my life.”
He winked. “Oh, I don’t know about that. The man was far worse off than you were when I saw him. I just made sure he stayed that way.”
James looked at Cade and said, “We’d love for you two to stay longer. I’d be happy to be your tour guide for a few days.”
Cade looked at me. “What do you think?”
I sat up, pondering the idea. “I’d like to take you up on that sometime, but for now, it’s time for me to go home.”
***
Thank you for reading Smoke & Mirrors, Sloane Monroe book 8, and for heading Down Under with Sloane as she searched for the mysterious man responsible for the death of Senator James Ashby’s sister. I hope you loved reading the story as much as I loved writing it and that it had you turning pages from beginning to end. I particularly enjoyed bringing my love of Shakespeare to the pages of this story. Be sure to follow my Facebook author page or my newsletter to find out the release date for the next book in the series, coming 2020, and check out the Pinterest page for Smoke & Mirrors to get a visual of some of the inspiration I drew from as I wrote this book.
In the meantime, be sure to check out the other seven books in the series or my newest stand-alone novel ROADKILL
“I love this book. If you love suspense thrillers, I highly recommend it.”— Addicted to Books, Amazon Top Contributor
Suburban housewife Juliette Granger has been living a secret life ... a life that’s about to turn deadly for everyone she loves.
Fearing for her life after witnessing a gruesome murder, Juliette Granger whisks her two-year-old daughter Nora away in the dead of night and flees, planning to start a new life in a small, forgettable town under an alias. An hour into the escape, headlights flash behind her. A vehicle pulls alongside, and a deadly game of cat and mouse begins.
One-click ROADKILL now! Reviewers are saying:
“Skillfully plotted, keeps you riveted until the end!”
“Surprises throughout. The characters are well written.” —Marsha Jo, Vine Voice
“Intense writing, and the plot was very grand.”
“I love how the author interweaves the mystery and has complex characters you just want to stand up and root for!”
“I was glued until the last page.”
“Gritty characters that I just loved.”