127. Well, It’s About Time

The last person I expect to see around here is Sheriff Wells. He’s no longer the sheriff, and as far as I knew he’d taken off. His place in the story of Solitary was no longer important or necessary, so off he went.

Turns out I was wrong about him.

After heading to the hospital with Kelsey and her father just to make sure she’s okay, I’m questioned again by several officials, including someone from the FBI. Wells is a part of this group, and it turns out he’s working with them now. I say everything I know without adding any details that might not be believed. Like pretty much everything to do with Marsh Falls.

After an exhausting hour of talking, Wells says he’ll take me home. My bike is still somewhere between the torched church building and the falls. It’s five in the morning, and the sheriff asks me if I’m hungry. The very mention of food makes my stomach rumble, so I say yes, and we go to the hospital cafeteria.

I sip some coffee just to wake up and go to work on a huge omelet. While I eat, Wells tells me how heroic I was to stand up to Marsh and the others.

“Thanks,” I say, not feeling very heroic at the moment.

“Do you know what did it for me, what finally made me believe that you weren’t making all of this up?” Wells asks.

I can only shake my head.

“It was when you saw that man in the alley. Remember? The one who looked like his face had been torn off?”

For a second I wonder if this is part of the questioning.

“It’s okay,” Wells says. “This is unofficial. Nobody would believe me. Or you. But that man you said you saw—I know who that was. His name was Roger Epal. He worked with Staunch and did some of his dirty work for him until he decided to try and blackmail Staunch for not sharing his secrets. Staunch did that to him.”

“So that man—he was real? I really saw that?”

Sheriff Wells nods, then shakes his head. “Confusing, huh?”

“Yeah,” I say.

“That happened five years ago. Epal died. Staunch literally beat the life out of the man. That’s what he looked like when I found him. How you described him.”

“So then—what—”

“I covered it up. Said nothing. Epal was a sleaze, so I didn’t have any guilt about that. But that was when I realized what Staunch was capable of.”

“Will he be able to get out of this?”

“No,” Wells says. “We have too much on him. What they found on his property alone—and that’s not including his house. The testimony from you and others. There’s no way. He’s not going to just get bail and go back to his nice little life. He’s done, Chris. Thanks to you.”

Wells looks as tired as I feel. He sips his coffee while watching me eat.

I don’t want to explain the vision to him. Or ask what he thinks of it. I don’t want to talk about it at all.

“What’s going to happen next?” I ask.

Wells sighs. “I suggest that you keep a low profile. Because the world is going to hear soon about all this craziness. People are going to ask you for interviews.”

“Mom and I are leaving. At least, soon enough.”

“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea. I’ll do anything I can to help you, Chris.”

“With what?”

“Anything.”