Kevin slowly stepped back, allowing them to enter. “I told you at the station, I don’t know anything about where Jake might be.”
“If that’s true, then you have nothing to worry about. Other than the little lie about Jake being with you that night,” Officer Grayson stated.
They walked through the hallway and headed to the living room.
“Ah, Ms. Matthews…” He tipped his hat in her direction and they immediately began opening up drawers and going through personal items.
Kevin walked over to Tara, who was frozen in place.
“Do they really have the right?” she whispered.
“Unfortunately, yes. They have a warrant.” He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer to him. They both continued to gawk at the mess the officers were making.
“What’s this?” he heard Officer Jessup ask. He looked in her direction to find she had a pamphlet in her latex-gloved hand. “There are several brochures pointing to the same place…Iron Horse State Park.”
“That’s where we went as kids. Tara and I went there not too long ago.” He hesitated. “Those pamphlets are ours.”
“Hey, Grayson. Didn’t someone get murdered at that park recently?”
“Yeah,” he answered. “That tourist was set on fire.”
Kevin groaned. If they hadn’t made a connection before, they would now. This added to the mounting evidence against Jake, and could implicate Kevin and Tara. Officer Jessup may have noticed his discomfort, because she began to watch him intently.
“Hold on,” she started. “Were you or Jake Crawford at Iron Horse when the murders took place?”
“All I’m willing to say is that those flyers and maps are mine. It’s not going to lead you to my brother.”
“Do you mind if I take a couple with me?”
As if he had a choice. “Whatever,” he mumbled.
She placed a few of them in an evidence bag and continued to paw through some more items.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” Tara whispered.
“I’d understand if you prefer to wait outside,” Kevin said, turning to Tara.
She glanced at him and shook her head. “No. I’m not leaving you.”
He forced a smile.
“I think we have this room covered. Let’s go upstairs,” Officer Grayson said.
“I don’t feel comfortable having them upstairs alone,” Kevin admitted, after the officers disappeared up the steps.
They were about to head up after them when he heard the front door open. He turned around found his parents at the door.
“Mom, Dad…what are you doing here?”
“We live here.” His father’s reply was laced with sarcasm.
“Yes, I know, but I didn’t think you were coming home until tomorrow.”
His mother pushed her way in, her eyes wide with trepidation. “Why are the police here?”
He could hear the shakiness in her voice, and paused for a moment. At any second the cops would come downstairs and explain their reasons for being there, but he didn’t want that to happen.
“First off…why are you home a day early?”
“Your brother left me a voice message. It was unusual, because we tried to call him back but we couldn’t reach him,” his dad stated. “And my meetings were already finished, so we decided to head back early to find out what Jake wanted. Why are the cops here?”
His voice was stern, and Kevin didn’t want to prolong it, but he couldn’t believe Jake had called them. He wondered what he’d said to them.
“Mom, Dad, we have a lot to discuss,” Kevin replied.
His update was interrupted by Officer Grayson. “I think we have everything we need.” The officers stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “Oh, hello, Mr. and Mrs. Crawford,” he said, holding out his hand.
Kevin’s parents stared at him.
“I want to know what’s going on and someone better start talking,” his dad replied, his tone masked with irritation.
“Mr. Crawford, I—”
“They were about to leave. I’ll explain everything, Dad,” Kevin said, interrupting Officer Jessup.
She looked at Kevin and then turned to her partner. Kevin silently hoped they’d allow him the chance to talk to his parents. As they moved toward the door, he sighed with relief. “We will be in touch,” Officer Grayson said.
They walked out of the house, leaving Kevin’s parents looking to him for answers. “Should I leave?” Tara asked. She looked at him. She didn’t have her car there and would need a ride home.
“Actually, I’d like you to stay,” he said.
Tara appeared uncomfortable but slowly nodded. It was time to lay it all out for his parents. He released a breath before turning to them.
“We’re waiting,” his dad began. “Why were the police here?”
Kevin headed to the living room, and everyone followed him. It’d be a long, hard conversation, and they would need to take the news sitting down.
* * *
Tara felt awkward staying there. This was a private family moment, and although she wanted to be there for Kevin, his parents were another story. She imagined how they would feel, hearing news like this with her in the room. Why didn’t I insist on leaving? Kevin looked nervous, fidgeting in his seat like it was the last place he wanted to be. She’d have given anything to take his worries away.
“You said Jake called you,” he began. “What did he say?”
His dad removed a phone from his pocket. “I didn’t talk to him. I was in the middle of a meeting, so he left a message.”
He dialed up some numbers and placed the phone on the coffee table. Jake’s voice came through the phone.
“Uh…Mom…Dad…I just wanted to say hello. I…I love you and hope you both know that. No matter what happens, I need you to know that. Don’t worry about me. N…no one needs to worry about me. Goodbye.”
His speech seemed scattered and broken up at times. Tara looked up to see Kevin was deep in thought. “Did he call from his cellphone?” Kevin asked.
“I don’t think so,” his distraught mother answered. “The number came up as unavailable. He seemed broken and sad. Do you know what that was about?”
She looked tense, and Tara could only imagine what was going through Kevin’s mind.
“Does it have anything to do with the cops?”
Kevin’s dad touched his wife’s hand. “Honey, let Kevin talk.”
Tara didn’t remember them being so affectionate, but it reminded her of how Kevin acted with her. Kevin shifted in his chair, before finally telling them everything. He left nothing out, from the camping trip to their fist fight and news reports that suggested Jake’s involvement in the murders. His mom’s eyes widened and she covered her mouth. Shock played on her facial expressions.
Tara glanced at his dad and saw he didn’t appear as surprised, but he was there to console his wife. His arm was draped around her as she started to sob, repeating, “I just can’t believe it. I just can’t believe it.”
Tara shifted in her seat. She felt so uncomfortable watching the emotional family situation. She glanced at Kevin, and he caught her gaze. His face showed it all. It was tough.
“Mom…Dad…I know that isn’t what you wanted to hear, but Jake probably feels bad for what’s happened. That’s why he called you.”
His dad nodded. “He may never come back home,” he said, disbelief evident in his voice.
“I know, but that might be the best thing,” Kevin replied quietly.
It was difficult admitting that. Tara could tell it was, but he was right. His dad looked up, but didn’t say anything. Apprehension set in with Kevin’s body language.
“I think I’m going to take Tara home.”
“You do that. We can talk later,” his dad replied.
His mom still looked like she’d be sick.
Tara stood up and said her goodbyes.
His dad looked up and a faint smile crossed his lips. “Goodbye, Ta
ra. It was good to see you again.”
She didn’t know if it was sincere, but it didn’t matter. He looked to be in such pain. Kevin reached for her hand, and they grabbed their coats and left. The moment they were outdoors, she saw his chest heave as he sucked in a long breath.
“God, I’m glad that’s over,” he said.
They walked to the loaner car and turned back to the house.
“Well, it isn’t exactly over, but I’m glad they know the truth.”
Tara saw the teardrop at the corner of his eye, which he quickly brushed away.
“It’s still so hard to believe,” she offered.
She placed her hand on his shoulder, wishing she could comfort him.
“I’ll be by your side every step of the way.” She meant every word. He needed that now, more than ever.
“It won’t be easy. I’d completely understand if you bolted.”
She smiled and massaged his neck. “I wouldn’t do that to you. I promise…I’m not going anywhere.”
She pulled him down to meet her lips. He needed to know she was loyal.
“You’d better get me home,” she suggested, pulling from their kiss. “I’m sure your parents need you, too.”
He mumbled his agreement. The got into the car and headed to her place. He was silent for the entire ride. She could read the pain on his face. It was clear he was worried about his parents, Jake, and probably the police as well. As they neared her house, she felt his hand on her knee, and she cupped her hand over his until he stopped in her driveway.
“Call me later?” she asked as he put the car in park.
He nodded. He reached for his door handle, but she stopped him.
“You don’t have to. You should be getting home.” She leaned over, kissing him on the cheek before stepping out of the car.
“Talk to you tomorrow?” he asked.
“Definitely,” she answered. “Good night, hon.”
She didn’t look back as she ran up to the house. When she got inside, she fell back against the door with a breathless sigh, relieved she’d kept her stress to herself. He needed her to be strong and she couldn’t let him down.
“Tara? Is that you?”
She groaned, closing her eyes. She decided not to tell her mother what was going on, because she would only meddle. She didn’t need her words of wisdom.
“Yes, Mom!” she called out.
“Come to the living room.”
It wasn’t a request. It was an order.
She moved toward the sound, reluctant but obedient. Her mother was sitting on an armchair surrounded by piles of papers on the floor.
“What’s that?” Tara asked.
Her mother looked up. “I’m trying to work on budgeting, but it’s nearly impossible. Did you know since you’ve moved in, we’ve more than doubled the amount of groceries we buy?”
Tara frowned. “I hadn’t really thought about it.”
“Well, it’s true,” she mumbled. “All the utilities have gone up. I’m working extra hours so I can keep things running smoothly, but it’s getting to the point even the extra hours aren’t going to be enough.”
“What can I do to help out?” she asked.
“Well, for starters…you could help out with the bills. You could pay rent…anything would be helpful.”
“I can help a little,” she agreed, “but the petting zoo just closed for the season, Mom, and I’ve been saving up for when I go to Montana next year. Can I help out in any other way?”
“You know,” her mother confessed, “I had been thinking of selling this place and getting something smaller. Like an apartment.”
Tara wasn’t surprised. She could tell her mom was unhappy.
“It’s been really hard, being here without your dad,” she continued.
“I miss him, too, Mom,” Tara said.
She sat on the side of the armchair and held her mom for the first time since she had moved back home. It was probably just as uncomfortable, and no longer a place either of them felt they belonged.
“How about if I pay what I can, and if you’d like, I can help you hunt for an apartment or condo.”
“Like old times, when we’d go window shopping on the Fridays that your dad worked late,” her mom answered, with a hint of a smile.
“Yes, Mom, just like old times.”
“It’s a date!”
It was a relief to see her mom feel better. Tara had not stopped to think about how hard her life must be without Dad. She had Kevin to lean on when her father died, but her mom had no one. Selling the house was probably something she should have done a long time ago. Still, there were at least six months until she and Kevin were going to leave for Montana. Tara would have to figure out some living arrangements. God, I wish I could just move to Montana right now! She couldn’t wait that long, and the sooner she and Kevin could return to their original plan, the better.
Chapter 7
Kevin walked into the living room. His parents were sitting in the same spots on the sofa. The television was turned to a news channel, where the anchormen discussed the string of murders. A picture of Jake flashed on the screen with the word WANTED above his face, and his mom unraveled. Her sobs turned to full blown weeping, and even his dad couldn’t soothe her.
They had not noticed him there, so he cleared his throat as the television program went to commercial. They looked up and his dad turned the television off.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Kevin said, sitting down on the soft blue armchair.
“That’s all right. We shouldn’t be watching the news anyway,” his dad said. “I know I can speak for your mother and me when I say we’re in shock there’s a manhunt for Jake.”
“You’ve got that right,” his mother muttered in between loud sniffles.
“I’m sorry I had to be the one to tell you.”
Kevin looked between his parents. His mom’s red face and his dad’s sad eyes were something he wasn’t used to seeing. They always seemed so carefree and nothing bothered them.
His dad leaned back against the couch.
“When you left, your mother and I started talking. We know we’ve not been the most vigilant of parents, but we really tried. I guess we didn’t try hard enough.”
“You can’t blame yourself,” Kevin insisted.
While he believed in his words, it was easier said than done. Deep down, he also blamed himself for his brother’s actions. He blamed himself for being an alibi when he didn’t know any better.
“This isn’t anyone’s fault. Jake is sick. The doctors said he has schizophrenia, and things can happen. It’s no one’s fault.”
“We lost so much time with Jake, and now we might never get that back. We don’t want to do the same with you,” his mother said.
Kevin didn’t know what to say. He wanted to make things right in their relationship, but it amazed him that his parents were finally admitting something was amiss.
“I’d like that,” he replied, perking up.
“Great!” His dad smiled. It had been a while since Kevin saw that sign of emotion in him. “So, how’ve your classes been going?” he asked.
Kevin settled back in his chair, prepared to answer anything. “Really well. I’m finally getting a good grasp on this Zoology course.”
“That’s good to know,” his mother chimed in. “We couldn’t help but notice things seem to be different between you and Tara. We haven’t been around to talk about it, but there’s definitely something different.”
Kevin looked at his mom. It seemed odd to discuss his relationship with them, but he didn’t want to lose the connection they were building. It was an effort he had not seen in years.
“Actually, things couldn’t be better. We were in denial for years about how we really feel for each other. And now…it’s all changed. I’m happy about that.”
“I can tell,” his dad replied. A small smile brought up the corners of his lips. “You both seem happy and we’re happy for you.”
It was like a cloud moved out from over their house that night. They were talking, listening, and being so open. When he noticed the time, it was midnight, and as tired as he was, he didn’t want to stop. As they had just come from out of town, they needed their rest. Kevin stood up first.
“I’m glad we could have this talk, Mom, Dad,” he said.
His parents both hugged him tight. He stood there in shock for a moment, his body tense because he couldn’t remember the last time his parents had held him. Soon, he relaxed into the embrace.
“We love you, son,” his dad said.
“I love you both so much,” Kevin replied, feeling choked up. When his mom pulled back, he saw her tears. Watching her cry made his chest ache; he hated to see her in pain.
“Goodnight,” he said, quickly making his getaway before he broke down completely.
He hurried up the steps and went into his bedroom to phone Tara. As it rang, he hoped she wouldn’t already be asleep.
“H…hello?” she answered.
He paused before saying anything. He heard her sniffling, and cringed at the sound. “Tara…what’s wrong?”
“I’m fine,” she whimpered. “Just thinking about us… and Montana.”
If Kevin felt bad to see his mom cry, he felt ten times worse knowing Tara was hurting. It was as if a vice had clamped over his chest, just knowing she was in pain. And he knew it had to be about everything that had happened with Jake.
“Please don’t cry, Tara,” he pleaded.
She said nothing, but he could hear her breath catching as she whimpered softly. He hated being the cause of Tara’s anguish.
“I feel horrible you’re crying…and I was thinking. Maybe…maybe I should take a step back and let you get on with your life. It’s too much to ask for you to stand by me, when my brother has done unspeakable things.”
“Kevin…stop,” she blurted out. “I’m not crying because of Jake. I talked with my mom and she’s selling the house. We had a really good talk, but she’s been hurting since dad died, and the place reminds her of him every day. She’s going to find a smaller place, and I’m going to move out.”
“Moving out?” he questioned. “When? Where?”
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