park rangers. You could have told them immediately where your friend was, but you didn’t.”
Peter Young stared at his son in horror. “Justin! What the hell made you do something so vile to a friend?”
“He wasn’t a friend. Not a real one,” Justin said.
Charlie was angry, and Wyrick knew it, even though he had yet to raise his voice.
“So, because he wasn’t your real friend, it was okay to leave his body for the animals? Is that what you’re saying?” he asked.
Justin looked away.
Wyrick pointed at Randall. “So, you’re the one who wanted him dead?”
“Not dead. Just to put him in his place,” Randall muttered.
“You left him for dead,” Charlie said.
“We thought he already was,” Randall said. “But we didn’t touch him. He fell off the trail on his own.”
Justin pointed. “No, he fell when he ducked to dodge your fist.”
Randall came out of his chair in a rage, but before he could get to Justin, both agents grabbed him and pinned his hands behind his back.
Harve and Nita Wells were in shock, and Andrea Young was bawling. Her husband, Peter, was the only one aware of the reality of what was happening. His son was going to be arrested, and the charges were serious.
“If you thought he was dead, why didn’t you just go back and tell the rangers that he fell?” Charlie asked.
“He fell into those rocks and jammed his boot in so tight we couldn’t get it out. We tried to get him free. We took off his backpack and were trying to pull him free, but his boot was stuck. We finally got his foot out of the boot, but he screamed so loud and so long when we did it and then passed out. We thought he was dead,” Justin said, and started sobbing. “We thought we’d killed him. I panicked. I grabbed my pack and we started running. I didn’t realize until a few minutes later that I had his pack, and not mine. Randall said we had to hurry, that we couldn’t be found anywhere near the body or they’d blame us, so I dropped his backpack and ran back to get mine.”
“Why did you hide the pack?” Charlie asked.
Randall shrugged. “Justin was stupid for leaving it. I just shoved it out of the way to—”
“I found the damn thing, so don’t lie to me,” Charlie said. “If it hadn’t been for animals dragging it out, it might never have been found. You didn’t shove it anywhere. You hid it.”
Randall glared.
Justin was still crying. “I didn’t mean for all this to happen. When I went back to get my pack, Tony was just lying there. I thought he was dead. I thought the rangers would find him that day. I just didn’t want to get in trouble.”
“Oh my God,” Peter muttered. “I have no words. I’m horrified, and saddened beyond words that my son was a part of all this.”
“I’m sorry, Dad,” Justin said. “I’m so sorry.”
“Some friend you turned out to be,” Randall said. “You ratted me out. I didn’t touch him! I didn’t touch him!”
“They’re all yours, Agent Raines.”
Harve Wells gasped. “Agent?”
“Special Agent Raines with the FBI,” Hank said, and then addressed both boys as they put them in handcuffs. “You lied to the park rangers, who are federal employees, who work on federal land. You caused the accident, then left a friend to die. You pretended you did not know where he was. If he had died, you would both be facing murder charges.”
Andrea Young screamed and fell back in her chair in a faint.
“I’m calling my lawyer,” Harve Wells said.
Agent Raines shrugged. “Be sure to let him know that your son will face charges in federal court, and if he does time, he will do it in federal prison. My partner and I are arresting these boys and will be escorting them to jail. Charges will be determined and filed accordingly.”
Both boys were in shock. Even Randall’s bravado was gone. He kept looking at his parents, waiting for them to rescue him, but they were silent.
When the agents began reading the boys their rights and leading them out of the office, Justin sobbed.
Both sets of parents followed, with both fathers on their phones calling lawyers.
Once the office was quiet again, Wyrick spoke. “They still don’t know Tony Dawson has not recovered consciousness.”
Charlie nodded. “And that is its own kind of justice.”
“Trish Caldwell?” Wyrick asked.
“Now you can tell her Tony’s alive. I’m going to Morning Light.”
Wyrick’s gut knotted. Annie must