if he didn’t help them. But then he had second thoughts and tried getting us out. Then I threatened him.”
“Oh my god. You threatened an elderly man?” I ask in disbelief.
“Better than shooting… I’m… okay, you can’t expect me to change all at once. I was pissed and maybe losing my mind a little. That’s when I saw your note and Dave helped me reach out to this Micah guy. I… I really fucking wanted to deal with it all myself. I wanted to come in here and shoot every fucking one of them, but I’m not who I used to be anymore. I’m a better person.”
I stare at him.
He smiles at me and I realize that I would let this man get away with anything he wanted just to keep him by my side.
Epilogue
Two years later
With Micah’s help, I was able to spill all of my father’s dirty little secrets. I was able to take the police to where the bodies were buried and share so much incriminating evidence about him. Once things started to go down, other officers started giving up things as well, especially after they learned what my father had done to get them to join his side.
I was able to track down some evidence that proved I had tried going to the police and Micah worked his magic to keep Shepherd and me out of the mix. We had to agree to his side of things and do as he said, but in return, he promised to keep us out of it. I was ready to spill over all of the information anyway; it was just an added plus that he was using it as a plea bargain.
It took a long time for everything to proceed through court, especially because my father’s corruption ran deep. I’m positive they don’t even realize how deep it ran, and I was scared to dive too much into it before things would start looking bad on the people who got roped into it, like Shepherd.
But eventually, they milked all they could out of the information they had, and my father was set to enjoy the rest of his life in prison. They got my mom the help she needed, and while I wanted to be involved in her life, I couldn’t find the sympathy I once felt for her. Even before the drugs, there was so much neglect and selfishness that ruled her that I felt it was best to just turn away from any of the toxicity that was left. If she wanted me in her life, it was her turn to reach out to me. No longer was I the little boy who would hide from the monster in the house under her bed while pleading for her to get better. She didn’t save me from anything back then and she wasn’t going to save me from anything now, so I stepped back, letting the state deal with her.
It was about four months later that I got a call that my mother had transferred a large chunk of my father’s assets into my name. I sold it all and used the money to buy a little house, where Shepherd and I could live our lives.
Tony and Rose, on the other hand, haven’t been found. Tony is being hunted by the police, so I can only assume he took Rose and ran. It’s funny how the man who I spent most of my life thinking was the worst of the worst, left everything to be with the only family he had. Months after it all, I received a postcard that had no sender. But the message was clearly from Rose.
Thank you for everything you did for me. I’m sorry I didn’t start off with the truth. I feel like everything would have been simpler if I had. Maybe we could have even run away together like you suggested. I hope you’ve found someone worth fighting for. And thank you for fighting for me. Love always.
“Shepherd,” I cry the moment I see him get out of his car. I’d been throwing the ball to Bear before we’d both lain down in the grass for a moment to relax and next thing I knew, Shepherd was pulling into the driveway.
He comes over to me as I hold my hand out to him. Bear dances at his feet, happy he’s home, so Shepherd gives him a pet before sinking to the ground next to me.