Chapter 10 - The Man Who Survived
Cole returned fire.
Agents dragged Betsy and Darwin behind a vehicle.
“Darwin!”
His eyes remained open.
“Still here.”
Blood covered Betsy’s hands.
“Don’t you dare.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Paramedics arrived.
The bullet had passed through his shoulder.
Painful.
Bloody.
Not fatal.
Betsy nearly kissed the medic who told her.
Instead she sat beside Darwin in the ambulance.
“You scared me.”
“I noticed.”
“I hate you.”
“No, you don’t.”
She glared.
He smiled weakly.
“No, I don’t,” she admitted.
The second shooter escaped.
Silas refused to identify him.
But Daniel knew.
“Graham Pike.”
Leonard Pike’s brother.
The man who survived the original attack.
The man who had seen Betsy help Darwin.
The man whose obsession had begun everything.
Silas was now in federal custody.
Leonard Pike was arrested.
Marcus survived surgery.
Evidence spread beyond anyone’s ability to destroy it.
Only Graham remained.
Darwin recovered at Betsy’s house.
He was a terrible patient.
“You’re supposed to rest.”
“I am resting.”
“You’re holding a laptop.”
“Restfully.”
She took it.
“Betsy.”
“No.”
He followed her into the kitchen.
She pointed toward the couch.
He returned.
Daniel watched from the table.
“You’ve changed.”
Darwin glared.
Daniel grinned.
Betsy served soup.
For several days, they almost had peace.
Then Graham called.
Betsy answered.
“Mrs. King.”
She recognized the voice from the first night.
The stranger who had called her Elizabeth.
“You.”
“You remember.”
“I remember people who shoot my furniture.”
Graham laughed.
“You think this ends with Silas?”
“It ended for him.”
“Arthur stole something from my family.”
“No. Arthur preserved evidence.”
“He destroyed us.”
“You did that yourselves.”
Silence.
Then Graham said, “Ask Darwin what he did the night your diner burned.”
Betsy looked toward Darwin.
His expression changed.
“What?”
Graham hung up.
Betsy lowered the phone.
“What did you do?”
Darwin did not answer immediately.
“Tell me.”
“The fire wasn’t caused by their bullets.”
Betsy became still.
“What?”
“One of my men ignited fuel in the kitchen.”
“Why?”
“To create cover for our escape.”
Betsy stared.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“For a year?”
“Yes.”
“You rebuilt my diner because you burned it.”
“Partly.”
The betrayal cut deeper than she expected.
Not because of the building.
Because he had promised no lying.
“You let me believe—”
“I was afraid if I told you—”
“What?”
“You’d look at me exactly like you’re looking at me now.”
Betsy removed the ring.
She placed it on the table.
Darwin went pale.
“I need you to leave.”
“Betsy.”
“Leave.”
He did.
That hurt too.
Days passed.
She worked.
She cooked.
She slept badly.
Darwin did not contact her.
He respected her request.
Which somehow made it worse.
Daniel visited.
He did not defend his brother.
“He should have told you.”
“Yes.”
“He loves you.”
“That doesn’t excuse lying.”
“No.”
Betsy looked at him.
“You’re terrible at this.”
“I’ve been legally dead for twenty-seven years. My social skills are rusty.”
She laughed despite herself.
That evening, Betsy closed Oak Haven alone.
She looked at the rear booth.
Empty.
She missed him.
That angered her.
Love after grief was not clean.
It did not erase Arthur.
It did not excuse Darwin.
It simply existed.
Betsy turned off the lights.
Her phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
A photograph appeared.
Darwin tied to a chair.
Blood on his face.
Graham stood behind him.
A message followed.
BRING ARTHUR’S ORIGINAL LETTER.
COME ALONE.
Betsy stared.
Then another message arrived.
LOCATION: THE RUINS OF THE OLD KING CABIN.
She reached for her coat.
Someone knocked at the diner door.
Betsy looked up.
May you like
Arthur’s old brass key had been taped to the glass.
And beneath it was a fresh drop of blood...
