Page 52 of The Keeper

Seth couldn’t imagine what Reggie had to say to him. Well, he could, but he didn’t want to listen to the man defend Ryan. And what did his family have to do with the whole damn Salvation Anew mess? “What time do you want me there?”

Reggie Ulrich’s room wasn’t hard to find, with two CSPD officers standing on either side of the door and Johansen, Lyndhurst, and Beckett loitering in the hallway. The trio shook his hand and tried for somber tones, but they couldn’t keep the anticipation of an earth-shattering confession from showing in their eyes. They believed Reggie Ulrich was Brother Cain, the last surviving thread to Salvation Anew. A corroborated confession could put this entire nightmare behind them, but Seth expected Reggie wanted to scrape open his old wounds. After the phone call with Johansen, Rueben told Seth about the things Reggie had said the previous night before Rueben flung the hot oil in his face. Seth couldn’t believe Rueben had kept that information from him until he recalled that he’d led his man straight to the bedroom, where dirty talk became their only form of communication.

“Do you have a copy of Reggie’s driver’s license photo?” Seth asked.

Johansen pulled a piece of paper from a file and handed it to him. Jesus Fucking Christ. Reggie was the guy who sat next to him at the Feisty Bull on the night he confronted Rueben in the stockroom. The man had attempted to make conversation with Seth a few times, but he hadn’t been in the mood. Reggie had worn a hat pulled down low on his forehead, but those arctic-blue eyes were unforgettable. According to Rueben, Keegan had described them as dead eyes, and Seth had to agree. He didn’t notice any physical resemblance between the man in the photo and Seth’s memory of Ryan Ulrich.

He returned the photo to Johansen. “See if Keegan Scott can positively identify him as Brother Cain.” Seth repeated what he’d learned about the possible sightings and Keegan’s reactions. “Give him a warning, and be patient with the identification. The guy has been through hell and back.”

“We’ll handle it sensitively and discreetly,” Johansen promised. “Ready to do this?”

Absolutely not, but Seth nodded.

The man in the bed was even more unrecognizable than before, with most of his head bandaged. Those frigid eyes locked on Seth and followed him throughout the room. Seth wondered about the legality of the interview since the guy had to be on pain meds, but that wasn’t his problem. He knew firsthand how protective doctors were of their patients, but if Reggie agreed to speak to them, who was he to argue?

The room wasn’t big enough for all four of them to sit down, so Seth took one chair, and Lyndhurst took the other. Three recording devices appeared from jacket pockets, and each of the men took turns documenting the date, time, and names of those present. Ulrich kept his unnerving gaze on Seth for the duration of introductions, barely acknowledging the other men in the room until Johansen read him his rights.

“I understand and waive my right to an attorney.” Ulrich’s voice was low and gravelly, but his words rang clear and seemed unfettered by heavy medications. “Before I give a full confession, I want something from Sheriff Burke.”

“He’s recused himself,” Beckett said. “He can’t grant—”

Ulrich interrupted the federal prosecutor with an angry wave of his hand, but he never tore his gaze away from Seth’s. “This is between us, and it’s personal.”

“I’m listening,” Seth said.

“I beg you to keep looking for Natalie’s killer,” Reggie said. “I know you’re convinced my brother did it, but I know he didn’t. Ryan was many things, but a killer wasn’t one of them. He died from guilt but not for the reasons you think.” Reggie stopped, swallowed hard, and cleared his throat. “Fuck, I’m going to choke to death on this plea before I can make it. You’d be the one begging if I’d had my way last night.”

Seth called on decades of training and experience not to take the bait Reggie dangled in front of him. He reminded himself that Rueben was safe and would remain that way.

“Do you need a drink?” Lyndhurst asked.

“Shut the fuck up!” Reggie roared. “I don’t want to hear any of you so much as breathe, or this is over. I’m not thirsty.”

Seth shot them a warning glance, and the trio seemed to shrink into themselves.

“I’m choking because I’ve hated you for nearly all my life,” Reggie snarled. “I’ve spent the last few years planning ways to destroy your reputation and life the way your witness statement did to my family. Humiliating you in front of the townsfolk suddenly didn’t feel like enough for what you did to my family, and I decided to kill your boyfriend.” Reggie raised his hand to his bandaged face. “Guess he won that battle.”

“Then why did you decide to talk to me or ask me for a favor?” Seth was ashamed to admit Reggie had caught him off guard and piqued his interest.

“Because everything I’ve done was to avenge my brother and mother.”

“Your mother?” Seth asked.

“Your election as sheriff four years ago stirred up interest in Natalie’s death again, and a so-called journalist tracked Mom down to talk about Ry. The son of a bitch hounded her day and night. Then he moved on to coworkers and friends, telling everyone our business. People turned on her or avoided her again. It was like Last Chance Creek all over again. The stress caused a massive stroke she’s never recovered from, and she lives in a nursing home. Mom doesn’t know me half the time and only asks for Ry. I pretend to be him sometimes to make her happy.”

“I am sorry to hear about your mother, and looking back now, I will admit the town wasn’t fair to your family.”

“How fucking big of you.” Reggie’s snarl turned into a cough.

“If Ryan didn’t kill Natalie, then why did he die of guilt?”

“Because he didn’t go after her,” Reggie replied. “He hadn’t wanted to look like a whipped dog in front of his friends, and he lived to regret it for the rest of his life. Ry told me that he really cared about her. Natalie made him want to be a better person, but he let her down. The guilt ate him alive.” Reggie released a tortured whimper that turned into a snarl. “The worst part is that you nearly turned us against him. Ryan died thinking his mother and brother didn’t believe him, and I fucking hate you for that. You started this mess, and now you’re going to fix it.”

“The only thing I ever claimed to see was Natalie getting in your brother’s truck. Ryan admitted I was right. Where do you get off blaming me?”

“Because you claim you wanted justice for Natalie, but you haven’t done a damn thing since taking office to find it,” Reggie roared. “You don’t consider her death unsolved because you’re convinced her killer is dead. If you find the real murderer, you’ll clear my brother’s name. Maybe that will ease my mama’s soul, and she’ll let go instead of clinging to a miserable existence.”

Seth’s brain whirled from everything Reggie said. Had they been wrong all these years? Seth had already handed the case to Shayne Abbott with the CBI, so agreeing to Reggie’s terms was the easiest thing he’d done in weeks. “You have my word.” Seth stood to leave the room but didn’t take one step before Reggie halted his escape.

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