Page 87 of Where the Darkness Goes

“No,” Mabel says sharply.

“I’ve been quiet long enough because I thought it was over. I thought he was done, but with Britney, too… Tessa is—do you know how badly my sister is hurting because of him? And I could’ve prevented it. I could’ve stopped him.”

“You couldn’t have.” She’s eerily calm. “He’s smart, Will. Smart and powerful, and that is a dangerous combination. If you had tried to stop him, if you had told anyone what you did back then, what you knew, he would’ve killed you, make no mistake about it.” Her eyes go distant, clearly thinking about something, and when they find focus again, she nods. “Which is why it has to be me. I came here to tell your mother goodbye. To tell her I’m finally going to end this, as I should’ve done years ago.”

“What are you talking about?” Will asks before I get the chance to.

“I’m going to Sheriff Ward myself. I’m going to tell him everything. Everything I’ve learned throughout the years. The way he wielded his power, the way he’s used people’s trust and respect for his position to control and manipulate and harm the people of this town. I will tell him about the thefts—though I see no reason to bring any of you boys into it, as Charles was the real culprit—and the murders. The six back then and Britney now.”

“He couldn’t have killed Cassidy,” I say, finding my voice. “I know what you said earlier, but someone would’ve seen him if he was at the party that night. He wasn’t there.”

Mabel looks down, wrapping her arms around herself. “My husband learned how to hide in plain sight years ago. He knew who would keep his secrets, who would turn a blind eye. Ifhe’d asked anyone in town not to mention that they saw him, if he told them he was there to help counsel a child who needed someone to talk to, do you think they wouldn’t? People saw him that night. Kids. Your friends, I’m sure. But Charles knows how to lie, how to trick, how to pull strings. Even if they saw him, they would never believe he was capable of what happened. Even if they saw him with the knife with their own eyes.” She shivers, swiping her hands over her arms. “My husband has tried to play God with this town, and I allowed it until that night. When he came home with blood on his clothes, that’s when I learned the truth about everything.”

“Why didn’t you tell?” Will demands.

“For all the reasons I’ve told you. I wouldn’t have been believed. I had no proof, just my word against his. He promised me we’d go to counseling then. He tried to frame Cory, and I, at least, was able to pull strings and whisper in enough ears to make sure that didn’t happen. All these years, I’ve lived with a man who I’ve believed is my direct line to God, but when I look in his eyes, all I see is darkness. How do you reckon with that? Watching him smiling in public, kissing babies, holding hands of families as they lay their loved ones to rest. Watching people turn to him in their darkest hours, all the while knowing what he’s capable of and being helpless to stop it. I was trapped in a prison I chose while he got sneakier and craftier.”

“So what’s changed?” I ask, staring her down. I want to believe her, but for all we know, she’s lying about everything. For all we know, they’re working together.

“Britney,” she says. “It has taken me days to accept that coming forward will shatter her family, that they will be one more casualty in my husband’s path, but if we can prove the child she was carrying is Charles’s, it might be enough to dim the light in people’s eyes when they look at him. Once that shiny façade has dulled, I think I can convince the sheriff of my story.Either way, I have to try. I can’t let him hurt anyone else. If there was any other way… Believe me, I have wrestled with my demons over this. I do not want to leave my husband. I made a vow to him, but he’s caused enough harm to this community.” She narrows her eyes at Will. “Will you forgive me for this?”

“I thought you weren’t going to tell them I was involved.”

Mabel takes a step toward him. “Not that. I only meant…he’s your blood, you know. Those kinds of wounds run deep.”

“He’s not my family. Mom, Tessa, and Garrett are my family. Britney was our family. If I could’ve stopped him years ago, I would have.”

Mabel pulls a tube of ChapStick from her purse and swipes it on her lips with shaking hands, staring straight ahead in thought. She clicks the lid back on and drops it in her bag before turning her attention back to Will. “I’m very sorry you were ever involved in this.” Her eyes travel toward Frannie. “And your mother. You didn’t deserve it.”

Will’s face is stony, but his voice softens as he says, “Sounds like you didn’t either.”

She squares her shoulders and nods, tears in her eyes. “It’s going to be okay, boys. A wise woman once told me the only thing standing in a bad man’s way is a good one.”

Will glances at his mom, his voice cracking when he speaks. “The darkness goes where light refuses to be.”

“So let’s go be the light, shall we?” A single tear streams down Mabel’s porcelain cheek.

Across the room, Will digs his hand into his pocket and pulls out his phone. He glances at the screen, then at me. “It’s Mark.”

My chest goes icy.

“Hello?” He presses the phone to his ear, staring out the window. “Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Slow down, man. What are you talking about?” His eyes find mine, and he swallows. “Tessa’s at home. Fuck. How fast can you get there?”

I’m already moving past Mabel and out the door. I don’t need to hear any more. I don’t need to know anything else. I will run the entire way back to Will’s house if that’s what it takes.

When he catches up with me in the parking lot, we fling ourselves into the car, and he whips out of the spot, gunning it.

“What’s happening?” I demand, gripping the handle above my head for dear life.

“Charles went to see Mark, but he wouldn’t let him in. He said he asked him about the coin collection, like he was trying to set him up. He thinks he was recording him.”

My throat is tight, and I lean forward, like I can will us to go faster with just my mind. “He knows Mabel’s going to turn him in.”

Will grips the steering wheel so tightly his fingers are white. “Based on what we know, I think so. And he didn’t get what he wanted with Mark. Another scapegoat.”

“Which means he’s going to find you next,” I confirm what I’ve already pieced together. “Which means he’s going to find Tessa.”

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

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