Page 81 of Every Deadly Suspicion

“Let them go back in there and hide,” Everett said. “This is really about me, and you.” He nodded at Hanna.

“It has to do with my dad, doesn’t it?” She held Everett’s gaze.

“Yeah. When Sharp got here today, Chase thought it was because your dad told him what really happened that night at Beecher’s cabin. It scared him.”

“What really happened?”

Everett closed his eyes. “Chase happened.” He opened his eyes, held hers. His gaze was set in stone. “He’s got to be stopped.”

“Why take Braden?”

“He sees Braden as his future. The only one he can trust, the only one not out to get him.” Everett gave a weak shake of his head, leaning against the wall. “He wanted to take us all out, but you most of all. He thinks Scott controlled him all these years to protect you.”

“To protect me?”

Everett looked away. “You found the Carsons. You’re smart enough to know now that your dad didn’t kill them.”

“I figured it out.” Her anger ramped up again. So much had been lost by lies. “My dad is innocent.”

“Chase was high on drugs then. Yeah, he killed the Carsons, but your dad almost killed him. No one in the cabin that night was innocent.”

“But my dad took the fall.”

“My father wanted to protect Chase at any cost. I agreed with him. I did what I had to do to protect my son. Scott kept Chase in check. Kept him from hurting himself and anyone else. But Scott is gone, and I can’t control Chase. It only got worse when they let your dad out. You don’t know how hard it was to keep him from driving down there and killing Joe.”

“Did he poison Scott?”

“I don’t know, I—” He closed his eyes again for a moment. “I can’t see him doing that. He depended on Scott, but I have no other explanation.”

“Did he kill Nathan?” Hanna asked the question she feared the answer to most.

“Maybe. If I’d have been here, I would have stopped him. But I’d just gotten back from the fire line. And Grover had Braden. Chase was wild, out of control. He might only have one leg, but he knows how to use a gun.”

Nathan could have been the first casualty this afternoon. Her insides churned with a tsunami of emotions. Nathan was her friend and colleague. She made her decision.

“You all get back in the panic room. I don’t know when my backup will arrive. Stay there until they do.” She turned to Jared. “Will they be okay? Should you stay with Everett?”

“You’re not getting rid of me. If they keep pressure on his wound, he’ll be okay for the time being.”

He helped Everett return to the panic room. Before the door closed, Timmons said, “Chase isn’t very mobile. That’s the only advantage you’ll have.”

The door closed and the locks reengaged.

Hanna bounded up the stairs.

“Do you have a plan?” Jared asked as he followed.

Hanna shook her head and radioed to her backup to find out their ETA.

“We’re almost through the gate,” Asa said.

“10-4. Everett and four others are in the basement panic room. They need medics.”

“Where are you?”

“I’m trying to find Nathan; he’s on the property somewhere.”

“10-4, we’ll be there as soon as we can.”

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