Page 256 of Come Back to Me

But…

“Do you think your dad?—”

“He knew nothing about the affair,” Theo intones from the shadows of the veranda. “He was as stunned as we were when this shit came out in the wash. Sounds like your asshole of a father had millions of reasons to get rid of Clay though.”

“I wish we had proof,” Colt rasps. “Most days I can’t decide if I want him to get shivved in jail or to spend the rest of his life behind bars.”

“He’s a nightmare,” Theo agrees, rubbing tired eyes.

Colt presses a hand to his shoulder. “You should have told me how much she’d deteriorated.”

“What’s to say, Colt?” His jaw works. “She gets worse every day.”

“I’d have done something?—”

“Your family’s already doing more than most.”

“You’d have had help sooner if you’d just told me! And I’m a fucking terrible friend because I should have actedsooner.”

Theo punches his shoulder. “She has enough nurses to ease her situation and Grandma’s—Dad wouldn’t have accepted your charity, not until things became as bad as they are now, so don’t beat yourself up about it.”

“Am I hearing someone take my name in vain?”

All four of us stand to attention.

Blanche is one of those terrifying types of women—a cheek pincher. Wicked fast with insults. And terrible at cooking, aside from cookies that come from a roll.

“No, ma’am,” Colt’s quick to blurt.

Blanche hums in disbelief. “Saw Elena was out of bed. Took me this damn long to get down the back stairs.”

“Grandma,” Bast chides. “We had it covered.”

“The first night in months that you take some R&R, Sebastian, and you think I’d let you deal with this on your own?” She sniffs. “Theodore’s just as bad. Both of you deserved to let your hair down tonight, but of course, Elena’s mind works in mysterious ways.” Her gaze flicks onto me. “Heard you’re listening to her, too.”

My spine straightens. “How did you hear that?”

“Town, of course. You’re asking questions, Cody.” She tsks. “The past is best left buried.”

I glance at Bast, who swallows.

Does that mean…

“You think Dad had something to do with Clay’s death?” Theo demands, his voice hoarse.

“I’m saying I don’t know for sure.”

“Why don’t we just ask him?” Theo snaps. “Seems like that’d resolve things pretty damn quick.”

“Becauseifhe confesses, he’ll rot in prison while Elena rots in this one. He loves her. And though she spends most of her days breaking his heart, there are still glimpses where she’s the woman he married, and I don’t want her to be without him. Not when...” Blanche’s wrinkled face creases with despair for a millisecond before she’s back to being tougher than nails. “You’re years too late to be asking these kinds of questions, son.”

“It’s never too late to find justice for the people who need it most. Clyde deserves to spend what’s left of his life in prison, Blanche.

“All I need is the right linchpin.”

She hobbles over to me so she can pat my cheek. “So, you’re willing to spend the rest ofyourlife on the pipe dream of hoping he’ll molder away in a prison cell? Where’s the logic there? Haven’t you learned yet, my dear boy, that the unlawful dead don’t stay buried forever?”

With those words of wisdom imparted, she turns to Bast. “Help me up the stairs, darling?”

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