Page 100 of This Memory
“What happened?” Chief Ryan asked.
I closed my eyes and drew in a slow breath. “Car accident. A drunk driver hit them going over a hundred miles per hour. They were returning to the city from New Jersey we think.”
“DOA?” he asked.
“Yes. They both died instantly.”
I closed my eyes and silently thanked God for that. When I opened them, I drew in a breath and turned to face him.
“It was my idea.”
Confused, he asked, “What do you mean?”
With a shake of my head, I looked down at the floor. “I told Denny he should take Evelyn to New York City to get away. She loved it there. They were going to go baby shopping for the room…and whatever else you buy when you go shopping for a baby. It was my idea.”
The chief walked over and placed his hand on my shoulder, squeezing. “This isnotyour fault, Gavin.”
I lifted my gaze and met his. My eyes stung from holding back tears. “If I hadn’t suggested they go to New York, they’d still be here.”
He slowly shook his head. “Don’t play the what-if game.”
I felt my tears fall. “What about the baby? She’s never going to know who her parents are.”
“The babywillknow because you and Brystol will tell her or him all about their mother and father.”
Squeezing my eyes closed, I clutched my stomach and bent over. I felt sick. “How am I going to tell Brystol?”
“You’ll know once you get to her. You’ll know.”
After drawing in a few deep breaths, I straightened.
“Gavin, you’re gonna have to be there for Brystol. The shock of losing your best friend is bad enough, but she’ll have to decide what the future looks like for this child. Did they have a will?”
My head was swirling. “I don’t know. I’m sure they did; they were both lawyers. I don’t know if they would have updated it since the pregnancy. I would hope so.”
“Do you need me to drive you to Brystol’s house?” Chief asked.
I glanced past him to see my brother and Declan through the window in the door, waiting outside his office. “No, James and Declan are here. I’ll catch a ride with one of them.”
“Take a few days, don’t worry about work. Now that New Year’s is over, things will quiet down in town.”
I felt so numb. I could hear everything the chief said, but it sounded like he was talking through a long tunnel.
I started toward the door without saying so much as a “thank you for understanding.” I opened it and spotted my mother when my brother stepped to the side. I walked straight toward her and into her arms, and let the tears fall freely.
“Do you want me to come in with you?” James asked.
We sat in his car, parked in front of Brystol’s house. A small light was on in the front window, and I couldn’t help but wonder if she was still up. I told her I wasn’t sure how late I’d be. I had offered to go back to my place so I didn’t wake her, but she’d insisted I come back here.
With a slow shake of my head, I replied, “No. It’s okay. Can you do me a favor tomorrow morning?”
“Of course, anything you need.”
“Can you call and make arrangements for their bodies to be brought back to Moose Village?”
“Is there family to call? I didn’t know Denny or Evelyn like you did.”
I closed my eyes. “Evelyn’s parents are both gone, and she doesn’t have any close living relatives. Denny’s mother passed away when he was a senior in high school, and he doesn’t know where his father is. He left them when Denny was young.”
