Page 68 of Wilderness Search
“Or Scott followed him and made sure he ran off the road,” Aaron said.
“That last may be difficult to prove, but we’ll investigate it,” Travis said. “Maybe someone spotted Scott’s car on the road behind Lawson.” He turned to Willa once more. “Now let’s hear what happened to you.”
She told her story, from the moment she spotted Kelli waiting for someone by the bonfire until she and Olivia reunited withAaron that morning. “After hearing Olivia’s and Kelli’s stories, I wonder how many other children that man has harmed,” she said.
“We’ll put out a plea for other current and former campers who may have information to come forward,” Travis said. “That may result in more charges.” He stood. “Go home, both of you. Get some rest. We’ll be in touch if we have further questions.”
Aaron rose. “I start night shift this evening,” he said. “I’ll be in then.”
She and Aaron left together “Do you think Olivia is going to be all right?” he asked when they were in his truck, headed back to Eagle Mountain.
“I think so. She’s been through a lot, but she’s a very resilient girl. And she’ll have her parents. They’ll get her the help she needs.” She shifted toward him. “What about Scott? What’s going to happen to him?”
“Some of it depends on how many other girls he molested, and who will testify against him. And on what charges he faces in relation to Trevor’s death.”
Gary met them at the front door and pulled Willa into a tight hug. When he stepped back, her eyes were shiny with unshed tears. “Did Scott do that to your face?” Gary asked.
She nodded. Gary made a growling sound. “I made coffee,” he said. “Come and tell me what happened.”
They followed him into the kitchen and sat around the table, and the two men listened as Willa retold Olivia’s story of witnessing the torture of Trevor Lawson, and about Sprague’s habit of abusing girls.
“Just as well I didn’t know that about him,” Gary said. “I’d have been tempted to ruin some tools on him.”
“With the evidence of the two girls and what we know about Trevor’s death, I think Scott will be locked up for a very long time,” Aaron said.
Gary wrapped both hands around his coffee mug and studied them both. “Are you two friends again?” he asked.
Aaron looked at Willa, awaiting her answer. She took his hand in hers. “I never stopped loving you,” she said.
“Ha! I knew it,” Gary said.
Aaron looked at him. “What I can’t understand is why you don’t hate me,” he said. “You almost went to trial for a murder you didn’t commit. Even so, your life was pretty much ruined because of the accusations against you.”
“I didn’t go to trial.” He drained his coffee mug and set it down with a thump. “The DA knew a bad case when he saw one. And my life wasn’t ruined. I like it here in Eagle Mountain. The only thing I hated was how miserable Willa was. She was upset about what happened to me and all the harassment, but what she really missed was you.”
“I never stopped loving you,” he told her. “And I’ll never stop apologizing for what I did to tear us apart.”
She raised their clasped hands and kissed the back of his. “I’m as much to blame as you are,” she said. “So let’s forgive each other. We both came to Eagle Mountain to make a fresh start, so let’s do that.”
“Together.”
“Yes, together.”
Gary stood. “I’m outta here. Have fun kissing and making up.”
He left, and Aaron pulled her to him. “I like the way your brother thinks,” he said, and kissed her.
She took his hand and pulled him toward her bedroom. “We have a lot of catching up to do,” she said.
Aaron followed willingly. They would never get back the months they had lost, but they had years to build a love that would last.
Epilogue
New Evidence Leads to Killer
Waterbury police announced today that they have charged Albert Wayne Terriot with the murder of Rachel Sherman two years ago. Rachel was abducted from Deer Hollow Youth Camp and her body was later found in a nearby creek. She had been strangled. Though police had identified several persons of interest in their initial investigation of the murder, they were never able to find proof of the real killer. A review of the case by the department’s newly formed Cold Case Squad this year led to the discovery of previously untested items found at the crime scene. This led to the construction of a DNA profile that was eventually linked to Terriot. The now-fifty-eight-year-old Terriot was never on law enforcement’s radar as a suspect before this new DNA evidence linked him to the crime.
Police Detective Darrel Green said law enforcement now believe Terriot was the mysterious vagrant living in the woods near the camp that several campers told stories about at the time. Law enforcement was unable to find any proof of the vagrant’s existence at that time and dismissedthe story as something children invented to scare each other.
