Chapter 20 - The Man Daniel Forgave
Renata wanted Boone charged with murder.
The prosecutor told her what prosecutors always had to tell grieving families.
“We charge what we can prove.”
“He admitted driving.”
“He admitted attempting to intimidate Daniel and causing the crash.”
“He knew Daniel could die.”
“That matters.”
“He left him there.”
“That matters too.”
Renata hated the word matters.
It sounded too small.
Boone requested another meeting.
She almost refused.
Then she remembered Daniel’s recorder.
Don’t assume every dirty person started dirty.
She entered.
Boone stood behind the table until she sat.
“I don’t deserve your time.”
“No.”
“I need you to hear one thing.”
“I don’t need anything from you.”
“Daniel forgave me.”
Renata’s face hardened.
“Don’t you dare.”
“He did.”
“You don’t get to use him to clean yourself.”
“I’m not.”
Boone’s voice broke.
“I went back.”
Renata froze.
“What?”
“After Keene and Weller left.”
“You returned to the crash?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I couldn’t breathe.”
Boone stared at his hands.
“Daniel was already gone. Rock was blocking the road. I hid in the trees.”
“What did you do?”
“I found his recorder on the ground.”
“The one from the cabin.”
“Yes.”
“You stole it.”
“I took it because Keene was searching the truck.”
Renata waited.
“Two days later I went to your father.”
That surprised her.
“Dad met you?”
“Yes.”
“I told him what happened.”
“Everything?”
“Almost.”
“You left out your part.”
“Yes.”
“Coward.”
“Yes.”
Boone did not defend himself.
“James wanted me to testify. I refused.”
“Another cowardice.”
“Yes.”
“What did Daniel forgive?”
Boone reached into his legal folder.
His attorney had authorized one document.
A photocopied note.
Daniel’s handwriting.
CURTIS—
IF YOU REALLY WANT OUT, DO ONE TRUE THING AND THEN ANOTHER.
DON’T ASK ME TO FORGIVE YOU BEFORE YOU’VE EARNED THE RIGHT TO LIVE DIFFERENTLY.
—D.
Renata read it.
“That isn’t forgiveness.”
“No.”
Boone nodded.
“That’s why I said it wrong.”
For the first time, he looked completely stripped of performance.
“He gave me a road out. I spent twelve years stepping off it.”
That sounded closer to truth.
“What true thing did you do?”
“I gave James the location of the promise box.”
“So Dad knew.”
“Yes.”
“What else?”
“I kept Keene from finding it.”
“How?”
“Every few years I fed him a false location.”
“And committed other crimes while hiding.”
“Yes.”
Renata pushed the note back.
“You will testify.”
“Yes.”
“You will admit the crash.”
“Yes.”
“You will admit the threats.”
“Yes.”
“You’ll tell Daniel’s story without making yourself the victim.”
Boone looked at her.
“Yes.”
Renata stood.
“That’s the first true thing you can do for me.”
Outside, Isaac waited.
“How’d it go?”
“He told the truth after twelve years of practice lying.”
“That’s something.”
“It’s not enough.”
“No.”
Renata appreciated that too.
Her phone rang.
Professional Responsibility.
Weller’s financial warrant had uncovered a recent transfer.
Three hundred thousand dollars.
Recipient:
Warren Keene.
Memo:
FINAL EXIT.
A second transfer went to Arthur Bell.
Never collected.
A third payment was scheduled for that night to an offshore account.
They traced the access location.
Private airfield south of Millbrook.
Isaac said, “Weller.”
“Or Keene.”
“Teams are moving.”
Renata grabbed her jacket.
Then her phone vibrated with another message.
Unknown number.
A photograph appeared.
Chief Keene standing inside an aircraft hangar.
Beside him:
Thomas Weller.
Timestamp:
two minutes ago.
Text:
THEY THINK I’M DEAD.
Renata stared.
A second message arrived.
COME ALONE IF YOU WANT THE REST.
Signed:
A.B.
Arthur Bell was supposedly in federal protective custody.
Renata looked toward the room where Bell had been held.
Empty.
A deputy ran out.
“He’s gone.”
“How?”
“Fire alarm in the rear hallway.”
Isaac cursed.
Renata looked at the photograph again.
Bell had escaped protection.
Or been allowed to.
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Either way, the final act of the conspiracy had begun.
And for the first time, all three living men connected directly to Daniel’s death were moving toward the same place.
