DON'T TELL (Jack Ryder Book 7) Read online

  "I hate you! I hate you!" she screamed, addressed at Savannah.

  Scared at the hatred she saw in her eyes, Savannah felt her heart throb in her chest. Penny was taken away, screaming down the hallway, and Savannah looked after her. She felt the deputy's hand on her shoulder and turned to look up at him.

  "Come."

  Still in shock, Savannah walked through the double doors following the deputy and, much to her surprise, a well-known set of eyes waited for her on the other side.

  "M-mom?"

  Her mother smiled and held out her arms. Savannah looked at the deputy like she was asking for permission, and he nodded.

  "She's here to take you home, Savannah. We know you didn't kill Benjamin, so you're free to go."

  "I…I'm…what?" Savannah couldn't really figure out if they were messing with her or if it was true. She had thought she'd never get out again.

  "You're free, baby," her mother said, tears rolling down her cheeks. "You can come home with me. Now."

  Savannah looked at her mother, then finally threw herself in her arms and felt her warm breath close to her face. The smell of her hair was divine, and Savannah suddenly became very aware of how terrible she smelled herself after days of being locked up. Her mother sobbed, and her torso was throbbing. She kissed the top of Savannah’s head and stroked her greasy hair gently.

  "Come on, baby," she said and grabbed her hand in hers. Her eyes gleamed with happiness. "Let's go home."

  With her mother's arm around her shoulder, Savannah was led out the back. The deputy said it was best this way and, as they stepped outside, she understood why. There was still a flock of local townspeople gathered in front of the entrance, holding signs in their hands with her name on them. They weren't yelling anymore like they had been when she was brought in, but they were still there, holding the signs up, telling the police they wanted Justice for Benjamin and that she should get the chair for what she did.

  Savannah swallowed hard when seeing them in their thick winter coats, holding the signs up with their gloved hands, marching back and forth. Savannah's mom held the door for her, and she got into the car. Savannah looked out the back as they took off and wondered if the protestors would finally get off her back now that Penny had been arrested for the murder of Benjamin. Would she finally be able to live in peace or would this continue to haunt her for the rest of her days?

  50

  "Are you okay, Jack?"

  Shannon opened the door for him. He looked terrible. He had that look to him like he was deeply shaken.

  He sat down on a chair, breathing raggedly.

  "What happened out there? Jack?"

  He held a hand to his throat. It bore marks on it, and Shannon saw it now, while a sudden gush of fear ran through her.

  "Jack?" she shrieked. "What are those marks?"

  He swallowed and moved his head around as if to find out if his throat still worked.

  "I'm fine. It was just…well, the pastor lost his temper with me and pushed me up against a tree. For a minute, I thought he would kill me. My throat is still hurting. Could you get me a glass of water, please?"

  "Of course," she said and ran to the kitchen. She grabbed a glass and filled it, a sense of deep worry and fear rushing through her body. Jack drank greedily when she handed it to him.

  "Should I call the sheriff?" she asked. "Do you want to report him for assault?"

  He shook his head. "There's no need. As I said, I’m fine. I just need a minute to get back to myself. I think I need to lie down a little."

  Jack got up, then walked to the couch and sat down, then leaned his head back. Shannon sat next to him. She kept staring at the red marks on his neck. A part of her remembered when her ex-husband had made similar marks on her throat once. She had tried to cover them up with make-up with no luck.

  "So, what happened? Why did he get angry with you?"

  "His daughter was arrested."

  Shannon's eyes grew wide. "They arrested Penelope Rutherford?"

  Shannon stared at Jack, quite surprised at the news.

  "Yes. Her fingerprints were on the fire poker that they found earlier." He paused and looked around. "It's so quiet here. Did the kids go to bed?"

  Shannon nodded and sipped a glass of water. "The movie ended, and they all turned in."

  Jack looked at his watch. "I didn't even realize it was this late."

  "I hadn't either. It was too late for Tyler. I should have put him down earlier. He got all whiny and wouldn't put on his PJs."

  Jack chuckled. "So, what did you do?"

  "I let him sleep in his underwear. If he keeps the covers on, he won't be cold. I couldn't get him to brush his teeth either. He kept screaming at me and running away. So, I gave up and just put him to bed. I didn't have the energy to fight with him. We can brush them extra in the morning."

  "So, he’s asleep now?" Jack asked.

  "Yes, finally. It took forever. I hate how everything is a fight with him. I don't recall Angela being like that at that age."

  "You probably just don't remember it. It's been a few years."

  "Are you calling me old?" Shannon said with a glint in her eye.

  He chuckled and pulled her close. They snuggled for a few minutes while Jack looked out the window.

  "You're thinking about them, aren't you?" she asked. "You're thinking about the Rutherfords."

  He nodded. "How can I not? Think about all they have been through. First, they lose their son and now…their daughter is taken in for having murdered him. That's gotta be tough."

  Shannon put her head on Jack's chest. She could hear his heartbeat, and it made her feel comfortable. She understood why he wouldn't want to report the pastor after everything the man had been through over the past several weeks. Still, it made her furious with the man. Who did he think he was to attack her husband like that? She wanted to punch him for what he had done. He could have killed her beloved Jack.

  "So, you think Penelope did it?" she asked. "Do you think she killed her own brother?"

  He exhaled. "I don't know, to be honest. I feel like there’s something we're missing here…like there is a lot more to this story than what we know. First of all, what makes a sister want to kill her brother? I think about Abigail and Austin. They can fight and be at each other's throats, but at the end of the day, they could never harm each other for real. Deep down, I know they love one another. How does a sixteen-year-old girl kill her own brother? And even if she did kill him, let's say in effect because of something going on between them, I could accept that. She got mad at him, then hit him with the fire poker, not really meaning to kill him, but only hurt him. But what about the others? Does that mean that she killed Lyle too? And Harry Mayer and followed Eliza Reuben in the truck? It seems like a lot for such a young girl to do. And it was all pretty cunning and well-planned, making them look like suicides. Does that fit the profile of a sixteen-year-old girl?"

  Shannon shrugged, remembering her meeting with Benjamin's former girlfriend, Colette.

  "Colette told me she seemed almost like she was in love with her own brother. She had even seen nude pictures of her on his phone that she believed she had sent to him. That was when she decided to break up with him. She couldn't stand it anymore. But Colette was terrified of Penelope and said she believed she attacked her in the parking lot behind the cinema. With what she told me, I’m actually not that surprised if she did kill those others as well. I’ve seen her up in that window of the house, and I keep feeling like she’s looking down at us—like she's planning how to hurt us. That girl is not normal; I can tell you that much. Sending your brother nude pictures isn't normal. Not even close."

  Jack nodded, but still seemed lost in his thoughts. "I just can't help but think that there is more to it than what we see. I want to be sure she killed Lyle. If only Austin would tell us what he saw."

  Shannon sighed. "He will eventually. Give him time. You can't rush him into telling you."

  "That's the problem,"
he said with a deep exhale. "I don't know if we have time. If they have the wrong killer, then who knows if or when there will be more?"

  51

  "Do you want seconds?"

  Savannah felt her stomach and shook her head. "No, thanks. I am so full, Mom. It was really great, though."

  She had made lasagna, which had been Savannah's favorite dish since she was just a toddler. Savannah had eaten like a horse, and now she felt like she was about to explode. She looked around in the trailer with a secret smile on her face. She couldn't believe she would ever be so happy to be back in this place. When they had first moved there, she had hated living in such a small space. Back in Newark, they had lived in a three-bedroom house with a yard, where she had a swing set and a big magnolia tree she loved to climb. Moving into this small trailer was hard on her, especially with the long winters where she could barely stand to be outside. The springs and summers were great, and she'd go biking in the mountains with Benjamin, but boy, the winters were tough. She hadn't learned to ski yet, so she was left out when her friends went up there on the weekends.

  Her friends. The few she used to have. They were all gone now. As soon as Benjamin had disappeared, they turned their backs on her, thinking she somehow had something to do with it, that either she had hurt him so badly he had killed himself or she had killed him herself.

  They were mostly his friends anyway. They had all known each other since third grade when Benjamin moved to the town. It wasn't easy making your way into a tight-knit group like that and finding a space. Now, she was probably never going to. Not without Benjamin. Even if she was cleared and the police no longer suspected her, it would still be this thing; it would still linger over her and in people's minds when they saw her. People never really forgot something like that, did they?

  "Are you sure? There's plenty," her mother tried again. She fiddled nervously with the spatula.

  "I'm good. Really, Mom. Maybe I can have the rest tomorrow for lunch. Now, I really just want to lie on my bed, a real bed, and enjoy being home. There's no place I would rather be than right here in this very moment. I can't tell you how happy I am to be home."

  Her mother smiled. It wasn't a happy smile; it came off as concerned. "I think that's the first time since we moved down here that you've called this home."

  "Well, that's what it is, and compared to where I’ve been, this is pure heaven."

  Her mother looked at her fingers, then put the spatula down. Savannah noticed and gave her a look.

  "Is there something wrong, Mom? You seem a little sad. Is there something you're not telling me?"

  Her mother lifted her gaze, and their eyes met. The look in hers made Savannah wince.

  "What's going on? You're scaring me, Mom. Please, tell me what's happening."

  Her mother bit her lip, then took a deep breath.

  "Mom?"

  "I…I have to tell you something. It might be a little tough for you to hear. I wanted to wait till you had slept and felt comfortable again, but I’m not sure I can."

  Savannah's heart dropped. What was going on here? She hadn't seen that look in her mother's eyes since they told her that her dad had cancer. Was something wrong with her mother? Was she sick too? Had she been to the doctor and received some bad news? Was Savannah going to be an orphan at the age of seventeen?

  "Mom. You're scaring me now. What's going on?"

  Her mother exhaled. “Okay. I guess I might as well tell you straight away. There is no other way around it. You need to know the truth, even though it will change the way you look at me forever."

  52

  Maggie Valley January 2019

  "It's okay. You can come in."

  Benjamin looked at Savannah, then pulled her hand. They were standing on the porch. Benjamin had picked her up, then taken her back to his house, much to her surprise. For the past many months, they had been sneaking around, ever since Benjamin's mother had that talk with him in the kitchen where she told him that they didn't want him to see her anymore.

  "But…but what about your parents? They told you never to see me again," she said, surprised.

  "They changed their minds," he said victoriously.

  She wrinkled her forehead. "Why did they suddenly change their minds? They were pretty set on this. I heard your mother; I heard how she said there was no discussing it."

  He pulled her into a kiss. A deep warmth spread throughout her body, and she felt her knees go soft. If she was perfectly honest, she wasn't too thrilled about the prospect of going back into his house again. She had enjoyed those past weeks when they had been going places, away from his family, away from his strange sister. This way she had Benjamin all to herself, even if it meant they had to pretend like they weren't dating in school and in front of friends. She had enjoyed keeping that little secret between them and just being them and no one else. Inside, behind that door, awaited Penny, and Savannah didn't really feel like having to face her again.

  "I guess they just finally realize how nuts I am about you," he said with a wry smile. "Plus, I am seventeen; I'll be out of here soon. I guess they figured that they couldn't keep me from you."

  She stared into his eyes, scrutinizing them deeply, then shook her head. "Yeah, I’m not buying that. There's something else. I can see it in your eyes, Benjamin. I know you. Tell me the truth, will you?"

  He grinned, then sighed. "Okay. But are you sure you can handle the truth, though?"

  Savannah bit her lip while wondering how bad it could be. Then she shrugged, deciding that if she didn't say yes, she'd wonder about this every time they were together, and that would be horrible. The cat was already out of the bag; she just didn't know what it looked like yet.

  "Sure. I can handle anything."

  He looked around, then pulled her toward the patio swing, and they sat down. Savannah felt her heart thump in her chest while wondering what he was going to tell her.

  "Okay, so here's the deal,” he said and took both her hands between his. "I don't mind telling you since it sort of involves you anyway. At first, I wanted to protect you against it, but I don't think that's very fair to you.”

  "Just tell me, will you?" she asked, feeling petrified.

  He nodded, then took in a deep breath like he needed extra air for what he was about to say. "Here's the deal. The other week, I was looking for my dad. I had to ask him about some money for a pair of new sneakers that I really wanted; anyway, it doesn’t matter, but I searched for him, and my mom said he was still at the church. So, I went there and walked into the back without knocking on the door. In there, I saw them. He had his pants down and was on top of her; her skirt was pulled up. You can picture the rest."

  Savannah stared at Benjamin, her eyes growing wider and wider. "Y-your dad was? With your mother?"

  He laughed. "No, you fool. With another woman. He was having an affair with another woman."

  "Oh. Wow. Really?"

  "Yes, really."

  "But…wait you said it had something to do with me. How does…?" She paused as the realization sunk in and her chest tightened. Suddenly, she could hardly breathe. "You mean…your dad and…?"

  "And your mom, yes. They were at it like rabbits."

  Her nostrils were flaring as she fought to keep her composure. "Your dad, the pastor, and…and my…my mom?"

  He nodded. "Listen, I know it's shocking, and that's what I thought too. I was completely shaken at first, but then I realized, what the heck, might as well make something out of it."

  "So, you told your dad that you wanted to be able to date me and in return, you wouldn't tell your mom about them?" she asked, puzzled at all this news, and a little baffled at her boyfriend's cunningness. It seemed kind of cold and devious.

  "Bingo," he said. "But now that I told you, I’ve kind of broken that vow, so please promise me you won't tell. They can't find out."

  Savannah didn't blink. She looked at her boyfriend. How was he not more devastated by this? How could he be so calculating as to
use it for his own benefit? And just how was she supposed to keep it from her mother that she knew about her affair with the pastor? It changed everything for her. It even changed the way she felt about Benjamin. Suddenly, she felt this resentment begin to grow toward him and his family.

  She hardly knew him at all, did she?

  53

  "We don't have enough eggs for tomorrow morning. I can't believe we’ve run out already."

  Shannon came out of the kitchen and looked at me. I was still on the couch, while she wanted to clean up before we turned in. I was doing better, yet still shaken up by my meeting with the pastor in his yard. I couldn't stop thinking about those eyes that glared at me, the fire in them that I had seen. It wasn't quite the mercy and forgiveness I had expected from a man like him in his position. I didn't like the way the rest of his family looked at me and didn't even try to stop him, at least not at first. It had to be the oldest son who finally told him to stop. What was it about this entire family that gave me the creeps?

  "What's that?" I asked, not sure I heard her right.

  "We don't have enough eggs," she said and closed the door to the fridge. "I wanted to make scrambled eggs tomorrow morning for the kids, but we don't have enough."

  "We could go for pancakes again," I said. "At Joey's Pancake House. I liked that place, and they had excellent pancakes. They were really good. The kids loved them too."

  "I’m not really in the mood to go out," Shannon said. "I don't want to fight with Tyler or have to worry about the kids acting up. I need a quiet morning, please?"

  "Didn't you just shop?" I asked. "I vividly remember carrying lots of bags in and putting eggs away."

  "I did. I bought two packages of eggs just yesterday, but now they’re gone. There's only one egg left, and that's hardly enough. I wanted to make this big breakfast with pancakes and scrambled eggs that we could eat together, all of us, as a family."