Page 58

CHAPTER 58

WOLF

Redley stays back with her family and my father for far longer than I expect her to, but I wait around anyway because I plan to bury my father while I’m out here. I know she won’t want him on her land, but if she felt so strongly about that, she wouldn’t have gutted him, making it exponentially harder to relocate the body. So now we’re both going to have our family tree planted here.

I know I should be swamped with emotions. Losing my father should be a big deal, but of all the things Carver was—a killer, a thief, a cruel teacher—he was never actually that. He was the man who taught me to kill, my first and worst bully, and the type of shortsighted fool who would die rather than get himself medical attention. A hundred years of scheming died on his shoulders because I’m done.

I’m embarrassed to be his son and glad that he died before he could make more of a fool of our family name. Hell, my great-uncle, who lives in town and pretends to be a doctor, moved out of the mansion and into town specifically because my father behaved so impulsively he couldn’t stand to be around his poor decision-making.

He’s the one who does a lot of our smoothing over; he gets the mail delivered out here, and because he’s respected as the town doctor, people listen to him when he tells them not to worry. His word has been the biggest obstacle between the people of Grimm Groves and the truth. When the doctor tells you it’s just an accident or an animal, you tend to believe them.

He told my father over and over that without being able to properly mine the diamonds, we were at risk of running out of money and losing everything. Being at the mercy of what washed loose in the stream wasn’t dependable, and it wouldn’t last much longer. They fought viciously over it and, as far as I know, haven’t even spoken to one another since. Other than him, we don’t have any other family, but then again, my father is dead now, so I guess the fake Doc is my only living blood.

As I’m waiting and thinking very hard about the situation and what to do with my father’s corpse, I’m struck with inspiration. Why would she ever dig up her great-great-granddaddy again? She would probably even be grateful that I took care of the issue for her. I’ll just bury them together.

I’m apparently more distracted than I realized. Too late I hear a truck running in the distance, and I focus hard, realizing I recognize that engine. It’s Red's truck. How the hell did she get past me?

I spring to my feet, wondering how I could have let myself get so distracted, but there’s no way I can outrun her truck, no matter how slow it is. I run back to where I left the thing just to be sure, and Daniel’s dead body lies slumped on the ground like she tossed him out and didn’t offer him a second look. I’m proud of the vicious little monster she’s becoming.

I have no chance to catch up with her on foot. Frankly, I don’t know where she’s been staying since she ran from me. I assumed it must be another one of her family's little hidey-holes. Her uncle, the moonshiner, was especially fond of finding hiding spots.

I run back to my house and grab my own car, hoping to catch her before she’s gone.