Page 90 of The Perfect Son

Jason’s face darkens in a way I’ve never seen before. At that moment, it seems entirely possible that everything Liam just told me is true. That Jason is somebody I don’t know at all. Someone who could’ve done horrible things.

But then he catches sight of me and the dark look fades from his face like it was never there. “Erika! Thank God you’re here. You’ve got to call the police right now!”

“Where are they?” Liam shouts at him.

Jason gazes at him with venom in his eyes. “They’re both in there—dead. You should know since you’re the one who killed them. You monster.”

I feel like somebody punched me in the gut. “Dead?”

“I’m so sorry, Erika.” Jason’s eyes fill with tears as he rushes to my side. His hand is on my back. “I tried to save Hannah…”

“You liar!” Liam’s face is purple. “You hate Hannah! You hate all of us!”

My legs feel like they’re going to collapse under me. No, not Hannah. She can’t be… No…

Jason’s arms encircle me, barely catching me before I collapse. “We’re going to call the police,” he says in a soft, soothing voice. “They’re going to punish Liam for what he did to our baby.” He glares at Liam. “Don’t even try to run. They’re going to catch you.”

Liam stares at us, his face still scarlet. But then something changes in his eyes. They grow wide, like he’s seen something terrible. “Mom,” he gasps.

And then instead of running, he lunges at Jason. I see the glint of a knife in Jason’s hand. He hadn’t been holding it when he came out of the cabin. He took it out as he was comforting me.

Oh my God. Was he going to stab me?

Jason is still heavier than Liam, but Liam is younger and quicker. The knife clatters out of Jason’s hands, and Liam grapples him to the ground. For a moment, it looks like Jason might manage to get free, but then Liam takes a swing at him, and I hear a sickening crunch. When I look at Jason’s face, there’s blood pouring out of his nose.

“You little asshole!” Jason howls. “I’m going to kill you.”

“Mom, the knife,” Liam manages.

The knife is lying in the grass. The knife doesn’t look familiar to me—it’s not one of the dull blades from our kitchen. I snatch it off the ground so Jason can’t get it. My fingers close around the handle, but I’m not sure what to do with the sharp end. I point it in Jason’s direction, but who am I kidding? I’d never be able to stab him.

He knows it too.

“Mom.” Liam’s voice is breathless. “Give me the knife.”

Jason struggles against our son, who has him pinned down tightly. I’m impressed with how easily Liam is restraining him. Liam has become stronger than his father. “Erika, don’t give it to him,” Jason manages.

I stare at my husband. “Why shouldn’t I?”

Jason’s face is ashen. “You know what Liam is like. You’ve always known. He’scrazy, Erika.”

Well, that’s not untrue.

Jason sees my hesitation, and he pushes on. “Erika,” he says urgently. “You donotwant him to have that knife. You know that. He’ll kill us both.”

Will he?

Liam looks at me with his brown eyes that are so much like what I see when I stare into the mirror. I’m not sure what to believe anymore, but between Jason and Liam, I know which one I want to have the knife.

I turn the blade around and offer Liam the handle.

My son smiles at me with those perfect, straight teeth—a smile I know is one-hundred percent genuine. “Thanks, Mom.” His fingers close around the handle. “And you were half right, Dad.”

I watch as Liam plunges the knife into his father’s chest.

Chapter Sixty

ERIKA