Complete Me (Book Three of The Kirkland Family)

Complete Me: Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Murder.

Now, there was a word not to be ignored. Cole rubbed circles on Rose's back while Father Roberts patted her arm. He felt sorry for his little butterfly. He truly did. Yes, Mr. Shaw led a long, long, and full life, but there was this whole mystery with the two names and now the ugly secret coming to life. Was any of it real?

"I do apologize," Father Roberts said to Rose, "I tend to over-dramatize things sometimes. Mrs. Schuller tells me so after every Saturday Mass."

Cole silently offered more coffee to Father Roberts, who nodded and mulled over the next part of the story. He also grabbed another cup for Rose, lacing hers with her cream and sugar, before he set it in front of her. She sipped it slowly, cradling the cup between her hands as if the warmth would soak up some of the misery coursing through her body. And she was miserable, Cole thought. This wasn't the lovely little romantic story she had hoped for. And then...then to suggest he killed someone...

"Mr. Shaw, the man I knew, wouldn't hurt a soul," Father Roberts added.

"The Mr. Shaw I knew wouldn't either," she reiterated, but then her cheeks paled. She whispered, "Did he kill the man?"

"That..." Father Roberts paused, answering Rose's question, "That I cannot say."

"He didn't tell you anything else about that?"

Cole said to Rose, "Any kind of involvement would have laid heavily on my uncle's conscience — as it would any good person — so that kind of guilt would need to be absolved before entering Heaven. Father Roberts cannot say anymore about it."

"I suppose I should continue," Father Roberts said when Rose said nothing else. "But this part of the story concerns both of you. You, Miss Rose, because Mr. Shaw cared much for you, and you, Mr. Fuller, because of how it affects your perception of your family."

Cole sat beside Rose. "I know nothing of my family as it is, so my perception can only alter. But if your story taints any part of my memory of my mother, I do not wish to know."

Rose turned to him. "Your mother didn't want you digging up the past. Do you think it has something to do with Mr. Shaw and his father?"

"I don't know," Cole said. "And I don't care to know."

She looked at Father Roberts again. "Do you know?"

Father Roberts gazed solemnly at Cole, but said nothing.

"I don't want to know," Cole said to Rose. "Mom told me—"

"But I want to know," Rose exclaimed. "What happened?"

Cole's jaw clenched. "Rose, let it go. It's not important to me."

"How can you say that? Don't you want to know where you came from?"

He took a deep — deep — breath. "I know where I come from. I know who I am, Rose."

Rose pushed back from the table, stood up and looked around, seemingly dazed. "I don't want to... Father Roberts, would you like more coffee?"

"I've had my limit for the night," he replied, and she looked down at the cup she sipped from.

"Cole? Where's my other cup?"

"I broke it," he said.

She spun around and shifted her gaze down, noticing the pieces that had fallen to the floor. "What? Oh...okay."

"Rose, sit down," Cole said. "Father Roberts, can I get you anything else?"

"No, thank you, Cole," he replied as he stood up. "I have overstayed my welcome, as it is. We can talk more after you've had time to digest tonight's story." He took Rose's hands between his and said, "God be with you, dear. And with you, Cole."