Defending Jacob: The Aftermath Book 1

Nothing will be the same (Option 2 ending)

No! Andy scream's again waking up from the the memories haunting him. He can't seem to let it go, the past year the day it all ended in the park. Seeing them lying on the ground not moving. He goes downstairs opening his laptop, searching google for the article's in the paper. The headlines reads Rifkin Murder Case finally Closed with a Twist! Andy stares at the article tears in his eyes, knowing everyone who still doubted Jacob knows the truth. Jacob has his life back, his therapy has finally gone well they are all happy again. He begins to read the article, as he remembers speeding his was through traffic to the park.

One year earlier.

Andy is panicking at what Charlotte is up too, knowing Laurie is on her way there now. That Cliff is going to the park. Andy pulled up to the park and went running down the path hearing their screams. He drops to the ground at the nightmare he is witnessing in the park.

Charlotte is driving her car down the county road, headed towards Newton. As she enters the town limits. She pulls over at the gas station, heading inside she sees the old man at the counter. She pays for filling her car up with gas. She asks the man if he can call the police for her. She is meeting someone dangerous at Cold Springs Park in 30 minutes. She also hand him and package, stating he needs to give it to the police for her. She walks out to her car and heads to the park. Once she's finally there, he heart is pounding in her chest as she gets out the car. She got her deleted laptop of all the evidence in her bag. She leaves the rocket stick copy in her purse in her car. She tucks her gun fully loaded into the back on her jeans, pulling down her sweater to cover the gun.

She makes her way down the trail, praying the cops get there just in time. She's hasn't heard from Laurie. Assuming Laurie still believes the time to meeting Cliff at 1pm. She keeps walking hearing the gravel crushing beneath her feet, every step feels like she's sinking right into the ground. As she gets closer she sees Cliff standing by the pond on the hill.

"What took you so long to get here?" Cliff asks.

"Sorry I got stuck in traffic." she says.

"You better have come alone bitch." he snaps at her.

"Yes, I came alone Cliff. You told me if I give you what you want. You tell me why killed Ben. Tell me right now!" she yells.

He laughs at her "you really have no idea. Seriously you brought all of this on yourself Scar. You cause Ben's death, Jason's and your daughter's deaths years ago. Their all gone because of you."

"Your fucking insane Cliff. You killed them what cause I left you after you abused me?" she asked.

"I only hurt you cause you deserved it. You made me angry all the time. You just needed to do what I wanted. You left me so your family needed to suffer. They told you to leave me." he snapped.

"Of course they told me to leave you. Your insane and used to beat me. That's why you killed Ben as some kind of twisted revenge. You almost let and innocent kid go to jail for something he didn't do!" she yelled.

"Ben was good kid, you took him from his parents and everyone. Why him? Why was Derek part of this entire thing." she asked.

"haha you think he was a good kid. He was tormenting and bully Derek, Jacob and lots of other kids. He was harassing a girl that Derek wanted to protected and liked. If it wasn't for Ben Derek and her would be dating." he says.

"Your insane Cliff. Just here is what you came here for, take it and leave this town. That's my deal leave Newton, leave the state and never comeback. Leave Andy, Jacob and his wife alone. Forget you ever knew me and my family, or else." she snapped.

"Oh I doubt your concerned with Mrs. Barber. I bet you'd love her out of pictures that way you and her husband could be together." Cliff laughed.

She was getting annoyed with his game. She had his confession recorded. Charlotte was done playing. "Here is the laptop with all the evidence." She said as she bent down to take it out of the bag.

"No!" Laurie screamed as she came running down the trail.

"What the fuck is this, you Bitch!" Cliff yelled as he punched Charlotte in the head knocking her to the ground. He kicked her in stomach and she rolled over.

As Charlotte rolled over in pain clutching her stomach, that's when Cliff got site of the gun stuffed in the back of her pants. As Charlotte was about to grab it. Cliff got it first pulling her to her feet. He wrapped his arm around Charlottes neck hold the gun to her head.

"Mrs. Barber this doesn't concern you get out of here. If you want your son to be safe." Cliff said.

"Let her go." Laurie said having her own gun pointed towards Cliff. 

That's when Cliff started hearing the sirens of police cars near by and snapped.

Andy saw the police driving rushing to Cold Springs Park. He pressed down on the gas driving faster. He slammed on his breaks as he got to the park and went running following the police officers. They all heard it at once BANG! One single gun shot. Andy panicked yelling running. He knew Laurie and Charlotte were at the park. He feared what he might see, never realizing just how bad or how broken his heart would be in a matter of seconds.

Present time

Andy still sitting at his desk reading the events of the new article in the paper. The one completely telling the story of Bens true murdered. The car accident and how everything had settled. Now 2 years later life was slowly going back to normal for the Barber's, well at least the new normal. After everything they had faced Andy and Laurie separated but agreed to move to Denver. Laurie had been offered a teaching job. She had her own place, Andy and Jacob loved in a house they bought. Andy was now working as defence attorney run his own practise.

For months Andy would think of her missing her. Grieving Charlotte's death in the park. How she had sacrificed for his own son. He looks at the letter she mailed to him with the USB drive. He reads ever now and than trying to live by the words and the wishes Charlotte had for him.
Dear Andy:
I had to do this for you, for Jacob and for Laurie. You all deserved the best chance at being happy again. I know you are probably angry that I took matters into my own hands today. I did so because I love you, it's because I love you I owe it to you to be happy. You and your family have suffered so much because of my past. Cliff was a dark part of my past I tried to keep there. Your son, your family my brother and nephew all suffered due to my past mistakes of caring for someone who didn't care for me. Whatever happens today please forgive me. Please find away back to loving Laurie. Forgive her for her mistakes, as we all have made them. I know Laurie will forgive you once I'm gone for your life. I'm asking you to try hard to forget me, please do this for me if you love me like you have told me. Love me enough to say goodbye, like I'm loving you enough to let you go. I love you Andy, I always will know that in your heart. Every time you struggle look at Jacob knowing your love for Laurie made him. Love your son, you wife for family be happy. All my love Charlotte.

Laurie took it hard as well, she forgave Andy for their affair, but understood how lost Andy could have gotten with the entire situation of the pst couple years. They both grieved Charlotte in their own way. Although Laurie didn't want to see Andy hurt more, she kept Charlottes secret of being pregnant with Andy's child. It was something she vowed to take to the grave. Jacob was happy in Denver attending high school now. Everyone had forgotten about his part with the nightmare the Barber's had faced in Newton. He was getting closer to his mom again, that fear he had of her subsiding. Andy and Laurie were dating and starting over after a few months in Denver they realized as much as it hurt them both in their own ways with the loss of Charlotte, she had giving them of gift of starting over again. To make their way back to each other finding their love once more. Forgetting the past to move forward together as a family.

Authors note. Hope you like this option of ending if you didn't like the first one. I will get third option up on the weekend. Comments are welcome always. Just thinking it's up to the readers to picture which ending you like for the story. I just had 3 ideas that I couldn't pick from as I like them all. The next one is my favourite though.