Defending Jacob: The Aftermath Book 1

Nothing will be the same (Option 3)

NO! Andy hears her screams as he gets to the trail in the park. He starts to run not sure what he's about to find. Just as he runs up to them seeing them lying on the ground blood everywhere, not moving. He looks over to the shooter shocked. He looks around for others who might have witness what just happening, looking for the person he wants to see standing. He wakes up at his desk shaking, sweating his heart pounding in his chest, from his nightyear of that day one year ago in the park. The lie he keeps from everyone, from Jacob. The lie they both keep hidden inside. Only there is more lies than before, a bigger lie being kept.

One Year ago.

Charlotte driving her suv into the town the Newton, her anxiety is playing overdrive in her head. She starts picturing how this could all play out in her head. She pictures Cliff confessing,getting the evidence from her and just leaving as the easiest possible scenario, knowing all too well it won't end that easy. She pictures a gun being shot at her hands Cliff lying there dead, and she free, but she have to be on the run if anyone saw her. Her worst thought she could end up dead in the end. She was ready for anything though, telling herself "Andy and his family deserve this second chance at happiness."

As she drove into town she stopped at a gas station, she made the phone call to local police. That she had seen someone with a gun near Cold Springs Park. When the police officer on the line asked for her name she hung up the phone. She knew enough that they would be able to trace her phone number. She kept driving to the park, once there she put her deleted laptop in her bag. She kept a rocket stick in her car, the other one she had mail to Andy in the letter she wrote him. She got out of the car with her gun tucked in the back of her jeans her jacket covering up the weapon. She made her way down the trail, she didn't see another soul anywhere. She had told Laurie 1pm knowing it would keep Laurie safe and out of trouble. Andy knew nothing about her meeting with Cliff. As she walked closer to the spot she had been to many times delivering flowers in memory to where Ben was found. She saw his murdered standing right next to where Ben's blooded body laid back where it all started.

"You made it, you better have come alone Scar." Cliff said.

"I told you I would, when have I 've gone back on my word." she said.

"Oh really, what about years ago when you said you loved me and would never leave me?" he asked.

"Cliff that was years ago, you changed after that, you beat me. I had to leave to save myself." she says.

"You left cause your idiot brother Dan made you, let's be honest. Why do you think I killed Ben, it was payback for your family convincing you to leave me." he snaps.

"Your insane Cliff, you hit me. You waited 14 years to go after Ben. He was a good kid. You took him from his family, his friends. Just like you took my fiance and my daughter." she snapped.

"hahaha you think your nephew was innocent, he was bully. He was bullying a girl for nude selfies at school. The girl Derek liked and he be with right now if it wasn't for Ben. Your fiance and child had an unfortunate car accident years ago. That's on you for listening to your stupid family." he yelled.

Charlotte had her phone in her pocket recording his entire confession. She was nervous and alone. She knew she had her insurance with the evidence in the car, on her phone and in the mail to Andy. "So that's why you killed Ben. Say it, why did you let some innocent kid take the fall for you. Why did you let another man confess and die for a murder he didn't commit." She questioned him.

"You really don't get it at all. Sarah the girl Derek likes, she liked Jacob a little. That made Jacob a threat to Derek getting her. I told you me killing Ben is was the perfect revenge on you, your brother. Derek told me Jacob had a knife, that Ben bullied him. Why do you think, Derek even wrote the story on Jacob online account for the cutter porn site." he said.