How to Kill a Man in Thirty Seconds

Chapter 71: What He Buried

I stared.

"What do you mean?"

"I found a burner phone in my father's room. I wasn't even going to look through it, until I realized he'd been talking to Morgan... Morgan Walker. I read through the messages, Charley."

"When was this?"

Guilt burned in his eyes, "A couple of weeks back. Right after... Oliver's funeral."

"That's why you asked me for space," realization dawned. I blinked, frowned, confusion filling my every cell, "You found the killer, Adrian. Why didn't you tell me?"

Adrian swallowed hard, "At first, I didn't know how to break it to you, that your father had been lying. I didn't want to upset you, Charley. After what happened to Oliver, I didn't think you were ready for it... And then I began to think of how they'd throw my father behind bars if this got out."

I stared at him incredulously, "...so? Adrian, you hate your father."

Adrian's gaze dropped, his face somber, his tone desperate, "I know, Charley. I do hate him, and I have most of my life. But at the end of the day... he is my father. I think he's changed; I think he really has. All he needed was a fresh start."

"Adrian, what the fuck are you on about?" his explanations failed to make any sense and anger was starting to surge inside me.

Adrian flinched, "I know what you're thinking, Charley. But revealing all this isn't going to change anything; it'll just destroy any chance your mother has of moving on, and ruin your father's memory." I saw the guilt mirrored in his eyes but he spoke his words with blunt honesty, "These past few weeks, I've almost felt like I have my father back. I mean the man he was before the abuse, before he lost himself to the drugs and the madness. For me, Charley, please. Let's keep this a secret."

I stared at Adrian, struck speechless with shock. Moments passed as I tried to configure his words, to possibly fathom where he was coming from. But I found that I couldn't. For the first time, as I stared at Adrian with that ever-increasing feeling of disappointment and hurt, I realized I didn't know the boy that stood before me.

Perhaps I never had.

Tears pricked my eyes at the realization.

He had never cared for me; perhaps on the surface, he had, but never truly. That much was evident. My heart suddenly felt as heavy as a log, utterly stifled.

Silly.

That was what I felt.

Stupid.

For all that I had given up, for falling in love.

I'd ignored all the red flags, ignored all logic. Perhaps it was no question why it had led me here.

"Leave," I said, blinking away tears, swallowing hurt even as I watched panic flash in his eyes.

"Charley-," he started desperately, hand reaching out for me, fear filling his eyes when he realized what was happening.

"I swear to God, LEAVE, Adrian!"

He flinched, pain rushing into his eyes even as he backed away, hands held up in defeat.

My legs gave way the moment Adrian had disappeared. The tears began flowing out in torrents then, hurt piling on hurt, crushing my heart beneath its weight. I was losing everyone I loved, like a falling row of dominoes and I was starting to realize that they all wore more faces than one.

"It's really too bad. You know too much to be spared now, don't you?" the sudden voice caused me to glance up.

I registered a pleased Colton Hunt peering down at me, right before I felt blinding pain.