Chapter Sixteen

"Welcome back, Sheriff," Elayna said when she spotted him. "How was your trip?"

"Incredible," Seth replied. "Springtime in Santa Fe is amazing."

They'd driven to New Mexico to spend a week with Rueben's family. Paloma, Rue's abuela, celebrated her seventy-fifth birthday, and Rueben wanted to deliver her gift in person. The stunning rose and lily wall art Rueben had crafted from wrought iron brought tears to her eyes, and she'd clung to him for a long time, speaking rapid Spanish and caressing his face. Paloma was a tiny little spitfire with enough personality for a hundred people. Her influence on Rueben became immediately clear, and Seth adored her. She'd kept up a constant stream of chatter, telling him one story after another about Rueben. Seth didn't think it was possible to love his man more than he already did, but he was so wrong.

"I can't wait to go back for a visit," he told Elayna. "What's new around here?"

"I have something I want to tell you, but it can wait until you get settled in." Her eyes widened, and she leaped to her feet. "One moment," she said, then covered her mouth and hauled ass toward the bathroom.

Unmistakable sounds of retching carried down the hall, making him wince. Seth was pretty sure he knew what Elayna wanted to tell him but would let her do so at her own pace. He ducked into his office and spent the morning catching up on phone messages and emails. He stood up to get a cup of coffee when his intercom beeped. Seth picked up the extension without sitting back down.

"Shayne Abbott from the CBI is on the phone for you," Elayna told him.

"Thank you." Seth hadn't talked with the agent for a few months and was curious if he had any updates on Natalie's case. "Agent Abbott," Seth said into the phone. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well, Sheriff Burke. I'm actually en route to Last Chance Creek right now."

Seth's hand tightened around the phone. Abbott wouldn't make the trip unless something major had broken in the case. "Do you have a new lead in Natalie's case?"

"I do," Abbott said. "I finally found a person who was dishonest in their statements to the police."

"Who?" Seth's voice sounded like he'd been left in the desert for three years without water.

"I'd rather tell you this in person," Abbott replied.

"Who?" Seth asked again.

Abbott didn't answer right away, and Seth pictured the internal debate going on in the agent's head.

"I won't lose my shit and confront them," Seth said. "Part of you must want to tell me if you called first. You must think the truth will land a blow."

Abbott said two words that nearly drove Seth to his knees. He staggered to his chair and flopped onto it before he fell down.

"That can't be. Are you sure?"

"Positive. I'll explain everything when I get there. I'm forty-five minutes out, depending on traffic."

Forty-five minutes felt like a lifetime as Seth's brain tried to process what Abbott had told him. He wasn't even sure he moved the entire time until his intercom went off again. Seth blinked and brought the room into focus, then picked up his phone. Elayna told him Abbott was there to see him, but her voice sounded tinny and distorted. The room felt off-kilter too. Seth asked Elayna to send Abbott back, and then he cycled through some deep breaths to clear his head and regain his equilibrium. Seth stood up and shook Abbott's hand when he came through the door. Once they were alone again, Seth said, "Tell me."

"I've spent the last several months tracking down the people who partied at the river with Ryan and Natalie and reinterviewed them. Nothing panned out at first, and I figured I'd have to rely on the DNA tests turning up something. But one of the witnesses, Sarah, came across a box of undeveloped film during a recent move to Denver. She had no idea when they were taken but decided to develop the pictures. She called me as soon as she got them back." Abbott pulled out a series of photos from a file folder and passed them to Seth. Each picture featured the month, day, and year stamped on the corner.

Seth glanced up. "These are from the day Natalie was killed." He returned his attention to the photos, and his heart squeezed painfully when he came across one of Natalie and Ryan smiling for the camera. He'd been a handsome kid with a rough edge that drew the girls in like moths to a flame.

"That's a tight-knit group," Abbott said. "Sarah could rattle off the names of everyone in the photos and the cars they drove, except for one person and one vehicle."

Seth didn't immediately understand the comment about the vehicles until he got to the photos at the back of the stack. Sarah had taken them in the pull-off area people used to access that part of the river. There was a broad, beach-like clearing on the other side of the woods that made it easy to swim, launch kayaks, and party. The dense trees along the perimeter provided lots of privacy for kids who wanted to sneak off and make out. Seth stopped at a picture of three smiling young women standing with their arms around each other. On the far right of the photo, partially out of frame, was a white VW Cabriolet. Seth dropped the photo like it burned him and met Abbott's sympathetic gaze.

"Cynthia said she didn't go to the river that day." Seth's voice sounded hollow and unrecognizable to his own ears. "She claimed she was babysitting her little brother while her parents worked."

"Convertible cars aren't common in a mountain town, so it was easy to locate the owner," Abbott said.

"It was her sweet sixteen birthday gift from her parents," Seth said.

Abbott shuffled the stack of pictures until he came to another one. "Is that Cynthia?"

Seth forced himself to look. Sure enough, another group photo captured the car in the background, with Cynthia walking toward it with a thunderous expression on her face. "Yeah, that's her."

"In twenty-five years, investigators had talked to Cynthia only twice. She'd been too distraught on their first interview to give much information and only wanted to point the blame toward Ryan Ulrich during the second. The investigators hadn't viewed her as a viable suspect or a reliable witness, and they never circled back to her like they had with everyone else. You and I both know how consistent the interviewees have been over the years. We've had a few that could no longer remember things, but Cynthia is the only one we caught in a lie."

"Why would she kill Nat?"

"Let's go find out," Abbott said.

Phaedra greeted them with a warm smile when they entered the prosecutor's office. When Seth couldn't return her enthusiasm, she shifted her gaze between the two men. Seth made a quick introduction that did nothing to smooth her furrowed brow.

"Tony is in court," Phaedra said.

"We're here to talk to Cynthia," Seth replied. Phaedra lifted her phone to call Cynthia, but Seth asked her to stop. "Please just open the door."

Phaedra held his gaze for a few seconds before she returned the phone to the cradle and buzzed them in.

Seth thanked the receptionist and opened the door.

"Hopefully she won't tip Cynthia off," Abbott whispered as he followed Seth down the hallway.

"There's really no place for her to run to," Seth said.

Cynthia was in her office, studying something on her desk so intently she didn't realize they stood in the open doorway. Seth rapped his knuckles against the doorframe, and she snapped her head up. Cynthia looked exhausted, but she attempted to smile until she saw Seth's expression. She stood up so fast her chair flew back and hit the wall. "What's wrong?"

Seth stepped into the office and gestured to Abbott, who followed him into the cramped space. "Cyn, this is Agent Shayne Abbott. He's reinvestigating Natalie's murder and has some questions for you. I'm just tagging along as a courtesy."

"Oh," Cynthia said. She started to sit and nearly fell when her chair wasn't where she expected it to be.

Seth rushed forward and steadied her before she fell. Cynthia latched onto his arms and didn't let go. She trembled from head to toe, and when she finally met his gaze, Seth knew Abbott's suspicions were right. He'd held out hope for a valid explanation for her lie, but the sudden sobs racking Cynthia's body told him everything he needed to know. His heart broke all over again, just as acute as the day they'd discovered Natalie's body. This reality was unfathomable to him. Cynthia? Natalie's sister from another mister or whatever they used to say? A stronger emotion simmered in his gut, and he needed to get it under control or risk breaking his promise to Abbott. He didn't know how long they stood there staring into one another's eyes, a silent communication transmitting between them. Cynthia wanted forgiveness, and Seth needed answers. He helped her sit down in her chair, but she wouldn't release her hold on his arms.

"Why, Cyn?"

She wailed louder, and several of her coworkers rushed to her office, pausing when they took in the scene. Abbott flashed his badge and shut the door, but Seth knew it wouldn't help. They'd overhear what Cynthia was about to confess, and the news would be all over town before they left the building. He wanted to break the news to his family instead of letting them find out through the rumor mill.

"Cynthia, maybe we should talk at the station," Seth suggested. "We'd have more privacy."

She snuffled. "Everyone is going to know what I did." She gripped him tight enough that her fingernails would have dug into his skin if not for his long sleeves. "I didn't mean to hurt her. I just…lost it. I was so fucking mad at Nat."

"Wait a minute," Abbott said gently. "We need to go through some proper channels." He Mirandized Cynthia and asked if she wanted to call an attorney.

Seth freed himself from her grasp and stepped back. If he wanted to maintain his professionalism, he probably should keep his cousin's killer out of arm's reach. Seth eased back around to the front of her desk. There was only one chair, and he sat down in it to make eye contact easier. Abbott remained in front of the door with his arms crossed over his chest.

Cynthia swiped her arm over her face to wipe her runny nose. All traces of the professional woman Seth knew were gone. "The truth has eaten me alive and destroyed every relationship I've ever had. It's time."

"Do you have any weapons in your desk or on your person I should know about?" Seth asked.

Cynthia swallowed hard and shook her head. "I haven't so much as hurt a fly since that day." She raised her chin and met Seth's gaze. Tears poured down her cheeks, and he slid the box of tissues to her. She snatched two and began wiping her face. "I mean it, Seth. I never intended to hurt her. But she…" Cynthia balled the tissues in her fist and emitted a fierce growl. "She wouldn't listen to me."

"Tell me why you were so mad in the first place."

A hot flush stole across her cheeks, as if the memory might still infuriate her. Then, Cynthia raised her head and met Seth's gaze again. Misery shimmered in her eyes, and he saw remorse instead of fury.

"We had a huge fight about Ryan." Cynthia shook her head. "No, that's not fair. Ryan was just the final straw."

"How so?" Seth asked.

Cynthia banged her balled fist on top of her desk, and anger replaced misery in an instant. "I lived in Natalie's shadow my entire fucking life. She was prettier, sweeter, smarter, and funnier. She was better at everything we tried, from sports to dancing. Every girl wanted to be her, and every guy wanted to date her. My own family loved her more than me. My dad used to call her his favorite daughter. And you know what, Seth? I understood. I loved her so damn much, and I felt honored that she'd want me for her best friend. I lived to please her." Cynthia's chest heaved as she took big, gulping breaths. "Ryan was supposed to be different." Cynthia's entire body quaked, and then she yelled, "He said he wanted me! He loved me!"

Her words bounced off the walls in the tiny office, and Cynthia covered her mouth with trembling fingers. "Ryan told me I was beautiful and special. He said he loved me. No guy had ever paid attention to me with Natalie around, and I soaked in his attention like a sponge." Her expression suddenly turned so brittle Seth expected Cynthia's face to crack. "Ryan was the perfect boyfriend until I gave him what he wanted. I cried in Natalie's arms when he dumped me. She stroked my hair and told me I deserved better." Cynthia started trembling again, and rage made her pupils dilate until only the thinnest circle of her irises showed. "What I deserved was a better friend because that whore stole Ryan out from under me, but I didn't know for a while." She snorted derisively. "I figured it out about the same time I realized that son of a bitch gave me an STD. I was too ashamed to tell my parents or Natalie. I buried my head in the sand and hoped it would go away on its own." Cynthia's voice trailed off, and her eyes seemed to lose focus.

"How'd you find out Natalie was dating Ryan?" Seth asked, hoping to steer her back on track.

Cynthia flinched, blinked a few times, and looked surprised to see him in her office. Her lips curved into a surprised smile until she saw Abbott and remembered why they were there and what they'd been discussing. The sorrow, shame, and anger blanketed her fine features once more, and Seth nodded for her to continue.

"Natalie stopped making time for our friendship. She was suddenly too busy to talk on the phone or hang out. She seemed preoccupied and had a perpetual coy smile on her face that said she knew a secret. So, I followed her one night and caught her sneaking off to be with that asshole Ryan. She met him at the river and got in his truck. I was too crushed and broken to approach them, so I drove home. Natalie came over to my house the next morning, looking like the cat who ate the canary. And I lost it. I told her I knew she was dating Ryan behind my back. She apologized and claimed she hadn't meant to hurt me. Nat said she'd confronted Ryan about the way he mistreated me, and something sparked between them." Cynthia growled. "I saw what flared between them, or I would have if that panting whore hadn't fogged up his truck windows." Cynthia grimaced and released a new torrent of tears. "We must've shouted at each other for an hour. We both said the meanest things. And since the truth was out in the open, she bragged that Ryan invited her to hang out at the river with his friends."

Seth clenched his fists hard enough to snap his bones, but he kept his voice calm and nonthreatening. "Did you follow her to the river that day?"

Cynthia nodded. "Ryan kept me a secret from his friends, but he eagerly introduced Natalie to them. I just had to see for myself what was so special about her, so I took my brother to the elderly neighbor next door. I drove to the river and hid in the woods. Ryan smoked a joint and offered it to Nat, but she refused. Fucking Goody Two-shoes. He got frisky and wanted to make out, but I could tell she was uncomfortable doing that in front of his friends. Hell, the other couples were going at it, but Natalie was too prissy. Ryan eventually coaxed her into kissing him, but he got too handsy. Nat freaked out when he tried to untie her bikini top. She shoved him away and jumped to her feet. They exchanged some heated words, and Natalie stomped away. I couldn't tell if she cried tears of humiliation or anger. It was a toss-up with Nat." Cynthia rolled her eyes as if she wasn't in the middle of a murder confession. "You know how she got. High emotions all the time."

"And you followed her deeper into the woods?" Seth asked.

"I tried to comfort her. I offered to take her home. Instead of being glad to see me, Natalie got pissed. Called me a pathetic pervert for spying on them. She…she…said some awful things and told me she didn't want to be friends with a loser anymore. I tried to explain that I only wanted to warn her away from Ryan because she would end up hurt like me. He'd cast her aside as soon as he got what he wanted." Cynthia's eyelids lowered to half-mast, but her gaze still looked unfocused, like she'd checked out. Was she back at the river with Nat as she relived their last fight? Then she blinked and locked her gaze on Seth. All the anger and shame he'd witnessed earlier disappeared, leaving soul-deep despair.

"She mocked me, Seth. Taunted me. Natalie said she was smarter than I'd been. She wasn't going to be an easy lay because she wanted Ryan to respect her. Then, Natalie touched a heart-shaped locket hanging from her neck. I didn't know Natalie's pretty mouth could form such a cruel smile." Cynthia had described a side of Natalie he'd never seen, but he didn't dispute or disrupt her. "Nat bragged about Ryan giving her the necklace for her birthday. The only thing he'd given me was chlamydia. I…I called her a whore."

Cynthia breathed faster, almost panting, as she neared the climax of the story. "She slapped me and stomped off. I saw red. That's the only way I can describe it. My vision was clear one minute and hazy red the next. It felt like I wasn't in control. I was just a prisoner of my…baser instincts, I guess. An out-of-body experience. The real me is shouting ‘no' as the monster in control picked up a fat, stubby tree limb and ran after her. I caught up to her near the riverbank and swung it at the back of Natalie's head." Cynthia's voice had gone cold and undetached, but her gaze burned hot enough to scorch Seth where he sat.

"The limb connected with a sick thud, and she went down. And that pissed me off, too, because I'd wanted a fight, and she just lay there, unmoving and not making a sound. So I hit her again."

Seth flinched like she'd physically hit him. He tried to block the images of Natalie's last minutes, but they kept coming. His stomach pitched and rolled, but he managed not to throw up. He forced himself to take shallow breaths and pay attention to what Cynthia said.

"Inside my head, I was screaming at myself to stop, but I couldn't do it. I don't know how many times I hit her, and I don't remember dragging her into the river. My next lucid memory is of me cowering in my shower at home, holding Natalie's precious necklace in my hands." She blinked several times as if coming out of a fugue state. "I still have it."

"The necklace?" Seth's voice sounded stifled and unnatural, but Cynthia didn't seem to notice.

She nodded. "It was in that box of high school stuff in my storage unit." She sucked in a shaky breath. "I'm so broken, Seth. I should've told the truth, but I kept steering the conversation to Ryan. I loved it when the community ran him off, and I didn't shed a single tear when I found out he'd overdosed on drugs. In my mind, everything was his fault." She banged her small fist against the desk. "He took everything away from me. Natalie was my universe, and he stole her from me." She hiccupped a sob again, and the tears streamed down her face once more. "He stole my ability to have children. I waited too long to get treatment for the chlamydia, and the severe scarring made me infertile. I let my hatred of him blanket the guilt I felt for killing Natalie. I hadn't meant to hurt her. I just…"

A tsunami of emotions swelled inside Seth, rendering him momentarily useless. He looked at the CBI agent with a silent plea and watched as Abbott handcuffed Cynthia and led her from the office. He ignored the shocked expressions and questions her coworkers lobbed at him and headed to his SUV. The next few hours were some of the toughest in his life.

His family loved Cynthia like she was one of them, and learning of her betrayal cut deep. None of them found relief from knowing who killed Natalie; they only experienced a fresh wave of pain. Some of them had legal questions Seth couldn't answer. Whether Cynthia served time depended on what charges the state brought against her. Statutes of limitations could prevent legal repercussions unless they charged her with murder. She hadn't brought a weapon with her to confront Natalie, so they wouldn't hit her with any of the aggravated felonies. Considering her age and emotional state at the time, Seth figured they'd declare Natalie's death an involuntary manslaughter. Statutes of limitation would save Cynthia from going to jail, but the life she'd built was still ruined.

The Feisty Bull was closed to the public on Mondays, but the Harts and Burkes and everyone they held dear naturally navigated to the restaurant as they'd done so many times since it opened. They'd honored and fought for Natalie every way they knew how and raised a toast to her again. They shared tears and laughter and found solace in one another. It would take a long time to come to terms with the truth, but they would. Seth couldn't say he felt lighter after the day's revelations, but it felt like they were no longer stuck in a rut. They could move forward and honor Natalie's memory with the way they lived and loved.

Seth thought about the children Rueben predicted they'd have—little girls named Natalie and Lili Rose. They'd make something beautiful from the tragedies they had in common. Seth wanted to grab that shiny future with both hands and never let go. And that's just what he did. Seth set his beer bottle down on the bar and turned to tell Kerry he'd be back, but his cousin was too busy staring at Keegan across the restaurant to notice Seth. Kerry had several smiles in his arsenal that could disarm, charm, irritate, or seduce. The one curving his lips was something Seth had never seen before. It was soft and tender. Seth's protective instincts kicked in, and he wanted to warn Kerry to stay away from the vulnerable guy.

His cousin threw up a hand. "Save it. I found out a woman I loved like family killed my sister and lied to my face for twenty-five years. Just let me have this one good thing."

Seth slapped him on the shoulder, crossed the room, and stole Rueben away from his mother and sister. "I'll bring him right back," he promised them when they protested. Seth led Rueben to a quiet part of the restaurant and pulled him into a hug. "Will you stand with me in front of our families and friends and vow to love me forever?"

Rueben's eyes widened. "Now?"

Seth chuckled. "We're underdressed. But soon. Maybe something small. Nothing too formal or fancy."

Rueben's mouth curved into an impish grin. "How about a justice of the peace and a single witness? Then we can throw a party to celebrate with our friends and family."

"What are you doing for lunch tomorrow? We can apply for our marriage license and make an appointment to see the justice of the peace."

Rueben laughed and kissed his mouth. "Perfect!" He turned and scanned the room. "But how do we choose just one witness when we have so much love in our lives?"

Seth narrowed his eyes as he considered. "Someone who will keep their mouth shut so we can pull this off without a hitch."

Three days later, Kerry and Keegan stood up with them as Seth and Rueben vowed their lives to one another. It was short and sweet but no less meaningful when Seth kissed his husband for the first time. Kerry slapped him hard enough to collapse his lung, but Seth was too happy to protest. Keegan and Rueben hugged for a long time, exchanging words too softly for Seth to hear. The foursome filed out of the courthouse, where half the freaking county waited to congratulate them.

"So much for keeping your mouths shut," Seth said.

Keegan immediately pointed to Kerry. "He did it."

Kerry growled playfully and narrowed his eyes. "You little…" His words trailed off to pursue Keegan, who'd bolted toward the gathered crowd at the bottom of the steps. "You can run, but you can't hide."

"Should we do something about them?" Rueben asked warily.

Their eyes met, and they both said, "Nah."

They used the distraction of Kerry and Keegan dodging and weaving through the crowd to sneak away and kick off their happily ever after in private.

The End!!