Page 200 of The Woman By the Lake

I had to admit, I had my doubts about Jefferson.

I believed he was manipulated by Sharon, but it was hard to wrap my head around the idea that Lincoln would be so distraught, he wouldn’t question Sharon’s narrative that night. Of course, the situation was heartbreaking, and on the surface, dire. But to serve seven years in prison when Jefferson hadn’t even shot them? And Jefferson not only not telling his father that, but waiting a further eight years and some change to tell anyone he didn’t do such a thing?

I didn’t know.

And I’d never really know.

But the next twist pushed me to lean the other way.

This was that, from prison, Sharon wrote an identical letter to Dave and Brenda, and Riggs, begging, if we found that manuscript, we’d let her read it.

And by now, it had been testified about frequently in her presence that such a thing didn’t exist.

So, frankly, that was totally unhinged.

Riggs, Dave and Brenda gave the letters to Harry.

And I decided it was likely Jefferson Whitaker was a spoiled brat, but he was also controlled by, and perhaps even terrified of, Sharon Swindell.

At least he’d been when he was fourteen.

And Roosevelt, Sarah and Lincoln paid the price.

But in the end, for Jeff, it was all about getting his hands on that contract and the manuscript.

Which truly was a great “fuck you” to Sharon that lasted a long time, was still messing with her head in a way that it seemed it would for the rest of her life, and eventually, it brought her to justice.

But it also ultimately led, through no fault of his own, to Lincoln’s demise.

This could mean that there was a possibility that Roosevelt and Sarah had been alive when they’d been taken to the stables that night and had died in the fire.

To that, all I would allow myself to think was that they had to be completely unconscious and didn’t know what was happening to them.

The alternative didn’t bear contemplating.

But at least, in the end, they were together.

There was a crucial link missing, and he’d go through hell and have to live seven years without either of them.

But he lived those years doing his utmost to take care of the thing they all held most dear.

Their family.

The three Whitaker children banded together after all of this and beat back their challengers on all the claims on the estate.

A judge awarded what was left of it to the children, as well as anything that came from it in future royalties, not to mention, they now held the rights to sell for television or movies.

The estate was distributed equally between all three.

The Whitakers tried to make amends to their grandchildren after that, as did their Aunt Mary.

Word reached us, they were having none of it.

Word also reached us, they’d been approached for the rights by several producers.

It was said, the youngest two now looked to Truman to guide the way, and his guidance was that their family had had enough.

So far, they’d declined all offers.

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