Page 64 of Justified Lies

Darren grabbed the back of his neck. “Jesus, I will tell her. How is Annie? Is there anything I can do?” Sincerity rang through his words.

“Annie doesn’t even know what happened, she’s fine.” Lianna looked back at the car to verify that. “I’m just a little shaken.”

“Does this have to do with your neighbor? I think you need to get out of that house.” He paused. “You can stay here until they figure out what’s going on. It’s safest for the children.”

Lianna was taken back by his generosity and concern. “Thanks, but your parents have been staying with me at night. The principal is calling it into the police out of an abundance of concern. I really don’t know what’s going on or when this will stop…”

Damn it. She was getting choked up. This was a bizarre conversation and the fact that Darren was offering support threw her off balance. Just when she thought things couldn’t get any weirder, he whispered, “It’s okay to ask for help.”

Lianna’s gaze darted up to his face wondering if she had just imagined his words.

“If there’s nothing else you need from me, I should be getting back to work.” Darren started to turn away but then quickly faced Lianna again. He cleared his throat, “The two-year mark is coming up.”

“I know,” Lianna dreaded the anniversary of Scott’s death and the memories of that awful night with every fiber of her being.

“I was with him.”

She watched as he took a shallow breath, before breathing out longer than he should have needed to.

“When Scott died, I was in the car,” he said.

Lianna’s blood froze as Darren struggled forward.

“I was with him when he, he…”

“But… I thought he was alone, they said he was alone,” she was able to stammer out.

“His blood alcohol content wasn’t the only thing they covered up that night.” He looked down at his polished shoes, unable to make himself look at her.

Barb and Charles Bennett were pillars of the community. Instead of living downtown like most of the uber wealthy, they remained in their little beach town. Charles was childhood buddies with the mayor and chief of police. In fact, if there was someone influential in town, they were a friend of the family.

So, Lianna understood that when the Bennetts’ oldest son was killed in a single car accident, it seemed harmless enough to forgo the post-mortem toxicology tests. It made things easier on everyone. The company received only good press, the familyreceived only sympathy, and Lianna received the pity she had been struggling with for the past several years. That and a fat, uncontested insurance payout.

The blood test was never conducted, so there was no chance of it coming back to haunt them. But Lianna knew, Darren knew, Barb and Charles knew. It sat on their conscience like an elephant. Lianna suspected that her in-laws grappled with their guilt still. She also knew that was part of why Darren disliked her so much, because she was willing to harbor this secret to her own benefit.

As if Darren could read her thoughts, he twisted the knife that had so eloquently been lodged in her heart.

“It’s easier to hate you for giving him a reason to drink, than to hate myself for letting him drive.”

She opened her mouth but couldn’t get her throat to issue a sound.

“Every time I see you, I think of him. Of that night. God, he was such a mess. I wish I didn’t have the constant reminder, but I would never want to see you hurt.”

As Lianna watched the pools of water slowly seep from the corner of her brother-in-law’s eyes, she felt her own tears stream down her face. But they weren’t for her, instead her sorrow was for the man in front of her.

“Darren…”

“I’m trying here, Lianna.” The look on his face told her he was desperate for her to believe that. “I started seeing a therapist this morning. Nicki suggested … demanded it. I thought that was her coming back for something just now.”

Lianna stood there, watching helplessly as Darren fought off drowning in his grief.

“I understand your pain. I am so sorry.”

It wasn’t even a remotely sufficient response to what he had just told her, but it was all she could muster. His mouthgaped slightly as if he was shocked to hear those words come from her.

Quickly composing himself he said, “Me, too. And I would appreciate you not mentioning what I just told you. Only my parents know the full truth and it would ruin the company.”

The emotionless shell around Darren had regained control.

---