Page 133 of Revival

“The other guy is still bleeding on the floor.”

Sutton cocks his head. “Ever think maybe he’s just a wimp?”

“Defending a criminal? I thought you were a better officer than that, Stone.”

Sutton’s back grows rigid at the implication. “What the hell does that mean?”

“It means do your job. Arrest your brother. Book him in.”

Sutton tries coaxing. “Come on, Perry. Do you really want to spend your Saturday night booking him in for a simple assault?”

The sheriff yanks up on Spencer’s arms, forcing him to his toes. “No, because you’re going to do it for me.”

“Sutton.” Spencer’s tone is low and commanding. “Take me down to the station. I’d like to give you my statement.”

Sutton shakes his head. “It’s not right. Why are you doing this?”

“Tell him, Jim.” Spencer’s voice grows stronger. He glances over his shoulder at the older cop.

“Tell me what?” A thread of suspicion enters Sutton’s voice.

“It was bound to happen sometime, wasn’t it?” Spencer asks. “You can’t run from the truth forever.”

What is happening? A buzz roars to life in my ears. Spencer stands taller, his chin twisting over his shoulder to stare down the sheriff.

“Tell him how you forced me to leave all those years ago.”

Spencer’s serious accusation hangs like smoke in the air. Shock bubbles up within me as a truth I never considered waits to be unveiled.

Sheriff Perry scoffs. His mouth falls open as he looks at the night sky. “I did no such thing.”

But I know by the dramatic way he contorts his face that Spencer is telling the truth without even hearing the details.

Two more vehicles rumble down the block, stealing our attention before Spencer can continue. The truck and SUV belong to Lee and Jack. My brothers emerge, Jude climbing out of Jack’s passenger side makes three. Some of my chaotic feelings start to settle.

“You need to stay back!” The sheriff calls before my brothers can get too close. Sutton inclines his head as if to agree.

“Why are you all chitchatting on the sidewalk?” Lee ignores the warning.

Sutton tucks his hands in his police vest and rocks back on his heels. “Spencer was going to tell us an interesting story about how the sheriff forced him to leave town.”

“It’s nothing but lies,” Sheriff Perry defends himself.

“Why would I lie about something like that? You’ve never liked me. The people standing on this sidewalk can attest to that,” Spencer says.

“That’s how I remember it,” Jack adds. He and Jude lean against the brick exterior, far enough away but still within hearing distance.

My mind works as bits and pieces of information are slowly revealed. This is what he meant when he said time was stolen from us. I wish I had Spencer to lean on because if what he says is true, the devastation will crush me.

“I always wondered why that was.” Sutton scrubs his hand over his chin.

“Because,” Spencer says slowly, “he blames me for his wife running away with our dad. Right, Jim?”

“What?” Sutton steps closer to his brother. “What did you just say?”

“When I was thirteen, I accidentally rode over Mrs. Perry’s prized garden on my bike. She followed me home and wanted to talk to our parents about a punishment. Apparently, those plants cost her a lot of money. I don’t fucking know. What I do know is when she met our dad, they fell in love.”

“I thought Dad fell for his teaching assistant,” Sutton interjects.

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