Page 69 of Killer on the Homestead
“I guess we are,” she replied, though things were going a little grayer as Duncan detangled himself from her and helped her into a sitting position.
The cops were wrestling cuffs onto Terry, talking into their radios.
“She needs an ambulance,” Duncan shouted at them.
She did. She knew she did. But still, she could hear the worry in his voice, feel it in the way he gripped her. “I’m okay.” She squeezed his forearm until he looked away from the cops and at her.
“You don’t look it,” he grumbled.
“No. Probably need a few stitches. But I’m going to be okay. It’s all going to be okay.” She had never been any good at comforting people. Tended to shy away from it, but she pulled him into a hug anyway. Held on. “We’re all going to be okay.”
She felt him sigh against her. His grip on her was gentle, probably worried he was going to hurt her. But he held her all the same.
Because she wasn’t lying. Everything was going to beokay. She’d make sure of it.
Chapter Twenty-One
Duncan hadn’t wanted to let Rosalie go, but the paramedics had jogged onto the scene—stretchers and bags in tow. They’d loaded up Terry first, which had ticked him off, but one of the paramedics checked out Rosalie, right there with her sitting against the tree.
She’d argued with the woman, but the paramedic had been adamant. She’d have to ride in the ambulance to the hospital. Duncan had been somewhat relieved at how bitterly Rosalie had been against it. She had to be feeling at least alittlelike herself to mount that argument, no matter how terrible she looked.
He wasn’t allowed to ride with her, which was infuriating, but he also didn’t want Detective Beckett or even Detective Delaney-Carson explaining everything to his parents. It needed to be someone who would understand what a betrayal this would be to everything his parents held dear.
For thirty-plus years they had trusted Terry. That was an entire lifetime of believing someone was your friend. Someone you could trust and believe in. To have Terry be a murderer…
He sighed as he took the stairs to his parents’ house. Rosalie had told him to go handle this. He hadn’t even needed to explain—she’d understood. Since the paramedic had assured him that she’d need stitches, maybe go through a concussion protocol, but she would be okay, he’d let them wheel her away.
He’d given his statement to Detective Beckett. Gotten the clear to return to his truck and go break the news to his parents.
So here he was. Handling it. Audra would meet Rosalie at the hospital, and it wasn’t like they’d let him in the room while they patched her up. He’d head out there later. Once he was sure his parents were okay.
He tapped on the door, then let himself in. Mom and Dad were in the kitchen, and as he approached, Mom stood from the table. She crossed to him, wrapped her arms around him and squeezed.
Dad stood next to the table looking pale and frail but determined to take it. They knew it was Terry now, but they didn’t know the why of it.
“Just lay it all out,” Mom said, pulling back, but gripping his hand.
He gave Mom’s hand a squeeze then led her back to the table. He sat down and laid it all out to them. Terry hiding in Rosalie’s truck at the hospital. Rosalie wrecking her truck to get away.
Terry having his own land, a stockpile of weapons. Duncan even shared his theory about the missing cattle. He didn’t want to explain Terry’s reasoning, but he had to.
“Saw me first?” Mom laughed bitterly. “I never gave Terry Boothe the time of day.” She leaned into Dad, more troubled than Duncan wanted to accept.
“All these years…” Dad trailed off, and never finished that sentence.
“The police are still collecting all the information,” Duncan said. “Terry made it sound like he’s been resentful and planning this since his parents sold their ranch to Grandma and Grandpa, but the evidence doesn’t support it. Maybe he always felt that bitterness, but he didn’t start acting on it until a few years ago.”
He’d hoped that might easesomeof the hurt written all over his parents’ faces, but it didn’t. But they gripped each other’s hands, leaned on each other.
They asked a few more questions, but mostly it would just take…time, Duncan supposed. And it would probably never fully heal that wound, but they’d survive. They had each other. They had him.
And despite Terry’s attempt to take out Owen again in his hospital room, the kid was fighting. If he made it, he’d be able to testify against Terry over what Terry had done to him.
Nothing erased what Terry did, particularly to Hunter, but there would be justice. Duncan would use all of his resources to make sure of it.
Mom reached her free hand across the table to put it over his. “How’s Rosalie?”
“They’re patching her up. Audra was going to text me when they’re done.”
