Page 50 of Say Now
"Thank you," Lizzy said."You told me you would help to protect my son, and you did that."
"The rest of that is up to you now, Lizzy," Alison said."He wasn’t guilty of murdering anyone, so your son is now a free man, but that doesn’t mean he won't run into any problems once he is released.I don't want to burden you with this, but you need to be there for him, and we have to hope that is enough to keep him out of trouble.He is working through some things, and you will have to work through some things, too."
"What do you mean?"Lizzy asked.
"Captain Dale Kent," Alison said."You know him."
"I do," Lizzy said."He used to work with Arturo."
"He was the one who killed the three doctors."
"What?"Lizzy gasped."I don't understand."
"He tried to frame your son," Alison continued."He was the one who had Arturo killed to protect himself."
Lizzy brought a trembling hand over her mouth, unable to say anything.
"He was the one who threatened you so you would drop the case," Alison continued."I hate to be the one to tell you all of this, and I understand it will be overwhelming, but you deserve to know.I’m sure an FBI agent will come to talk with you when Tommy is released.I know this is a lot to take in, but know that you will finally get justice for Arturo.Maybe that’s what will finally get Tommy on the straight and narrow."
"I don’t…" Lizzy started, her hand still covering her mouth.
"I have to go," Alison said."You need to be strong.Both of you.Tommy should be there for you, and you should be there for him.That’s how families need to work.Goodbye, Lizzy."
Lizzy pulled her in for another hug, this one tighter than before."Thank you," she whispered."Thank you."
When she let go, Alison and Lizzy looked each other in the eye for a few seconds before Alison turned to go.
She had a flight to catch.She was finally going home.And when she got there, the first thing she was going to do was pay a visit to Morris Bridges to find out what he knew.Alison needed to get justice for her sister.She didn't know yet who had killed Emma, but she would find out
EPILOGUE
Three days later
"Are you ready to do this?"Derek asked as they stood outside the prison interview room.
"Yeah."Alison was more than ready.The entire time she had been in Missoula, she had only been able to think about getting back to talk with Morris Bridges and find out what he knew about her sister.
"Let’s do it," Derek said.He nodded to the prison guard on the door.
The guard opened the door for them."I’ll be right outside.Just holler if you need me."
Morris Bridges was already at the table, his hands cuffed to the metal ring in the middle of the metal surface.The entire room, except for the table and three chairs, was off-white.The paint wasn’t chipping, but it was also dull, as if it had been applied a decade ago.
She tried to calm down and control her heartbeat as she walked to the table.It might be another dead end, and she couldn’t get her hopes up for them to be dashed.
"Morris Bridges, I’m Dr.Alison Payne," Alison introduced as she sat down."Thank you for taking the time to speak with us."
Is he her killer?Did you kill my sister?
Morris Bridges was in his late fifties.He had long hair that hung past his shoulders, once black, now grey.He looked gaunt, with sunken cheeks, hollow eyes, and wispy hair on his chin.And his eyes looked dead.The blue in them looked like they might have once held light, but that light had been switched off a long time ago.His hands shook.
"What do you want?"His voice was quiet and gravely.
"I want to know what you were doing twenty years ago.You worked construction back then, didn't you?"
"I did a lot of things back then," he replied."A lot of things."Morris didn't look them in the eye as he spoke, and looked off to the side as he thought about the things he had done.
"You were arrested for harassing joggers," Derek said."You assaulted one of them."
