Beyond the Shadow of Night(111)

The next day, Asher was charged. The day after that, he dictated and signed a confession.

As soon as he entered the cell he felt sure he’d done the right thing. He felt strangely at home; after all, this was as close as he could get to how his family had died, so in a sense he was closer to them. He felt at peace.





Chapter 35

Pittsburgh, September 2001

Versions of the story got onto the TV and into the newspapers, but Diane—having been the one to initiate the review of the case by handing the tape to the police—was kept informed of new developments at each stage.

The police had originally taken Asher’s confession at face value. Why wouldn’t they? Tight budgets and stretched resources had met with a signed confession and clear forensic evidence, producing as clean a case as any. But on hearing and verifying the tape, they took a closer look at the evidence and timings, and interrogated Asher once more. He eventually broke down and admitted his confession had been false, that he’d gone back to the house, seen his friend’s dead body slumped over the table, broken in, picked up the gun in a panic, and stumbled out in a fog of shock.

What with the legal formalities, it took a few days for Asher to be released from jail and taken back to his home in Detroit. Since then, Diane had talked with him on the phone a few times, initially with stilted results, but they were soon talking like old friends or even uncle and niece. In passing she’d told him she’d decided not to go stay with her mother in Baltimore, but to stay with Brad. They were, however, both going to spend some time with her mother.

A few days before leaving, while Diane and Brad were sitting down to eat, the phone rang. Asher asked Diane if he could call round the next day, said he had to see her about something. He apologized for the short notice, and told her it wouldn’t be a regular thing. Diane, just a little confused as well as intrigued, told him that would be fine, that he was welcome to stop by, an invitation he accepted.

A few minutes later, after Diane had made arrangements and put the phone down, she and Brad carried on eating.

“Hey, I’m sorry,” she said.

Brad looked puzzled. “For what?”

“Being presumptuous. It’s your house.”

“It’s our house.”

“It still feels wrong.”

“You’ll get used to it. And Asher’s welcome here too. Any special reason for the visit?”

“I didn’t ask, but he sounded nervous.”

“Do you think you might ask him . . . you know?”

“Jeez. I don’t think he’ll want to talk about that, and I’m not sure I want to. Perhaps we should all just move on.”

“Sure.”



The next afternoon, while Diane was preparing a meal, she heard a cab pull up outside. She peeked outside and saw Asher’s familiar stooped frame stepping out.

She opened the door before he got there. They embraced in the half-hearted, polite way politicians and dignitaries would, and went into the kitchen.

“I hope you don’t mind me coming round,” Asher said, rubbing his clean-shaven chin.

“Not at all.”

“And Brad? I mean, I’ll understand if you’d rather not stay in contact.”

“Don’t be silly,” she said. “It’s fine. It’s all good. I’m really pleased to see you.”

She made coffee and they sat opposite each other.

“How are you?” she asked.

“Just now? Tired.”

“It’s a long journey.”

“Yes, it is. But it might just be the last time I do it.”

“Really?” Diane’s face dropped. “Asher, you know you’ll always be welcome to visit. The fact that Father isn’t with us . . . Well, you’re welcome to visit, is the point. Like I said on the phone, I don’t hold you responsible in any way.”

“That’s awfully kind of you, considering what happened. Have you had any . . . repercussions?”

“Repercussions?”

“I think they call it ‘press intrusion.’ People with nothing better to do than blame you for what your father was involved in.”

Diane shook her head. “Nothing so far. But I’m good. I’m in a good place to cope with all that.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Your father was right: you have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.”

“Thank you.”

Asher leaned in and held her hand. “And I hope things work out for you and Brad.”

“I have a feeling they will. I only wish I’d done it many years ago.”

“I’m sure.” Asher stared into space for a second, concentrating. “You know, Diane, there was something else your father told me when I confronted him that day, when he was trying to explain his actions. I didn’t understand it at the time, but I do now. He said that sometimes circumstances stop us being the people we’d rather be.”

“Yeah,” Diane said. “Yeah, I get that.”

They exchanged a smile, and each took a sip of coffee.

“You got rid of the beard,” Diane said, nodding to his face.

He laughed. “First time I’ve seen my chin in thirty years.”

“Suits you,” Diane said.