The Silence (Columbia River #2)(83)

“Veronica has her head on straight,” said Mason. “I think.” He took a deep breath. “Where were we? Oh. What Reuben did after the courthouse shooting. At some point he dumped his truck at the airport and was driving Shawn’s car, but he used a rental car to get away from the courthouse shooting.”

“He was driving the Mustang when he came back to the beach,” said Jayne. “The rental car we picked up in San Diego.”

“And he stole plates for it in Medford,” Ava added. “He was planning ahead.”

“We did stop in Medford,” Jayne said. “I went shopping while he watched a baseball game at a bar.”

And stole license plates.

“We saw security footage of him hitting you in Cannon Beach the morning after the courthouse shooting.”

“We had been arguing for most of the night by then. He had been stressed out of his head when he came back the evening after the shooting happened. I asked how it went with his brother, and he got angry with me. I’d seen the news about the courthouse and brought it up.” Jayne shrugged. “I thought it was just a topic of conversation, but he absolutely lost it. That’s when he first hit me. I accused him of being the shooter—I didn’t mean it. It just came out. But when I saw his face after my accusation, I knew he’d done it.” She took a deep breath. “I told him I wanted to go home, and it went downhill from there.

“By morning he said he had something to show me, and we went to Cannon Beach. I was a wreck.” Her voice cracked. “That’s when he killed David right in front of me. He said that if I told the police anything about the courthouse, he’d do the same to Brady and Ava.” She wiped her eyes and sniffed. “I believed him.” Brady tightened his grip on her hand, sympathy on his face.

“How did he know where to find David?” Ava asked.

“We knew where they were staying because of the party invitation. I don’t know how he found out that David ran on the beach every morning.”

“Then what happened?” Mason asked gently.

“I did whatever he said. We went from the coast to that cabin that day. He didn’t trust me anymore and kept me tied up for two days. Sometimes he’d be gone for hours.”

“He killed Kaden during one of those times,” Ava said.

“Reuben had also been arguing on the phone with someone else,” Jayne said, rubbing tears from her cheeks. “Someone owed him money. And then the man showed up at the cabin.”

“Tony Schroeder,” said Mason. “He’s lucky he’s going to live. I asked him where Reuben got the guns I found under Kaden’s bed, but Tony didn’t know. He told me Reuben thought Kaden had seen something when he killed Shawn. He told Tony he was cleaning up.”

“He shot Kaden in the head and said that to his father?” Ava was stunned. “His paranoia was out of control. What does it take to do that and to kill your own brother?”

“Tony’s appearance caught Reuben off guard, and he only tied me by one hand,” said Jayne. “That’s when I called you.” Tearful eyes looked at Ava. “I made huge mistakes. Tons of them.”

Surprise filled Ava. Jayne never admitted to mistakes. “What about the baby?” she asked.

“What about it?” Jayne looked confused.

“I’ve asked her to marry me,” Brady said.

Jayne turned to him. “You know I’m not quite ready for that yet. Especially after what I just did to you,” she said earnestly.

But you’re ready for a baby?

“We’re going to live here for a while,” said Jayne. “After the baby comes, we’ll look for our own place. I think it’d be too much to do during my last trimester.”

She almost sounds responsible. Maybe the months off drugs and alcohol have helped.

“I agree with you,” said Mason. “But it will also be hard after the baby comes. Those first few months are a blur.” He caught Ava’s eye but didn’t say anything.

She frowned at him, unsure of what he was trying to tell her.

He took her hand and rubbed his thumb over her engagement ring.

Oh. My wedding attendant.

She considered Jayne as her twin spoke quietly with Brady about where they wanted to look for a home.

What have I got to lose?

“Jayne.” Ava struggled for words. Just say it. “I want you to be in our wedding.”

Jayne’s lips formed an O. “Are you sure? I’ve been so awful. And I can’t promise I won’t do anything stupid ever again.”

“You’re still my sister.” Ava hesitated. “But you have to promise to not make a scene. It’s my day,” she said firmly. She gestured at Jayne’s stomach. “Your day is coming.”

Jayne clapped her hands together. “I’m so excited. What will I wear?” She laid both hands on her belly. “I saw the most awesome formal maternity dress the other day. It was a deep red.”

Ava pictured a red dress next to her gown’s unusual shade. “No. We need to look for black.”

“Black?” Jayne grimaced. “That’s depressing. I think the dress came in purple too.”

“I’m positive it has to be black. Remember—it’s my day.”

Her twin pressed her lips together, the need to argue clear on her face. “It’s your day,” she finally admitted.