Orsen heard a sound come closer, then stop in front of him, and he lifted his face, watching TJ approach. He knew why he was here. He could tell from the look on TJ’s face. “Is it?”
“I’m sorry. We’ve identified her. It is Allison.”
Orsen burst into tears, great sobs wracking his body, and he felt arms go around him, pulling him forward. “What did I do wrong? Why did he do it? Why didn’t he love me?”
“Orsen.” TJ was in front of him, holding him. Hands rubbed his back, and he let TJ take his weight. He couldn’t stop crying. Couldn’t stop the tears from falling. He held on to TJ with his right hand, his left still in a sling, gripping TJ’s shirt.
“I just wanted them to love me,” Orsen whispered the words so brokenly TJ hugged him tighter. “What did I do that made him hate me? Why did he hurt Mom?”
“I don’t know. What I do know is none of this is your fault. You did nothing wrong.” TJ rubbed his back and rocked him gently until the tears finally subsided. Orsen didn’t move, his strength deserting him. TJ kept hold of him until Orsen finally lifted his head. TJ wiped the tears and gave him a soft smile. “Why don’t you go and get some sleep?”
Orsen shook his head and wiped his face. “I want this over with.”
“I don’t think—”
“You heard the lad. Ask your questions, then go.”
TJ stood and stared at Crompton, hands on his hips. “I don’t think—”
“You’re a good sheriff for caring, but the lad needs this done now. Ask the questions, then go.”
“Orsen—”
“I want this over and done with. Please.”
TJ stood and stared off to one side, then nodded. “We know Allison disappeared several years ago. Can you recall how old you were when you last saw her?”
“Nine or ten?” Orsen shrugged. “It’s been years, and Ambrose said she’d packed her things and gone. That she didn’t want to deal with a piece of shit like me.”
Orsen lifted his head and saw TJ and Crompton looking at each other. “So, eight or nine years ago. Was there anything left behind? Any clothes or jewelry?”
“He sold them all. Said she’d left them, so they were his. He got drunk and angry and lashed out at me. I believed him. I never thought he’d done something to her until… until he… he went—”
“So you had no idea he’d done something to her?” Orsen shook his head. “As you know, no charges will be brought against you—”
“Better not be, or I’ll be down at the courthouse to speak to whoever I need to.”
“Thank you, Crompton. As I said, there will be no charges against you. We do need to deal with Ambrose’s estate. Everything will be yours as his only living relative.”
“I don’t want it,” Orsen snapped. “You can burn it down to the ground.”
Orsen heard the deep sigh TJ gave. “The house is only a part of it, and if you want to demolish it, I’m sure there will be plenty in Robinson who will help. And if you want to rebuild, the town will help too. You have quite a bit of land.”
“I do?” Orsen didn’t know that, but it wasn’t like Ambrose would tell him. Ambrose had only kept him around to be a punching bag or to catch hares and fish to keep them fed. Any money they had, Ambrose drank away.
“You now own fifty acres of land, Orsen.”
“What?” Orsen looked up at TJ. “I don’t understand.” How could they have had that much land and be piss poor broke all the time? Land in the area sold at a premium, and Ambrose had fifty acres and let it go wild? He could have sold one acre, and they would have been in the money. He’d gone without food so many times, worn clothes that were old and threadbare, and slept on a dirty mattress on the floor. “All that land and I went hungry,” he murmured.
“I don’t know why he did what he did, but I’m speaking to the judge to get everything transferred over to you as quickly as possible.” TJ lay his hand on Orsen’s. “Don’t do anything too rash. Let things settle, then decide.”
“Anything else, TJ?” Crompton asked.
“Orsen. You’re free now. No charges will come from this and now that we’ve identified your mom, you can lay her to rest.”
Orsen breathed. He felt his chest move up and down with every breath he took. A strange sensation took over. It felt like he was there and not there at the same time, even as hefelt himself tensing up, something bubbling under the surface, clawing inside of him, desperate to break free.
He shot up and stormed off the patio, running as fast as he could. He ignored TJ shouting his name, ignored Crompton, too. He ran past the barn he hid his medical supplies in and climbed the fence. He knew where he had to go, and he ran straight there. His shoulder hurt, the pain building in it, but he gritted his teeth and carried on. He burst through the trees, seeing the dilapidated cabin ahead, and headed straight for it. He could whoever was chasing him hear getting closer, but he would reach the cabin before TJ reached him.
