Page 103 of The Secret of Emerald Cottage

“In fact,” Sloan continued, “although we don’t have iron-clad proof just yet, we suspect Alan was behind most of the elicit activity, including hiring both Harley and Buck to do his dirty work. We don’t know which of the two actually committed the murders, but we’re in the process of digging through their paperwork now as well as Alan’s to try and nail that down. Alan’s bank records do confirm, however, that first Roy, then Pete were blackmailing Alan since his career had gone high-profile over the last few years. We also believe Alan provided Buck with Pete’s suicide note, which we think was written by Alan himself according to a handwriting analysis we had done.” His mouth skewed off-center. “Apparently Alan had plenty of Pete’s letters on hand to practice replicating his handwriting.”

“But who mailed Pete’s letter after the fact? The type-written one?” Molly asked, desperate to see every single loose thread tied up.

“Pastor Dave,” Sloan said quietly. “Alan didn’t confide in him regarding Roy’s arson and murder, he said, but when Pete’s suicide was ruled a murder, Pastor Dave’s suspicions grew. So, before sending the letter like Pete had requested should anything happen to him, he decided to open it first. That’s when he discovered Pete was not only blowing Alan’s cover on the Greg Schulte case, but claiming Alan was responsible for Roy’s death and probably his if this letter was mailed. According to Pastor Dave, that was the last straw because not only did he want to see Pete cleared of Greg’s death, but he knew it was time for Alan to suffer the consequences of his actions.” A weary exhale drifted from Sloan’s lips. “He just didn’t expect it to be murder at the hand of his wife.”

Miss Lilly shook her head. “I would have never guessed it of Alan,” she whispered, her eyes glazed into a faraway stare laced with sorrow. “Hard to believe that for all of his wealth and success, he could end up as evil as that Buck character, who probably never had even one of the opportunities Alan was blessed with in his life. It just doesn’t make sense. But then sin never does.”

“Nope.” Sloan kneaded the bridge of his nose. “We even found Pete’s financial paperwork in Buck’s car,” he continued, “so it’s likely Buck forced Pete to give him his password before he killed him, in order to make withdrawals on Pete’s account.” Huffing out another sigh, he sent Molly a somber smile. “And because of Molly’s testimony, we know he killed Harley to keep him quiet as well. So with Alan dead and everyone else who knew about him gone too, that left only one person who could identify him.”

A shiver instantly whispered down Molly’s spine, reminding her once again just how blessed she was to know God.

For You have delivered my soul from death, indeed my feet from stumbling, so that I may walk before God in the light of the living.

In the light of the living.

At Brec’s gentle squeeze of her hand, Molly’s soul swelled with gratitude.

A light where Brec now walked too.

Sloan groaned as he stretched out in his chair and ottoman, hands limp on the leather arms as if he were exhausted. “Once we’ve confirmed as much of this as we can, we should have all the facts for final closure on the secret of Emerald Cottage.”

“Oh, thank God,” Miss Lilly said, sagging back into the sofa as well, obviously as depleted as Sloan, “although my heart still grieves for Pastor Dave.”

Chase offered a sad smile. “Agreed, Miss Lilly, but God’s got him well in hand. Pastor Dave told me that Alan blackmailing him all these years to keep quiet was like a cancer eating at his soul.”

“Oh, God bless him …” Miss Lilly shook her head, gaze trailing off once again.

Chase delivered a sad smile. “Well, God has certainly done that, ma’am, and that’s straight out of the horse’s mouth.”

“What do you mean?” Molly asked.

Twining his hand in Cat’s, Chase looked her way. “I mean I spoke with Pastor Dave this morning at the jail, and he told me to tell you, Brec, and Miss Lilly, that he sees this as a long-awaited answer to prayer. A John 8:32 answer as a matter of fact: ‘And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ So he said he doesn’t want any of you to feel a bit guilty because it was time, time to be set free.”

Molly heard the faint catch of Brec’s breath as his hand stopped mid-rub on her arm. She turned, noting the drop of his jaw. “Brec, what’s wrong?”

He shook his head as he sat up to hover on the edge of the loveseat, cheek twitching and gaze glued to the floor while he clasped his hands over parted knees. “Nothing. It’s just that”—he swallowed several times before he finally looked up—“my dad’s letter said exactly the same thing, that it was time and then he quoted that same Scripture. ‘You shall know the truth, and it will set you free.’”

“And so it has, Breccan,” Miss Lilly said softly, rising to come give him a hug. Her voice lowered to barely a whisper. “The truth set your father free and now Pastor Dave, and it’ll do the same for you, son, if you’ll let it.”

——

If I let it. Brec’s eyelids sank closed, Aunt Lilly’s words neatly parsing it down to one simple word and one deadly sin.

Pride.

He’d been struggling with letting it all go since he’d read his father’s letters.

The hurt.

The bitterness.

The rejection.

But although he’d prayed and prayed since that day, the truth hadn’t set him free yet.

Until now.

Head bent, he scrubbed his face with his hands to deflect from the moisture burning at the back of his eyes, finally realizing what his father had tried so hard to convey in his letters. What Miss Lilly and Molly had spent months trying to tell him.