After Gray takes the intruder away, Officer Lopez stays behind and interviews us. You can tell she's drained, just like us. Her facial expressions shift from confusion to anger as we recount what happened. Her long hair, typically in a ponytail, flows past her shoulders and down her back. It's been a relentless year, filled with sleepless nights and constant worry about my family's safety. We lost a neighbor and a former teacher, had a friend's home broken into, and nearly lost our own lives. The ordeal isn't over, and I'm determined to find out who killed Goldie, no matter what it takes. She sacrificed herself to get the truth to me and, by extension, Gray.
As Officer Lopez leaves, I feel the exhaustion creeping in. The days, weeks, and possibly months ahead will be mentally taxing, but I have to stay strong.
Earlier, Leah suggested getting the gardening group together for an upcoming Spring meeting. I'm initially hesitant, considering the recent events, but now it feels like the right thing to do. We need to show our community that we won't let criminals dictate our lives. It's been months since our last meeting, and it's time to reintroduce some semblance of normalcy amidst the chaos and uncertainty.
In the next few days, Brock and I find ourselves caught up in rounds of questioning, first with the uncooperative intruder and then with Jeff regarding the events at his home. But tonight, as we prepare for the gardening group meeting, all I want is to discuss the upcoming season and momentarily set aside the weight of our recent troubles.
Since the arrest of Jeff and the intruder, Gray believes our home is safe. He suspects the intruder is Colton, who has been terrorizing our street for months. The other two involved in Troy's disposal remain elusive, but with Jeff's confession, the truth is now within our reach.
As I stand outside, I notice the sun ascending higher in the sky, signaling the arrival of March and the impending Spring. Utah's chilly climate might persist for a while, but the promise of warmth looms on the horizon. The snow has melted, leaving behind buds on the trees and the cheerful chirping of baby birds.
Since the threat has diminished with the capture of Jeff, Colton, and Grant, I yearn to venture on a walk. However, Gray advises me to remain vigilant for a while longer. I examine my reflection in the mirror and note the emergence of more gray hairs and wrinkles. The past six months have aged us both prematurely.
Since Troy's discovery and the subsequent threats, I've been unable to visit my grandkids in person. We make do with FaceTime, trying to maintain a façade of normalcy, but kids are perceptive. They sense it's not safe here yet. This knowledge fuels my anger, often driving me to the brink and making me want to punch a hole in the wall or confront Jeff himself.
I place the blame squarely on Jeff's shoulders. His wife's affair should have been a matter for personal resolution. Divorce or seek help, but don't resort to murder. Don't orchestrate the disposal of a body, don't issue threats, and certainly don't endanger innocent lives. My initial fear has transformed into a burning anger, a deep-seated resentment towards his reckless actions. How could he be so callous, so willing to destroy lives for his selfish agenda? It's a question that gnaws at me every day.
Since the intruder has been caught, Gray thinks our home is safe now and that this person is Colton who has been terrorizing our street for months now. Even though there were two others involved in the dumping of Troy, there was no direct evidence linking them to the crime. Jeff did tell Gray who was all involved, but it’s been months. The others could be gone by now, or they have no clue (more likely) that Jeff confessed everything, and Gray is looking for them.
I want to go for a walk but haven’t since last September. Gray told me to still be watchful for a while yet, so all threat is gone with the arrest of Jeff, Colton, and Grant at least. When I looked in the mirror this morning, I noticed more gray hairs popping up and wrinkles gracing my face. It’s like Brock and I aged five years in the last six months.
“Hey, whatcha doing out here?” I hear Brock behind me. I turn and smile.
“Just enjoying some sun. I’m so tired of being cooped up, even with it still being cold out here. I want normal to make a comeback,” I chuckle somewhat.
Brock comes toward me and wraps his arms around me. “I feel the same. But, with the intruder in custody and the cards starting to fall, I feel like justice can finally be served. We just have to be patient a little longer, Trice.” He sweeps my hair from my back and rubs it gently. “You know, we make a pretty good team.” I pull back from him.
“Yes, yes, we do. I don’t know what I would have done without you.” I reach up and kiss him, my lips melding with his; I sense a mixed taste of salt and coffee bean, which tastes comforting. Suddenly, I want to hold onto Brock and not let go. A few times now, he could have been killed. It makes me panic to think that if he dies before me, how I would move on without him. His father died at a young age, and his mother had to, but the stories he told me of her need to work two jobs to make ends meet and then Brock needing to step up and do what his father no longer could do, stressful and put a lot of pressure on a kid who just wanted to enjoy childhood but knew he couldn’t.
“Well, that was unexpected, but I’m not complaining,” Brock says as he pulls his lips away from mine. So, what are your plans for the day? It feels weird not to be going to the office, but it gives me time to fiddle around in the shop. Maybe I’ll clean it up a little.”
I smile. I’ve been asking him to clean it for months, but he was so busy he didn’t have time. Since he’s on a sabbatical for the next month or so, he has plenty of time – well, until the trial starts.
A brisk wind picks up, and I wrap my arms around myself and head back inside. It’s laundry day, and since we have to wait for the court hearing for both Jeff and Colton, who I still believe is the intruder, it’s best to go on as normally as possible.
The upcoming gardening group meeting and the prospect of reconnecting with friends bring a glimmer of hope. It's time to demonstrate our resilience and show that the actions of criminals won't cow us.
The following days will be challenging, but I'm determined to stay strong. The arrest of Jeff and Colton marks a turning point in our quest for justice. The memory of Goldie's sacrifice continues to inspire me to seek the truth and ensure her legacy lives on.
As I load the laundry, my phone buzzes, and I notice my youngest son's name flashing on the screen. Every time he calls, a pang of anxiety washes over me. My initial thought invariably skews towards some grim scenario, fearing that something terrible may have happened to someone we care about.
“Hey, son,” I say after swiping left to answer.
“Hi, Mom, long time no speak,” he chuckles. It has been a few months since I’ve heard from him. He doesn’t act like anyone is hurt, so I silently thank God.
“Yes, it has been. I was beginning to wonder if you’d fallen off the face of the earth,” I joke.
“No, but we do have some news …” He trails off, and I perk up.
“Ok …?” I match his tone. He’s silent. “Ian Brock Summers, tell me now!”
“Are you ready to become a Grandma again?” My hand flies to my mouth.
“What?”
“Yep, baby number two is finally on the way and healthy.” I want to cry. Ian and his wife, Stephanie, have seen heartbreak after heartbreak when they started trying for baby number two after Clarise turned two. She’s now 6, and after four miscarriages, one when Stephanie was 22 weeks along, it finally happened!
“Ian, I’m so happy! How far along, and when’s she due?”
She’s 19 weeks, and we just had the ultrasound yesterday! We also found out we’re having a boy!” Another grandson to add to the three we already have, and he’s healthy! “Right now, the due date is July 4th!
“Oh, I’m so happy,” and the tears streaming down my face show it.
“We can’t believe how it happened. You know we stopped IVF since it was just too hard on Steph, right?”
“Yeah, you mentioned that last year.”
“Well, we stopped trying, and she didn’t even know she was pregnant until she started to show. We took four tests, and they all showed two very pink lines. We were shocked and scared when we had the ultrasound. He looks absolutely perfect, though; he has my nose and Steph’s lips. We also want to come visit after he’s born in July.”
It suddenly hits me that we never told Ian about Troy or anything else. He lives in South Carolina, and Brock and I figured he didn’t need to know and worry. But now that there will be a trial, it will go on for months. He needs to know, but then I worry he will stay away, and we won’t get to see our new grandson or Clarise, who we haven’t seen in person since she was four. I decide to hold off until I know more.
“Oh, we would love that!”
“Save the date then. Sometime in August, when it’s safe to travel.” We talk a little longer, and I get to say hi to a very excited Clarise talking about her baby brother she will get to see in summer. After, I rush to the shop adjacent to the garage, where Brock is cleaning up. He’s sweeping, kicking up dust.
“You’ll never guess who just called!”
“Gray?”
“No … better. Ian called and they had some news … “ I trail off and realize Ian gets that snarky tone from me.
“And?” He sighs.
“They’re pregnant!!” Brock’s eyes widen, and then he smiles. “It’s a boy and due on July 4th! They just had the ultrasound yesterday and he’s healthy!”
He closes his eyes. “Oh, thank God.”
“I’m so happy for them and us. But they want to come after the baby is born, in August. They don’t know about Troy or anything else. I didn’t have the heart to tell him.”
“That’s right. We didn’t tell him, only Eric. Josh doesn’t even know.” He sits down on his bench with the broom still in his hand.
“Yeah, I begged Eric not to tell his brothers. They didn’t need to know until Jeff was caught and everyone involved charged and in prison.”
‘Yeah, but if this trial goes through the summer, they will know one way or the other. It has to come from us, not the media.”
“I know, but can we wait until we at least have more info and a trial date? We still don’t know who this intruder is, and if it’s not Colton, we’re still in danger. Let’s wait until at least May, OK?”
Brock grits his teeth and he starts to shake his head. “Brock, you know how the boys are, especially Ian. They will overreact and scold us for not saying anything.”
“Yes, but they will do that no matter when we tell them.” He has a point. “Look, let me take care of this. I can talk to them logically, whereas you –“
“Are too emotional,” I finish his sentence.
“Well, yeah. You know how the boys protect you.”
“They are very protective.”
“Yes, so let me handle them, OK?”
“Okay. I just don’t want them to freak out. August is five months out, and by then, the case should be over, right?” I should know better than to ask Brock that. His last case was nearly nine months long.
“Trice, you know I can’t promise that, right?”
“Yeah.” I lower my head, knowing he’s right.
“Tell you what. I’ll wait till April to tell them. A court hearing probably won’t even happen for a few weeks. Once we know more, then we can make a decision on how best to tell them. OK?”
“OK. Thanks, hon.” He got up and walked over to me. I immediately went into his arms. “We’re going to get through this.” Almost as if on cue, my phone buzzes. I pull it out of my pocket and see a text from Gray.
We got a confession – you’re right … it was Colton
“It’s him, Brock.” I show him the message. The flood of tears can’t be held back, and I cry in his arms.
It’s over. It’s finally over.
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