Chapter 9 - THE CONFESSIONMilan was shaking so violently that Viktor could see it from twenty feet away.
Bennett stood behind him, using his body as cover.
Gabriel remained near the workshop door.
His gun was lowered but not holstered.
Hargrove lay wounded inside.
The rain continued falling.
Nobody moved.
Then Bennett spoke.
“Tell him, Milan.”
Milan closed his eyes.
Viktor's voice was quiet.
“Tell me what?”
His brother began crying.
“I tried to save her.”
Viktor felt something break.
“What happened?”
Milan looked at Bennett.
The man smiled.
“Go on.”
Milan swallowed.
“The night Mom died, I went to the gas station like she asked.”
Viktor nodded slowly.
“I know.”
“She was supposed to meet me there.”
His voice cracked.
“But Bennett came first.”
Viktor looked toward the man holding the rifle.
Bennett's expression remained almost amused.
Milan continued.
“He told me Mom was in danger. He said he could help her if I gave him the envelope.”
“And you did.”
“Yes.”
Milan wiped his face.
“Then I waited.”
Viktor's throat tightened.
“For how long?”
“Almost an hour.”
Milan looked toward the ground.
“Then Mom arrived.”
Viktor froze.
“She came?”
Milan nodded.
“She was hurt. There was blood on her forehead. She kept looking behind her.”
Viktor could barely breathe.
“What did she say?”
“She asked if I'd given Bennett the envelope.”
Milan began sobbing.
“I told her yes.”
Viktor closed his eyes.
His mother must have known immediately what that meant.
The witness list.
The people she had tried to protect.
Milan continued.
“She didn't yell at me.”
Viktor opened his eyes.
“She just hugged me.”
The words hurt more than anything else.
“She told me I hadn't done anything wrong. She said I was only trying to help.”
Milan's voice became almost inaudible.
“Then she told me to run.”
Viktor stared.
“Why?”
Milan looked toward Bennett.
“Because he was coming.”
Bennett's smile faded.
Milan continued.
“Mom pushed me behind a parked truck. She told me not to move.”
Viktor felt his hands trembling.
“Then what?”
“I heard them arguing.”
“About what?”
“The archive.”
Milan swallowed.
“Bennett wanted to know where she'd hidden it.”
Viktor looked at the man with the rifle.
Bennett said nothing.
Milan continued.
“She wouldn't tell him.”
His breathing became ragged.
“Then I heard a gunshot.”
Viktor felt the ground shift.
“Did you see what happened?”
Milan nodded.
Tears streamed down his face.
“Mom fell.”
For several seconds, Viktor couldn't speak.
Then he whispered, “And you stayed hidden.”
Milan collapsed to his knees.
“Yes.”
Viktor looked at him.
His little brother.
The boy he had taught to ride a bicycle.
The boy who used to crawl into his bed during thunderstorms.
The boy who had carried this memory alone for seven years.
Milan sobbed.
“I was scared.”
Viktor felt tears rising.
“I know.”
“I wanted to help her.”
“I know.”
“But I couldn't move.”
Viktor stepped forward.
Bennett raised the rifle.
“Stay where you are.”
Viktor stopped.
Milan looked up.
“I'm sorry.”
The words came from somewhere deep inside him.
“I've been sorry every day.”
Viktor stared at his brother.
Then he said something Milan had never expected.
“You were nineteen.”
Milan shook his head.
“That doesn't matter.”
“Yes,” Viktor replied. “It does.”
His voice trembled.
“You were a kid being threatened by men who had already decided to kill our mother. You made mistakes. Terrible mistakes. But you didn't pull the trigger.”
Bennett laughed.
“How touching.”
Viktor looked at him.
“You did.”
Bennett's smile disappeared.
Viktor stepped forward again.
“You killed her.”
Bennett tightened his grip on the rifle.
“She should have minded her own business.”
Viktor felt rage surge through him.
For seven years, he had grieved an accident.
For three years, he had hated Gabriel.
And all that time, the man responsible had been walking freely through the world.
He wanted to kill Bennett.
Every part of him wanted it.
But then he remembered his mother's letter.
Love does not require you to destroy yourself.
Viktor stopped.
He looked at Gabriel.
The detective understood.
Without speaking, they made a choice.
They would not become the men Bennett wanted them to be.
Gabriel slowly raised his empty hand.
“Thomas,” he said, “it's over.”
Bennett laughed.
“Not even close.”
He pulled Milan to his feet.
Then he reached into his pocket and removed a small device.
A remote detonator.
Gabriel went still.
“What did you do?”
Bennett smiled.
“Your mother's house is full of old wiring, Gabriel. Accidents happen.”
Jeanne was still somewhere near the orchard.
Viktor looked toward the farmhouse.
Bennett pressed a button.
A deafening explosion tore through the garage.
Flames erupted into the rain.
The shock wave knocked Viktor backward.
He hit the ground.
His ears rang.
Through the smoke, he heard Gabriel shouting his mother's name.
Then Bennett dragged Milan toward the SUV.
Viktor struggled to stand.
But before he could reach them, Bennett turned.
He pointed the rifle at Gabriel.
May you like
And fired.
Gabriel fell without making a sound.
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