Arissa hadn’t been on even ground since Hank appeared at her door earlier. If she thought the shock of seeing him again when she had thought that ship had sailed was going to be the biggest shock she’d get today, she would have been wrong. But sitting here now, knowing what Hank was alluding to, she felt sick, disgusted and wanted more than ever to reach across the island and smack the smug off Catherine’s face.
“It is fascinating,” she said only to Hank. “Curious too.”
Hank nodded slowly toward Arissa then turned his attention on his parents, leveling his hard stare on his mother. “Harley Aldridge, does that name ring a bell?”
Catherine placed her plate down with a thud, her focus on Arissa. “It wasn’t enough you drove a wedge between our son and us, but now you’re trying to what exactly…sever our relationship completely?” Catherine turned her focus on Hank. “Harley Aldridge? I’m an old woman, I can’t be expected to remember names,” she said, waving off his question.
Hank was reaching for his cell in his back pocket when he told her, “Don’t worry, I got video footage.” He held his phone up and added, “And prints on the body.” His eyes moved to his parents and his voice was even when he asked, “Would you both like to see it? I mean, it’s only a few minutes long but fuck, what a rush.”
Catherine paled under her temper. Henry stepped forward. “You wait one damn minute, Son. I don’t think I like what you’re implying. All we did was care for a child who didn’t have anyone. Whatever happened to that man, that’s not on us.”
Catherine moved closer to Henry before she confessed, “I did meet Harley.”
“What?” Henry asked, his focus shifting to his wife.
“He asked to see me.” Catherine inhaled, dropped her shoulders. “He knew we took you and occasionally followed up to make sure you were well.” She lowered her head before she said, “That’s likely what you have footage of.”
Hank’s eyes drifted to the window. He stood and walked over to it, eyeing the garden that sat in the very back of his parents’ backyard. The soil recently disturbed. “You changing things up back there?” he asked nonchalantly.
“Honestly, Hank. What’s with all the questions?” Catherine said, trying to sound lighthearted but not pulling it off. “Any gardener who knows what she’s doing changes up the landscape. One has to. I have a book, I can lend it to…well, whoever might work in your garden one day.” Her focus landing and staying on Arissa in challenge.
He turned and saw an anger in his mother’s eyes he’d never seen before. Hank chuckled at his mother’s diversion. He tucked his hands in his pockets, rolled on his heels and asked ever so evenly. “Oh, wasn’t sure if it’s because you used the monkshood on Harley or just wanted a scenery change.” He shrugged.
Catherine gasped as tears filled her eyes. “I cannot believe what I’m hearing. I pulled the monkshood from the garden because I had hoped I’d be having grandchildren and didn’t want a toxic plant in the garden. How could I have known, she’d stir all this shit up.”
Oh, his mother was good but he didn’t expect any less from her. She was the sheriff’s mother, and knew the right answers to every question. But the thing was, she was going toe to toe with the sheriff. “Whew,” Hank breathed out and carried on, “Well, thank God for that but no worries, Ma. Me and my wife…” He gestured to Arissa with his head. “Are moving to Charleston.”
Catherine’s jaw dropped, pink rushing to her face but before she could protest Arissa rubbed her belly, held Hank’s gaze and said, “It’s for the best with one already in the oven. We want to raise our children in the city with all that culture.”
Hank winked at Arissa before moving his gaze to his parents. She was breaking down. His mother’s hand began to shake, her movements jerky. Slow and steady wins the race. Something Hank learned early on being a sheriff. Most cases you didn’t get anywhere barging in demanding answers to your questions. No. You pulled at them slowly with the shit you knew would bring them to their knees. Exactly what he was doing now.
“I don’t understand. I thought you were moving back to Charleston?” Henry asked, looking between Hank and Arissa. “How can you trust her after everything she’s done?”
“Because she’s manipulated him,” Catherine hissed. “Turned him from us, just like I said she would. She’s a hateful person, and how you can’t see it, Hank. For the first time in my life, I’m ashamed of you.” Catherine’s words were harsh as she barely controlled the rising fury.
Hank’s phone buzzed on the island and he moved to grab it. Bringing up the text message from Sean, he tapped on the image he had sent and bit his lower lip to the point of pain. He was holding back the raging anger the best he could but seeing the picture displayed on the small screen was testing him. He was about to blow a gasket. Ever so gently he spoke as he moved to his mother. “What do we have here?” He asked as he leaned his elbows on the counter and held the phone in both hands. “Look at this, Ma.” He egged her on to get closer.
Catherine pulled her focus from her son, glancing at his phone fuming that her son of all people was putting her through this.
Hank studied the photo with her and, as if she was a child, he pointed at it explaining everything in the image. “That’s you.” He started with. “That’s the drug dealer, and oh look at this, it’s the best part.” He paused for a beat and added, “That’s you buying heroin from him the day before my real mother gave birth.” He stood, his voice excited when he said, “But wait, it gets
