“I’ll call you when it’s over,” he said. “I’m sorry, Mother.” Listening to her weeping was absolute torture. “I never meant to hurt you.”
With that, he hung up. It had taken his wife’s dying to realize crime wasn’t worth it. But if there was ever a way to make something positive in her death, it was turning his life around. To do that, he had to stay out of prison.
Chapter 15
Shutting his car door, Demarco backed out of the parking space in front of his house. Driving out of the lot, he headed for work. Turning on the stereo, the satellite radio was tuned in to a news channel and they were talking about Korbin and Savanna. It was believed that they had returned to Denver. Someone had spotted them in a Class A motor home and police were now searching for them in that. They were turning into a real Bonnie-and-Clyde story. Savanna was with Korbin willingly and there was speculation that Korbin may be innocent.
Movement in the backseat brought his eyes to the rearview mirror.
Damen sat up. “Hello, brother.”
What was he doing hiding in the backseat? When he pushed the barrel of a gun to Demarco’s ribs, he had his answer.
“You shouldn’t have left me in Pagosa Springs,” Damen said. “We still had a lot to talk about.”
Demarco was scared out of his mind, but he didn’t show it. In the past he could reason with Damen to keep him in line. Now he had no idea how to approach him, how to convince him what a mistake he was making. Killing him would only result in another murder charge. He thought of Cora, of their life. When Damen had sneered that he had a perfect wife and a perfect life, he had been right. Demarco felt lucky to have what he had. He was happy. He wished Damen could have found that for himself.
“Now you’re going to shoot your own twin brother?” Demarco asked.
“Only if you don’t do what I tell you.”
“Oh yeah? What’s that? Isn’t keeping your secret enough?” He didn’t care how angry he sounded. He was sick of this.
“Well, see, now there’s where I’ve got a problem. You know I used Korbin’s gun to kill Collette. If you go to the cops with what you know, I’ll be arrested. And I just can’t let that happen.”
Demarco hadn’t known it was Korbin’s gun, but now he did. “If I was going to go to the cops, don’t you think I would have by now?” He should have. Right from the beginning. That very morning. He shouldn’t have thought about it. He should have just done it and thought about it later. Gone through the grief after the fact.
“You’re having an attack of conscience. I know you. I can tell. You had one in Pagosa Springs. That’s why you left. You’re starting to turn away from me.”
“You’re turning into a crazy man.”
“Then give this crazy man your cell phone.”
Demarco pulled it from his shirt pocket and handed it over.
“Good. Now drive to the next exit. We’re going to my house.”
Demarco drove there, going slow and hoping for a lucky break. None came and Damen didn’t change his mind. It amazed him that his own twin could shut off any sentiments he had. By the time he pulled into Damen’s garage, he was convinced his brother was quite capable of killing him.