Chapter 46 – The End (Part I)

“What?”  Avery asked, dabbing at her eyes with her sleeve.  “It was delivered to me at my father’s office.  Ironically it was Topher who actually handed the letter to my mother.” 

“Why was Christopher meeting you at your father’s office?”  Emerson asked.

Avery threw her hands up in a defeated shrug.  “With everything going on.  All of the trouble besetting daddy’s business. We thought it’d be best to just sell it and wash our hands of everything.”  She dabbed her eye’s some more.  “Topher had offered to buy up the business, even though it was in trouble. I don’t know, it seemed like a good idea.  I just…wanted everything to be done.”  She hung her head as the tears threatened to start flowing again.

Emerson watched the woman.  Dumbstruck by what he was hearing.  At least now he knew what Christopher was after.  He rested his arms on his knees.  Holding the note in front of him.  It was time.

“Avery,” he started without looking up from the note, “The night your brother died.  The night James died. Your father called me into his office.  He said there was something he needed to discuss.  He’d sounded rattled on the phone. I pressed him for details, but all he said was that he’d gotten a call about something and we needed to deal with it immediately.”

He turned towards Avery, who was watching in horror as the story unfolded.  “I guess I know now who the phone call was from.”

“What happened next?” Avery asked.

Emerson hung his head.  “I rushed into the office.  Henry said your brother was out for his business and ruin him in the process.  He was furious. I tried to talk him off a ledge, but he was beyond reason.  I…he…”

“It was my fault, it was all my fault.” The tears rolled down her cheeks. 

Emerson reached out and held her hand.  “No, Avery, it was mine.”

Emerson continued his story.  How Henry, urged him to make it look like an accident, even after Emerson pleaded for him to be rational.  How he threatened Emerson’s own life if he didn’t kill James and how Henry left before Emerson could get another word in edge-wise.  The entire time Avery listened in silent horror.  

“So you, you killed my brother? All this time you’ve been lying to me? To everyone?!” Avery’s pain turned to anger.

“I loved your brother, I couldn’t do it myself.”  Emerson wiped a tear away. “So I called in a favor. Christopher and I had helped your father with a number of his more unsavory tasks over the years. I asked for his help that night”

“What are you saying Em? What happened?” Avery’s voice was hard.

“I took James out that night, trying to discover what he had on your father.  And Christopher,”  Emerson paused, the admission sticking in his throat. “Christopher poured the drug into James’ drink.” 

Avery raised her hand to her mouth.

Emerson cried. “I held him as he took his last breath. I comforted him as best I could. I’m…I”m sorry Avery. I’m so sorry.”

“How could you?”  Avery cried. “How could you be so cruel?”

“I didn’t have a choice.” Emerson pleaded.

Avery jumped to her feet. “So you selfishly choose your own life over my brother’s?  The man you claimed to have loved!”

Emerson hung his head in shame.  “Yes, I did.”

Pain and anger warred inside Avery, she didn’t know whether to scream or cry.  After a moment of struggle, she composed herself.  Standing tall and straightening her shoulders, she walked towards the door.  Hand on the knob, she turned towards the broken husk of a man on the couch.  “Good bye Em.” Without another look back, she opened the door and saw herself out.

Emerson sat on the couch after Avery left, unable to move, unable to stop crying.  Reflecting on all that had been exchanged. In time the tears stopped and he sat in silence.  

Some time later his phone beeped.  A message from Duncan.  “I don’t know what to do. I need you. Can you please come over?”

“Is everything ok?” he texted back.

The response was quick “I don’t want to talk about it, but I could really use some company right now. Please?”

Duncan needed him.  If anything good had come out of this mess, it had been that man. Whatever happened next, he had to make sure Duncan was safe. Emerson, made his decision. Whatever the costs he would not allow Duncan to suffer the same fate as James.  He sent his response.  The past could not be changed, but the future remained unwritten.

A half hour later he showed up at Duncan’s door.  When he answered, it was immediately obvious he was a mess.  Emerson swooped in to hold Duncan.  He burst into tears the moment Emerson engulfed him in his arms. He held onto Emerson tightly refusing to let go.  Emerson maneuvered them into the apartment.  Quietly shutting the door behind them, before finally being able to guide the man to the couch.

“Duncan, what’s wrong?” Emerson pulled Duncan away from his chest so he could see his tearful face.  “Talk to me.”

Duncan took several breaths, trying hard to calm himself enough to speak. “I haven’t told you this, but the night I met you I had been waiting for someone.”

Emerson was confused as to what that had to do with his present state. “Oh?”

“I had been waiting to meet someone.  My ex.  We’d been broken up for a month and I didn’t know what to expect, but I’d wanted to talk to him. He never showed. Instead you did.”  He smiled when he said it.  “And don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you did, but I just found out the reason he never showed, was that he’d, he’d died.” Duncan burst into tears again, collapsing into Emerson’s arms, unable to continue.

Emerson patted Duncan’s head.  “I’m sorry Duncan, I can imagine your pain.” And it was the truth. “You must be heartbroken.”  He rested his chain on Duncan’s head holding the man tightly. 

The two sat there together for a long time. Duncan processing his emotions, Emerson trying to determine how he’d break his news to Duncan now that this was happening. 

“Duncan, I need to tell you something. I….” Before Emerson could finish his statement Duncan’s phone rang.  Emerson reached out for Duncan’s phone, surprised to see who it was.  “It’s Avery?” 

Duncan sat up lethargically, reaching for the phone.  Emerson pulled the phone away “You don’t have to deal with her right now. Just let it go.”

Duncan took the phone out of Emerson’s hand “She’ll just keep calling till I answer.” He answered the call “Hello Avery.”

Emerson could hear the women from where he sat, though he couldn’t make out what she was saying. 

Duncan looked confused. “Avery” he said “Avery slow down, you’re going too fast.”

He scrambled around for a pen. “Are you sure you need that to happen right now? It’s late. What if he doesn’t answer? Can’t this wait till tomorrow?”  Emerson sat there watching as Duncan took notes.  “Ok. Ok. I will call him. Yes I will make sure he knows it’s urgent. Ok. Bye Avery. ” Duncan sighed and threw the phone on the table.  “I swear I should just quit. This woman is insane.”

Duncan turned back to Emerson, but Emerson was staring at the notes he had scribbled. “Emerson what’s wrong?”

Emerson didn’t answer, his mind was racing.  He’d thought the only way to protect Duncan, was to convince him to leave town, but he was wrong.  Christopher wouldn’t stop till he got what he wanted, and besides, how could he ever actually convince Duncan he needed to go.  It had been a fool’s errand, but there was another option. Duncan had just handed it to him. Avery had requested a meeting with Christopher tonight in Henry’s office.  The answer was simple, he just had to kill one more time. His life was already forfeit as it were, what was one more death. One more person and this would all be over, Duncan would be safe.   

Emerson stood up without another word.  “I have to go.”  Without waiting for a response Emerson walked towards the door.  Leaving behind a confused and bewildered Duncan.

“Emerson? Emerson?!” Duncan called after the man.  He stopped as he reached the door. 

Emerson turned to Duncan. “I’m sorry Duncan.  I wish I could stay.”

Duncan watched as Emerson closed the door. Mouth agape.  “What the hell just happened?!”  He looked from the door to the notes he had scribbled and back.  What had Emerson seen that he didn’t?