Chapter 46.5: Afterglow

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"A great man once said that if you're born poor, that's not your fault, but if you die poor, well, that's on you."

Grace held Sarah's hand as they stared down at the laptop screen.

"I think, in the end, it was my fear of going back, of losing everything I have, that made me lose sight of everything I am... everything I wanted to be."

"I killed Big John Routledge."

Sarah's jaw clenched.

"I murdered Sheriff Peterkin."

Rafe stopped his pacing to shake his head in denial.

"I shot Gavin Barnstead."

"I poisoned Rebekah Hart."

Grace sucked in a sharp breath.

"I know there's nothing I can do to ease the pain I've caused. Many will say I took the easy way out. But I leave this world with the terrible pain of knowing that I leave behind my family, shattered by grief, broken by my sins."

Grace blinked away her tears quickly. Sarah looked away from her dad's face on the computer. Wheezie was fully crying next to Sarah.

"I don't expect you to forgive me for leaving you this way. I just pray you understand that... I can't go on ruining your lives anymore. This had to end. To all of you, I leave my estate, to be divided equally, and I leave a love deeper than I could ever express. Take care of each other."

The video ended.

Wheezie sniffled while getting up and leaving the room. Rafe took a sip from his scotch and left as well. Sarah slammed the laptop shut. Grace rubbed her hand up and down her sister's back.

___________

"Are you sure you don't want a lift? JJ's a shitty driver but..." Grace offered while smiling softly.

Sarah shook her head, "It's okay. I need air. Biking helps clear my head."

"Okay," Grace nodded before pulling her sister into a hug. "It's gonna get better."

Sarah gave Grace a squeeze before pulling away. "Yeah."

"Um, JJ's here. I've gotta go," Grace pointed to the Twinkie that JJ was dangling his feet out the window of and blasting music from.

Sarah smiled slightly, "Yeah, go, it's okay."

"You sure you don't want a ride? John B may be a dick but JJ will be nice to you," Grace offered one last time while opening Tannyhill's front door.

Sarah just shook her head so Grace made her way outside towards the van.

The music cut off the second she left the house.

"You okay?" JJ asked cautiously after Grace climbed into the passenger seat. 

Grace nodded slowly, "I think so... He admitted it. He admitted he poisoned her in the video."

JJ tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "Do you need to cry or like...hit something? Because I can be your personal punching bag."

Grace laughed, "As fun as that sounds, I think I've accepted it. I already knew he was a murderer and that my mom was dead. It was just hard to wrap my head around the fact that he killed her. Now that he's admitted it... I think I'm okay."

JJ smiled, "Good."

"You up for a surf?" Grace raised her brows.

He grinned and started up the van.

𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 - JJ MaybankWhere stories live. Discover now