“Mr. Chalmers…” My voice sounded croaky, so I cleared my throat and tried again. “I’m not here to take you to physical therapy. My name is Carly, and I’m here about Seth.”
He turned his head to face me. “What about ’im?” he asked belligerently. “I already told you people he wasn’t mixed up in drugs.”
I swallowed, feeling lightheaded. “I’m not with the sheriff either.” I took a breath. “I was with Seth when he died.”
His eyes slowly widened, and his mouth formed an O. “You’re the one who found him.”
I nodded, tears filling my eyes. “Yes, sir.”
“And you came to see me?” he asked in surprise.
I moved closer to the side of his bed, grasping the handrail to keep myself upright. “Yes, sir. I hope that’s all right.”
Tears filled his eyes and he reached his wrinkled, age-spot-covered hand toward me.
I grasped it and held it tight, his grief breaking my heart.
“He loved you,” I forced past the lump in my throat, and tears leaked out the corners of my eyes.
“He was alive when you found him?” he asked, his hand beginning to shake.
I nodded. “He was. I’m so sorry. I tried to stop the bleeding, but he’d been shot twice at a close range.”
His chin quivered, and then he said, “The deputy said they didn’t know what happened. He said you didn’t see nothing.”
I hesitated, wondering how to broach this, then decided to tell him everything from the beginning. “I was asleep in my room when I heard a cry. I jumped out of bed and peeked through the blinds. That’s when I saw two men dragging Seth out of a motel room. They threw him down to the ground.”
“What was he doin’ at the Alpine Inn?” he asked. “And in a room?”
“I don’t know, sir,” I said. “Maybe the rest will help you figure it out.”
“Go on, then,” he said in a gruff voice.
“Seth was on his knees while the two men faced him. One man was pointing a gun at him. He asked Seth where the stash was. Seth told him he didn’t know what he was talking about. A third man came from Seth’s motel room, saying he’d found a camera but that the stash was still missing, and Seth kept claiming he didn’t know anything. They started kicking in doors trying to find it, but when they got close to mine, I set off my car alarm, hoping they’d run off and leave Seth alone.” A lump clogged my throat, and I had to force out, “Instead they shot him.” I started to cry.
Mr. Chalmers sat still in his bed, watching me with his bloodshot eyes. “Go on when you’re ready.”
I nodded and grabbed a tissue off his nightstand. After I dabbed my eyes and took a breath, I said, “As soon as they took off, I ran out to Seth. He was still alive. I wanted to get help—I’d already tried calling 911, but the phone in my room didn’t work and I didn’t have any cell reception.” I released a tiny sob. “He begged me not to leave him, and there was so much blood…” I paused. “He asked me to give you a message.”
Mr. Chalmers put his hand over mine, then nodded, giving me permission to continue.
“He said to tell you that he had to try. He knew how much it would hurt, and he was sorry.”
His shoulders shook with a suppressed sob, and I considered stopping, but I decided it would be better for both of us if I let it all out, like ripping off a Band-Aid.
“He also said that he had evidence, but when I told him I’d call the sheriff, he panicked. Said the man who’d shot him was a deputy, and some of the other cops are also involved.”
The older man nodded but didn’t say anything.
“He had some numbers written on his hand. He showed them to me, but I have no idea what they mean. I figured it might have something do with the camera. Does that mean anything to you?”
He shook his head and my heart sank.
“He was getting weaker, and I’d called out for help, but no one was coming, so I screamed and Max came running out of the tavern. By the time he reached us, Seth was dead.” I broke down, starting to sob. “I’m so, so sorry, Mr. Chalmers.”
Mr. Chalmers patted the back of my hand with his free one, tears streaming down his cheeks. “This wasn’t your doin’. This wasn’t your fault.”
“I set off that alarm. I made them shoot him.”
“No, girl. Don’t you take that blame upon yourself. It was those men’s doin’, not yours.”
“If I’d gone out there…” I lifted my gaze to his. “I should have tried to stop them. I had a gun.”
“If you’d threatened them, you’d be dead too and I wouldn’t know the truth of it. You couldn’t take on three men with a gun.” His eyes turned watery. “You done him a good deed. If they’d taken him, they would have beaten and tortured him until he finally confessed.” A tear slipped down his cheek. “And that boy was stubborn, boy howdy, was that boy stubborn.”
I covered my mouth with my hand to contain my sobs. “If I’d only…”
“If you’d only what?” he asked in a hard tone. “Seth brought this on ’imself, and I guarantee that he wouldn’t want you to be takin’ on the blame. He knew what he was doin’, even if I begged him not to do it.” He shook his head, then held my gaze with his watery eyes. “Once my grandson was shot in the chest, there was no savin’ him. Not that far up the mountain.” He took a deep breath and his shoulders shook again. “But knowin’ he didn’t die alone…thank you.”
My chest heaved as I tried to control my tears.
We sat there in silence for a moment, both of us crying. He mourned the grandson he’d obviously deeply loved while I ached over a boy’s death and his grandfather’s deep loss. After several long minutes, Mr. Chalmers said, “You told the sheriff he was dead when you reached him.”
I cringed. “Not exactly. This morning, I told the detective that Seth had asked me to tell you his goodbyes, but they don’t know that I saw him getting shot or that I saw the killers hightailing it in a red truck driven by a fourth man.”
“You kept that from them to protect yourself?” he asked.
I hesitated. “I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t considered that, but I wanted to talk to you before I told them anything else. After what Seth said about the shooter, I didn’t think the deputies would have justice in mind.” I squeezed his hand. “I was hoping you could tell me what I should do.”
His eyes widened in surprise, but sorrow quickly engulfed it. “Only you can decide that, girl.”
“Do you know what evidence he had? I think it involved drugs.”
“I’m sure it was drugs,” he said in disgust.
“Maybe we could tell the state police.”
Mr. Chalmers shook his head. “I don’t have any idea what evidence he was talkin’ about. I only know he was trying to implicate the person who sold his mother the drugs that killed her.”
“Your daughter?” I asked.
He nodded. “My Barb. She was a user back when she was a teen, but she got clean and stayed that way until a couple of years ago. Got mixed up with a man who started her usin’ again.” He shook his head. “Stopped takin’ care of her boy, so I moved him in with me. She lived there too, but she wasn’t around much since I didn’t allow her drugs in my home. Seth always thought his mother would come around, but she died of an overdose. The toxicology report said it was poisoning from some unusual drug. Nothin’ from around Drum. Folks say it was a new poison outta Atlanta, Seth was tryin’ to find out who sold it to her.”