First to Fall Page 18

  The priest shook his head sadly at what might have been.

  ‘When she got out of hospital I went round to see her. He had messed her up pretty bad and she was clearly terrified. I had to help her get out of there. Over the next couple of months I helped her save up a bit of money and found a suitable safe house a few states over. She could start a new life from there, finally be free of him. She told me he was going away one weekend and it seemed like the perfect time for her to make her move. She packed her bags and was all ready to leave. I went round to collect her as I was going to drop her off at the station and when I walked in Brandon had her pinned on the floor, his arms around her neck, he was killing her.’

  ‘So you attacked him?’

  ‘Not straight away. At first I tried to pull him off but he was so strong, much stronger than me. I was yelling at him, begging him to release her, but he wasn’t listening and her face was starting to turn blue. I had no choice.’

  He dropped his head in his hands in shame.

  ‘I picked up a knife and launched myself at him; I lost myself in a mindlessfrenzy. How could he treat good, sweet Brandy like that? She had never hurt anybody. I resented him, loathed him and wanted to make him pay. I didn’t mean to kill him, I just wanted to hurt him but I got carried away. I stopped when Brandy began to scream. She was horrified. She looked at me like I was a monster.’

  ‘Then what happened?’

  ‘I calmed her down and we talked it through. I told her that I had only been doing God’s will, and then, Lord forgive me, I told her that she had to take the blame. I couldn’t go to jail for murder, I’m a priest, people look to me as their moral centre. It would destroy Avalon if word ever got out. Brandy is so devoted to her faith, and therefore me, that she agreed. I told her she would probably have to die and she was willing even to do that. I made it clear that no one was to know the truth. She waited until I was long gone before alerting the authorities, and you know the rest.’

  Aiden couldn’t quite believe his ears. It was a lot of information to take in.

  ‘So Brandy is innocent?’

  ‘Completely.’

  ‘You were going to let her die for this’ He began to grow angry.

  ‘No, I couldn’t, that is why I came to see you. I know I should have told you sooner, but this will destroy everything.’

  ‘No, it will destroy you.’

  ‘I never meant to kill him. I just wanted to save her.’

  ‘Well, now is your chance to save her, by telling everyone the truth.’

  ‘So what happens now?’

  ‘I get to go be the hero and save the damsel in distress.’ Aiden’s hand was on the door handle when he turned back to Father West. ‘Just in case you are still not as good as your word, I taped our entire conversation.’

  Time was running out as Aiden ran down corridors, dashing past confused guards. Brandy White was innocent; he wanted to cry out at the top of his lungs. Now, he could truly save her.

  He had never run so fast before in his adult life. He nearly slipped on the slick flooring a number of times but he didn’t dare slow down. He was almost at the viewing room when he crashed straight into the back of Clyde White.

  ‘Easy, where’s the fire?’ He smoothed down his suit and shot Aiden an annoyed glare.

  ‘I need to talk to the –’

  ‘Woah, woah, you can’t go running around like a mad man. You almost knocked me over!’

  ‘Sorry, Mr. White.’ Aiden tried to catch his breath and compose himself.

  ‘So what’s the hurry?’

  ‘I can’t talk right now.’ He tried to pass the businessman but he obstructed his path. Clyde White’s eyes bored down upon him as if trying to extract information subliminally from his brain.

  ‘Please, Mr. White, I have urgent news regarding the case. I must speak with the proper authorities.’

  ‘Oh, give it up, Mr. Connelly. All this drama, it is just pathetic. You made a spectacle of yourself in the courtroom. You lost, deal with it.’

  ‘OK, good advice.’ He tried to pass again but Clyde White would not budge.

  ‘So what is this urgent news regarding my son’s death?’

  ‘I’ve found the killer.’

  ‘I know, glad you have finally accepted the truth. I’m looking forward to seeing her get what’s coming to her.’ An evil grin spread across his lined face.

  ‘I mean the real killer.’ Disregarding etiquette and manners, Aiden slammed into Clyde White, sending the smartly dressed man hurtling to the ground, as he ran past with just seconds to spare.

  ‘Stop, stop everything!’ He ran into the chamber where Brandy was being prepped. The morbid onlookers from the viewing room gasped in shock.

  ‘You fool, someone get him out of here, he just attacked me!’ Clyde White had caught up with him and was adding to the drama of the situation.

  ‘Let her go,’ he ordered the guards holding Brandy. She looked at him, her brown eyes full of confusion, then realisation began to dawn in her.

  ‘He told you?’ Her voice was soft.

  ‘Yes, he did.’ Aiden wanted to reach out and touch her, to take her in his arms and tell her that everything was going to be all right.

  ‘Will somebody tell me what the hell is going on here?!’ Clyde White yelled furiously.

  ‘Allow me to explain.’ Father West appeared in the doorway. He had gathered himself together and looked every inch the respectable priest.

  ‘Father West, thank God, maybe you can help sort out this madness, they are shitting all over the memory of my son!’

  ‘I’m sorry, Clyde.’

  ‘It’s all right, fFather, just sort this mess out.’

  ‘I’m sorry that I killed your son.’

  Clyde White stared at Father West, too stunned to speak. The people in the viewing room looked on, speechless, their mouths agape. It was Aiden who broke the silence.

  ‘Brandy is innocent, she never did anything.’

  The guards, also in shock, released their grip on Prisoner 929 and she ran over to Aiden and collapsed in his arms.

  ‘Thank you, thank you so much,’ she cried.

  ‘This is an outrage!’ Clyde White was still struggling to take everything in. He turned to Father West. ‘Why are you covering for her?’

  ‘I’m not.’

  ‘You are a man of God, you cannot kill somebody!’

  ‘I’m sorry, Clyde, but I’m human. I can and I did kill somebody. I killed Brandon White and I’m willing to accept the consequences.’ He turned to Brandy. ‘You are such a beautiful, wonderful creature. You were willing to risk it all for me, but I couldn’t let you do that. I hope you can forgive me.’

  ‘For Christ’s sake!’ Clyde White punched Father West square in the jaw and the priest toppled over to the ground. ‘He…he…’ He looked at Brandy, not quite knowing what to say. For so long he had seen her as the enemy, now to learn that she was also a victim was too overwhelming for him.

  ‘Brandy White, you are finally free,’ Aiden said to her. She clung to him with more ferocity and he felt like a hero.

  ‘I’m so glad you came to Avalon,’ she whispered.

  ‘Yeah,’ he mused. ‘Me too.’

  Chapter Thirteen: Unlucky for Some

  Avalon had changed and, to Aiden, so had the entire world. Gone was his idyllic safe haven away from the city, in its place stood a town where even the most respected and unassuming members of society could be harbouring the darkest of secrets. He realised with a heavy heart that deceit and corruption knew no bounds and could easily extend far beyond the reaches of the city and suburbia. He had been naïve to think that Avalon would be pure.

  The perky female reporter found herself once more on the parking lot of Eastham Ladies Penitentiary with the cinder block castle as her backdrop.

  ‘The small community of Avalon is still reeling after the shock confession to the murder of Brandon White by local priest, Patrick West.’

  Since the revelation th
at he was the killer no one had referred to him as Father West. Nothing had been done officially, but in the hearts and minds of his parishioners he had already been stripped of his title and was now just an ordinary man; a man who they now loathed and resented. How quickly the masses can turn.

  ‘Brandy White was originally found guilty of first degree murder, but now in a remarkable u-turn as a result of recent events, she is due today to walk away a free woman.’

  Aiden smiled at the television screen. He was so happy for Brandy, she was finally free. She had the rest of her life to do whatever she wanted. Despite his glee that she was being released he felt strangely melancholic. He was draped across his sofa staring at the television set in front of him. In the kitchen Isla was baking cookies with Meegan. They had not really spoken about all that had happened. In all honesty, he was still trying to wrap his head around it all. More than anything he was confused by his feelings for Brandy. He loved her, that much was true. But he was a married man with a young daughter, what happens now that she is a free woman? Free to live and love whomever she chooses? Would she want to be with him? Would he want to be with her? He knew that at some point he would have to address both Brandy and his feelings but he was procrastinating.

  ‘Babe!’ he called towards the kitchen. ‘Could you bring me another beer?’

  Trinity Church was in disarray. He had been predictably targeted by vandals. The words Liar, Murderer, Devil were scrawled across the outside walls. Patrick West had let everyone down, most of all himself. He sat in his cell with nothing but time. Time to think, time to cry, time to sleep. Just time. He’d gone over things time and again in his mind; it was all going perfectly, no one had suspected him in the slightest, he just needed to keep his mouth shut until after Brandy was dead. Then he would repent to the Lord and all would be forgiven. But his guilty conscience had been burning away at his soul. Brandy White was many things but she was no killer. Day by day it was destroying him as he stood by his decision to let her take the blame. In the end he knew he had to act, no matter how dire the consequence would be. He could still see their faces all too clearly when he told them he was the killer. They had once held him in such high regard, looked at him with loving, kind eyes, but now he was the embodiment of the devil. He understood their anger, their hatred. But at the same time, the only thing he regretted was not speaking out sooner. He had lost his faith a long time ago, he only carried on because he felt that he had a duty to the community and that people needed him. Killing Brandon had made him feel alive, more alive that he had ever felt in his entire life. He had never done anything remotely violent before and it scared him. Yet he was still glad that he had done it. As soon as Brandy had told him of the abuse and she lost her baby, he knew in his heart that Brandon deserved to die. It made him sick to think of him sitting there in church week after week with his father whilst poor Brandy was left at home, hiding her battered and bruised body away from the world. He wanted to expose Avalon’s angel for who he truly was. But now Father West was the monster, somehow Brandon was still the victim in all of this. At least Brandy was free of their hatred; that gave him some comfort.

  ‘I still can’t believe that Father West could do such a thing,’ Isla said as she handed her husband his second ice-cold beer.

  ‘Yeah, I know,’ he muttered.

  ‘You never gave up on her. Imagine if you had, she’d be dead now. That girl owes you her life.’

  ‘She owes me nothing, it’s my job.’

  ‘Yeah, well, you are very good at it! I’m proud of you!’ She bent down and kissed him gently on his forehead. Guilt surged through him as he recalled his kiss with Brandy.

  ‘Are youOK?’ she asked, concerned.

  ‘Yeah, hun, just tired.’

  ‘I bet you are, you deserve some rest.’

  He had never felt so tired before in his life, mentally that is, not physically. His brain ached with it all. He felt like wherever he turned people were excitedly discussing the Avalon scandal when all he wanted to do was get away from it. He had lived it, which was more than enough.

  ‘Here she comes,’ the reporter said excitedly, trying to push through the crowd to get to the halo of hair that had just left the prison gates. ‘Brandy, Brandy!’ she yelled.

  Aiden switched off the television. He wasn’t ready to see Brandy. At least not yet.

  Brandy gazed around what was once her marital home. Over the past few months Brandon’s parents had boxed up all their son’s belongings so that all that remained was the shell of the house. She dropped the duffel bag which contained her few worldly possessions and wandered over to the point where her husband had breathed his last breath. The carpet had been cleaned, all traces of him gone. It was as if it had never happened. A sharp knock at the front door disturbed her from her thoughts.

  ‘Oh, Aiden,’ she beamed at her visitor.

  Aiden Connelly’s mind had been conflicted as to whether he should go and visit Brandy that day or not. In the end, he reasoned that he was her only friend and she would need him at this difficult time. He told Isla he was popping into work. He wasn’t quite sure why he had lied to her, it was probably to avoid any confrontation. He drove out to what was once the home of the young Mr. and Mrs. White, a place that would forever be infamous for the tragedies that occurred within its walls.

  ‘Brandy, hey, how are you?’

  ‘Come in, come in.’ She ushered him inside. He was surprised by how sparse the house was, there was only the bare minimum of furniture. He reasoned that Clyde White must have emptied the house out in anticipation of selling it on. No one ever believed that Brandy would be coming back to claim it.

  ‘Pretty crowded in here, huh?’ she joked.

  ‘It’s minimalist,’ he laughed.

  ‘I’d say sit down except there are no seats, and I’m afraid I’m fresh out of coffee, and pretty much everything else.’

  ‘But you are free.’

  ‘Am I?’

  ‘Yeah, of course you are. You’ve been given an official pardon; your life is yours to live as you please for many years to come.’

  ‘But here, in Avalon, I’ll never be able to escape from it all. There will always be a black cloud following me around; people will always be looking at me, judging me.’ She seemed so much older, wiser than she had in prison. Life was beginning to take its toll on her.

  ‘So what now?’

  ‘A fresh start.’ She smiled at him and the brightness returned to her face.

  ‘Where? Are you going to stay here?’

  ‘I did a whole lot of thinking in prison. I’ve only ever known Avalon. I’ve never been on a boat, or a plane. I feel like life has given me a second chance and I don’t intend to waste it. I’m going to sell this place and move away.’

  ‘Move away, where? When?’ He didn’t want her to leave. He had almost lost her once, he didn’t want to lose her again.

  ‘You inspired me, Aiden.’

  ‘I did?’

  ‘Yes, you did! You showed me that there are some people in the world who care, who are brave. I always thought that the city was full of shallow, cold people, but you are from the city and you are the kindest man I have ever met.’

  ‘So where will you go?’

  ‘I’m moving to Chicago.’

  ‘But what will you do there?’

  ‘It’s funny; with all the television coverage someone out there recognised me and got in touch with the prison. Susan Cotton. She’s my Ma’s estranged sister, who knew? When she heard Brandy and Avalon she began piecing things together. She lives in Chicago and owns a successful beauty salon. Aiden, she’s offered me a job! Isn’t that great? A chance to start over!’

  ‘Yeah, that is great,’ he said, trying to sound happy for her.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ She sensed his sadness.

  ‘It’s just…’ He struggled to find the right words.

  ‘Aiden…’ Her voice gave way to a pregnant pause. ‘Aiden, you have a wife and a little girl who need
you. I need to discover myself, find out who I am. I was always listening to other people, to my Ma, to Father West. This time I’m going to listen to me and do what I want.’

  ‘I’m going to miss you so much,’ he confessed, his voice cracking.

  ‘I’ll miss you too, but I’ll call, email, whatever it is city people do!’ she laughed. Then the laughter faded and she regarded him with a more serious expression. ‘You saved my life, Aiden Connelly. I owe you everything. I will never, ever forget you. You are truly the greatest man I have ever met.’

  They embraced and he could feel her heart beating against his chest. She still had the same intoxicating scent of peaches and vanilla.

  ‘You are heavenly, Brandy White,’ he whispered.

  ‘It’s Brandy Cotton now,’ she informed him.

  ‘Just so you know, you are a star that does sparkle. You shone out to me the day I met you and you really did light up my life.’

  ‘Thank you.’ She pulled away and smiled up at him. He felt the urge to kiss her but resisted.

  ‘You have such a good heart, Aiden, don’t let anything change that. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me.’ He pulled her into his chest once more, he didn’t want to let go.

  ‘Do you think I’ll like the city?’

  ‘I think you’ll love it.’

  He wondered if city life would change Brandy, as it had once changed Isla. But if even prison could not stifle her spirit he knew in his heart that she would be fine.

  ‘What’s next for Aiden Connelly?’

  ‘I honestly don’t know.’

  ‘Well, you can’t leave Avalon. The people here need you.’

  ‘They do?’

  ‘Yeah! You stood up to Buck Fern and Clyde White. No one has ever dared to do that before. You have really shaken things up around here!’

  They at last disconnected from one another and he reluctantly made his way to the door.