Grave Endings by Rochelle Krich

event that changed my life and gives me nightmares. And what had it done to Aggie’s parents, who had lost their only child?
    Creeley bowed his head and sighed deeply. “It grieves me to think Randy came to that, that he took someone’s life.”
    I’d hoped for denial, outrage, anything to bolster my own wavering doubts. “You don’t sound surprised.”
    â€œNothing about Randy surprises
me,
” Alice said.
    Anger flashed in Creeley’s eyes. “I loved that boy. But I can’t say I was proud of him. No, ma’am. I tried to teach him right from wrong, but he took what he wanted and lied his way through life. He was good at it, too. Then he got caught. I thought, Good. He’ll learn a hard lesson. But a couple of years later he was back in prison.”
    â€œYou reap what you sow,” Alice said.
    Creeley’s cheek pulsed. “I’m not saying he didn’t deserve to do time. But he didn’t deserve to die like that. He was off drugs. He found God and peace. He asked my forgiveness a few weeks ago for the things he’d done wrong. He asked your forgiveness, too, Alice.”
    â€œWords are cheap,” she said. “He was playing you like he played you so many times before I can’t even count them.”
    I was liking Alice less and less, but I’d been thinking the same thing. “What about his girlfriend, Doreen,” I said. “Where did he meet her?”
    â€œOne of his twelve-step meetings, or church?” Creeley looked at Alice. She shrugged, and for once didn’t have an answer. “He talked about bringing her by so we could meet her, but he never did. A couple of days before he died I asked him how things were going. ‘I’m doing fine, I’m clean,’ he said. He sounded hopeful.”
    Alice huffed. “He told his parole officer the same thing, and that was a fat lie. He went to those Narcotics Anonymous meetings and lied to everybody there, too.”
    Creeley pursed his lips. “I know when he’s lying, Alice. Someone killed him and made it look like he overdosed. I know that like I know my own name.”
    Alice rolled her eyes.
    â€œGo ahead,” he told her, his voice flinty with anger. “Roll your eyes. The police don’t believe me, either.”
    I scooted to the edge of my chair. “Why would someone kill your son, Mr. Creeley?”
    â€œCould be someone he wronged. I’m sure there’s a long list. Or maybe it had something to do with that woman the police say he killed.”
    My heart skipped a beat. “She was killed almost six years ago, in July. I know that’s a long time ago, but can you recall if Randy seemed upset then?”
    â€œJuly, six years ago . . . ,” he repeated. “That was about a year after Randy got out of prison. The couple of times we did see him, he was looking for a fight. I don’t know why.”
    â€œAsk Trina,” Alice said. “He told Trina
everything,
” she added with a childish whine.
    I would be seeing Trina in less than two hours and I planned to do exactly that. “You didn’t see him often?”
    Creeley shook his head.
    â€œBecause I told him what he didn’t want to hear,” Alice said. “Because nobody wants an ex-con liar and drug addict hanging around their daughter.”
    â€œLet him be, goddammit!” Creeley seemed startled by his own outburst. He took a deep breath. “The boy’s dead, Alice. Let him be.”
    Alice turned her head aside, but not before I could see the red that had worked up her thick neck and that Creeley would undoubtedly pay for after I left.
    She pushed herself off the sofa. “I have things to take care of,” she said in a wounded voice.
    I would have bet money that Creeley would apologize and beg her to stay, but he said, “All right then,” and ignored the hurt, angry look she tossed him before she stomped out of the