Page 11 of Stay Buried

Ashley looked up at the ceiling and shrugged. She thought of checking, but decided to give her grandmother some privacy.

It was the one of the reasons they’d lived so well together over the last couple of years—they both just kind of knew when to offer help or company and when to give each other space. She and Gram could almost read each other’s minds, it seemed. And after the fight about theletter, Ashley was sure Gram would want to be left alone.

“Did you do something to piss her off earlier? Cut the beets the wrong way or something?” Malcolm asked with a sly grin.

Ashley sighed. “Worse,” she admitted. “I told her I was thinking about going up to Boone’s Ferry.”

Mal shook his head. “Ash!”

She sighed deeply, reached into her back pocket, and pulled out the letter, handing it over to her brother. “I found this in Gram’s desk a few days ago.”

Malcolm opened the letter and read it carefully, taking his time. She watched his eyes darting back and forth across the page.

“I don’t understand,” Mal said.

“Look at the date, Mal. Mom was in Boone’s Ferry just days before they found her car.”

“But… why?”

“She was there and Gram knew. Gram hid it from us. Didn’t even tell the police when they asked if we had any idea where she might be.”

Malcolm’s eyes glazed over.

“Today I finally got up the guts to ask Gram about it. I told her I wanted to go up there.”

“Wait, why?” Mal asked. “Why would you go there?”

Was he kidding? Had he not just read the letter?

“To look for answers! If I try to figure out what Mom was doing, who she might have talked to, where she stayed, then—”

He shook his head, folded up the letter, and put it in the envelope.

“Don’t you get it?” she said. “The key to understanding what happened to Mom might be there in Boone’s Ferry! She was there, Mal! And what the hell does she mean by ‘I know everything’? What did she find?”

Mal set the letter on the table.

They were quiet for a few seconds, except for Malcolm drumming his fingers on his craft beer can.

“Ash, there’s nothing to understand. I know what happened toMom.” He reached across the table, took her hand. “She was depressed. She’d been struggling for a while but she hid it really well. She drove out to the bridge, got out of her car, and jumped.”

Ash stared in disbelief at her brother. He spoke the words in such a slow, cool, practiced way, it was like reciting lines from a play.

“I know how much it hurts. I know you haven’t been able to fully accept it. But you’ve gotta see that this isn’t healthy. You’re looking for answers you’re never going to find. This is what landed you in the—”

Ash pulled her hand away from her brother and snatched the letter from the table. “This isproof!” she growled.

“Proof of what, exactly?” he asked, giving her the worried look she knew too well.

“That there’s more to the story.”

He nodded, pushed his shaggy hair out of his eyes. “Ash,” he said, his voice low and soothing, like he was talking to a small child. “Tell me the truth. Are you seeing her again?”

“Who?” she asked, as if she didn’t know.

“Mom,” he said, voice trembling slightly. “Is… is she back?”

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