“When she came back, Sam stayed as far away as she could get from me. I had no suspicion that she had you nor did anyone in town. Then I found out about you when Sam got in trouble and she wasn’t able to keep you a secret anymore. I went to see her, she wasn’t expecting me and was angry that I was there, asking her questions she didn’t want to answer. She shoved me, and I pushed her back, and she fell and hit her head. I didn’t even shove her that hard, Logan, I swear.” Dustin pleaded with his eyes for his son to believe him. “I’ve never touched a woman in anger my whole life, but I couldn’t wake her up. I called an ambulance and ran. I don’t know why I ran. I was young and stupid and didn’t know what to do.”
“I believe you.”
At Logan’s words, Dustin had to lower his head, trying to hide the unmanly tears that were threatening to spill over. He still felt the same regret now as much as he did the day it had happened.
His father had raised him to hide everything from the law, so when he should have reported what had happened, it had been ingrained in him to go against it.
“Thank you, Logan. But I’m not finished.
“Instead of being the man my ma raised me to be, I didn’t own up to what had happened. I even broke into Diamond’s office to cover it up, but she figured it out and made me own up to it. That was the only right decision I made—listening to her. She told me that it wasn’t my fault that Sam died. She suffered from kidney failure and didn’t know it. That’s how we also found out that you had the same problem. And that’s why Holly and I watch everything you eat so you won’t get sick again.”
Dustin watched his son, his chest aching as he saw the myriad of expressions cross Logan’s face.
“I want you to know the truth, because you’re getting older, and I didn’t want Silas or anyone telling you I killed Samantha without you hearing the truth from me.”
“It was an accident. You couldn’t kill anyone.”
Dustin raked his teeth over his bottom lip. As much as he wanted to let Logan believe that, it would be a lie. And if things took a wrong turn, he wanted Logan to see him through eyes that saw not only the good in him but the flaws.
“I don’t like killing, but I have. I learned a hard lesson when I was younger that my father taught me, and I’m teaching it to you now. Protecting your family has to always come first, despite having to do what you don’t want to do. When your family is safe and can’t be hurt, then you can help and protect others. But your family has to come first, second, and last. When you’re protecting your family, there can’t be any options off the table, because when someone is trying to hurt you or yours, they ain’t going to have the same hesitation.”
“When I get big, I’m going to protect them just like you.”
“Son, you can’t wait to protect them until you’re older. You have to protect them now.”
When Logan paled as if he expected Dustin to ask him to do something he didn’t want to do, Dustin gave him a reassuring smile. “I don’t want you to ever do anything you don’t want to do. The only thing I’m asking for you to do is what Holly and I have asked of you before.
“You can’t tell anyone about Uncle Greer’s and Aunt Rachel’s gifts, or your own. Especially yours. I want to protect you, Logan, but you’re getting older, and I won’t be around you all the time to shield you from someone finding your pictures or from hearing you say something and them putting two and two together and finding out about your gifts. You have to start protecting yourself and the rest of the family now, because if you’re not careful, then not only could you pay the price but one of them could, too.”
Logan started chewing on his bottom lip. “Should I stop drawing?”
“No. From now on, just let me see the pictures. Don’t draw at school or anywhere else. Just at home.”
“Sometimes, the teacher asks us to draw at school for an assignment or our free time.”
“If you need to do it during school, do patterns of things, like stars, dots, shapes.”
“I can do that.”
“I’m not saying not to draw what you want to, just do it at home. Give me all your pictures when you’re done with them.”
“I will. I promise.”
Dustin looked at the clock on the wall. “Are you finished? You’re late. I’m going to have to go inside and sign you in.”