Brave Grave

Chapter eighteen

"Seth, talk to me. You haven't been yourself lately." Delanie says while wrapping a towel over her dripping wet hair.

"I told you, nothing is wrong." Seth spats while putting a pair of black socks over his feet.

"Ever since Mr. Micheals came by and we went to dinner with Fin, you have been hiding away inside of this bedroom. I know something is wrong with you."

Seth heaves a lengthy breath out of frustration and shakes his head.

"Delanie, if I told you, you wouldn't understand. It is very complicated. My past is something that I am not proud of and I want to put it behind me completely and I can't do that when Mr. Micheals is sitting at my dinner table or with Fin bringing it up every five seconds." Seth rubs his face with both of his hands in distress.

"Fine, I understand." Delanie walks out of the bedroom, leaving Seth alone. She knew she wasn't going to be able to get it out of him easily. Eventually, he would have to tell her the whole truth. Now that she is skeptical, she is determined to find out on her own through Mr. Micheals. Before Seth and Delanie got married, he didn't tell her the whole truth about the case. He told her that he was falsely accused instead of coming out and telling her that he was a part of the murder of Gregory.

"Mom, I am going to hang out with Lucas and Marcus." Arden says before walking down the staircase.

"Okay honey, be home before the street lights come on."

"Yes ma'am." Arden replies and quickly races down the stairs and heads for the door.

Thoughts were consuming Delanie's mind about Seth's behavior. She knew who she needed to talk to.

**

"Come on in." Richard says to Delanie from inside of his room. Delanie makes her way inside of the rundown room and has a seat on the sofa.

"I appreciate you letting me come over Mr. Micheals."

"No problem, you are welcome any time and you can call me Richard." He smiles as he hands her a glass of water.

"Thank you Richard, there is something that I want to discuss with you." She replies while gulping down a sip of water. "It's about my husband, Seth." She adds.

Richard raises his brows and nods, already knowing what she was going to speak with him about.

"I know it has been a long time, but ever since you visited the other night, Seth has been acting off. He won't come out of the bedroom. It is like he is afraid of something. He said it was something about his past, but he won't tell me anything else other then that he wants to leave his past behind him. Would you happen to know anything about his past that I don't?"

"What all do you know?" Richard asks curling in his lips.

"Well... all I know is that he was involved with Gregory's case. He told me that he was falsely accused and that is all I know."

Richard stands up and grabs an old shabby newspaper article that was sitting on the counter. He hands it to Delanie and sits down in his original spot.

"Seth was accused along with two other boys and an older man who worked in a cemetery. Carl was found guilty, but... he didn't do it."

Delanie looks up from the paper and into his eyes.

"Do you think they did it?"

"I know this is going to be hard to hear, but yes. The only reason Carl was guilty was because of his past with the law and also because he ran from the scene of the crime after he reported finding Gregory's body in the coffin. His actions made him look guilty. No one thought three young boys could have committed a murder even though they were seen physically bullying Gregory. Mrs. Thompson, I am not trying to turn you against your husband, but he was a part of the murder of my son."