“You shouldn’t have come back,” Vale said, his voice shaking slightly.

“You should have taken the money and left.”

“Where is my son, Owen?” I asked, my voice low and steady.

I kept my hands at my sides, but my fingers tensed.

“He is safe,” Vale said.

“Safe from you.”

“You falsified Emily’s death certificate,” I said, taking a half-step forward.

“I know about the potassium chloride.”

Vale’s face went pale.

The gun trembled in his grip.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he whispered.

“It was an accident.”

“She was sick.”

“She was murdered,” I said.

“And you helped her do it.”

“She was going to ruin us,” Vale said, his voice rising.

“She was going to destroy everything Margaret built.”

“The Reed family represents this town, Daniel.”

“Without them, there is nothing.”

“So you killed my wife for a paycheck?” I asked.

I took another step.

The distance between us was about eight feet.

“Stop right there,” Vale warned, tightening his grip on the gun.

“I don’t want to shoot you, Daniel.”

“But I will.”

“You’re not a killer, Owen,” I said, watching his eyes.