Excerpt of Included!

DOWN RIVER“Me. This. All of this.” New force moved into his words, a conviction.“Don’t try to save me. Don’t start digging. Don’t get your teeth into it.” He releasedmy arm and I rocked back. “Just let it go.”Then Dolf rose to his feet and took quick strides to the two-way mirror. Helooked back with still bright eyes and a voice that broke. “And take care ofGrace.” Sudden tears appeared in the seams of his face. “She needs you.”He rapped on the glass, and turned away, tilted his face to the floor. I foundmy feet, reaching for words and failing. The door opened with clang. The sheriffcame in; deputies filled the space behind him. I held up my hand. “Wait asecond,” I said.Some emotion moved in the sheriff. Color flooded his face. Grantham appearedover his shoulder, paler, more distant.“That’s it,” the sheriff said. “Time to go.”I studied Dolf: the straight back and the bent neck; a sudden, rackingcough and his arm in that orange sleeve wiping across his mouth. He spreadhis fingers on the mirror and lifted his head so that he could see my reflection.His lips moved, and I could barely hear him.“Just go,” he said.“Come on, Chase.” The sheriff reached out with his hand, as if he couldpull me from the room.Too many questions, no answers; and Dolf ’s plea a clatter inside my head.I heard a plastic rattle, and two deputies rolled in a video recorder on a tripod.“What’s going on?” I asked.The sheriff took my arm, pulled me through the door. The pressure easedwhen the door clanged shut; I shrugged my arm out of his grip. He let mewatch through the narrow glass as deputies aimed the camera. Dolf moved tothe table, looked once in my direction, and sat. He lifted his face to the cameraas the sheriff turned the key and dropped the bolt.“What is this?’ I asked.He waited until I looked at him. “A confession,” the sheriff said.“No.”“For the murder of Danny Faith.” The sheriff paused for full effect. “And allI had to do was let him talk to you.”177