End of season 2 episode 10
Dan charged up onto the roof, a cadre of police officers right behind him, many of them with guns drawn. There had been plenty of them at Theresa's memorial after all. He saw the single figure standing next to the hole in the roof, and every gun in the party trained on him. "Don't move!"he bellowed.
He could see that it was thayer. he was shaking and stuttering. "they jumped…I didn't do it…I threatened to expose them…alec said he'd make sure they'd lock me up…I haven't done anything…"
Knowing that he probably killed Theresa, Dan's mind was fixed on the image of a bullet entering his head, the satisfaction of seeing him gone for good. But that wasn't the way he was supposed to do it. He knew that. "Don't move,"he repeated. He stepped behind her and cuffed him. " "thayer rybak, you're under arrest for the murders of Derek Rogers, Theresa Lopez, rebecca sewell.. And Alec Rybak."
There was a large group of people outside. Many of them were feeling that they shouldn't be there and starting to drift away. Ted, Kristin, Sutton and Laurel were close to the ambulance as the body bags were loaded up. Alec and rebecca had been pronounced dead at the scene.
Kristin looked at Ted. "I should get the girls home."
"Okay,"Ted said briefly. He paused awkwardly, feeling as though he should say more. i'll come with u guys"
"Thank you." Kristin's answer was clipped, unemotional. He had a feeling she was doing her best not to show weakness in front of him. She glanced round at Sutton and Laurel. "I'll get the car."
Sutton moved closer to her father, talking in hushed tones. "What about Emma?"
"Not now,"Ted replied. Sutton started to protest and he shook his head firmly. "Not now. Your mum's got enough to think about tonight, we don't want to dump this on her as well. We'll figure it out another time."
A hush fell among the crowd. Sutton turned to see thayer being led to a car in handcuffs by Dan and two uniformed officers. Thayer turned and locked eyes with Sutton. Sutton couldn't tell if her thayer was accusing her or pleading for help. She looked away, not raising her eyes again until thayer was out of sight inside the car.
Ethan was behind her suddenly. "Someone should tell Emma,"he remarked.
"Well, you're usually best at that,"Sutton returned. She saw Ethan's uncomfortable look and rolled her eyes. "But if you think it's too much trouble…"
"Look, no promises,"Ethan insisted. "But…I'll see what I can do."
Laurel was looking around the group. "Where's Mads?"
Sutton looked around as well. Mads was nowhere in sight.
Emma sat alone in the cabin, the quiet sound of the television the only noise audible to her. She was getting used to the solitude and she was aware she might have to get used to it even more now. It was a wrench leaving the Mercer household but it was better than being in foster care and, given that half the town knew she was there, she wouldn't be short of visitors.
She wondered what was going on at the memorial. Had Ted told Kristen about her? Would Kristin want to meet her properly, or want her to leave town? What was happening with Ethan…Ethan, who, judging by his comments when she last saw him, would probably never want to see her again? She thought about Thayer as well: She hadn't wanted to leave him while he was upset yet something had told her it was the best thing to do, that he needed to be alone to process things.
The desperate knocking at the door startled her, made her wonder who it was. Did someone know about her? Was she now public knowledge? Or had something else happened?
She opened the door and found Mads standing there. Her friend's face was streaked with tears, yet still more were flowing down her face. Emma didn't think she'd ever seen anyone look so upset in her life. "Mads, what's wrong?"
Mads didn't say anything. She just collapsed into Emma's arms, sobbing desperately. Emma just held her there, offering comfort for whatever had left her like this.
Kristin stood in the middle of the lounge room as Sutton and Laurel entered the house after her. She'd barely said a word on the way home, whatever emotional shutdown she'd gone into clearly still ongoing. There was silence for several moments, then Kristin turned round to face the two girls. "You'd, ah, better go to bed, it's getting late."
Laurel looked like she was going to say something, then gave a murmur of assent and headed towards her room, Sutton just behind her. Once they were out of earshot, she paused. "Do you think one of us should talk to her?"
Sutton looked back at Kristin, who had sunk down into a chair. "She'll be fine,"she said dismissively.
"Emma would know what to do." Laurel looked at Sutton for a moment and then sighed in resignation. "I'll see you in the morning,"she decided, heading into her room.
Sutton looked at Kristin again in frustration. She had to be Emma now? Why had her twin sister set the bar so high? She took a deep breath and walked over to her mother, hovering near her chair. "If you want to do that talking thing…"
Kristin gave her a brief smile. "It's fine."
"Cause, I mean, Alec was your friend and you were pretty much on the verge of having an affair with him so…"
"Sutton, it's fine,"Kristin said firmly. "But thank you."
"Right. Okay." Sutton hesitated. "Love you." The words felt strange in her mouth, yet she had a feeling she meant them. She headed off to her room.
Behind her, Kristin buried her face in her hands and sobbed.
