Chapter 13.
The Sheriff had finished taking statements from Clark, Lois, Chloe and a number of Summerholt employees as Dr Grady was being handcuffed and escorted away from the premises by two police officers. He'd confessed to the treatment programme on his son and about what had happened in the woods the previous summer. He admitted to attempting the memory treatment on Chloe against her will but couldn't remember what had gone wrong due to being knocked unconscious.
Clark told the Sheriff about how he'd found Kevin at Audrey Clearing and spoken to him about what happened there the previous year. He said he came to Summerholt by himself after Kevin told him his father worked there as one of their foremost doctors. He described bursting into the room just as the columns were collapsing, pulling Lois to one side to ensure they didn't land on her.
Lois had filled the Sheriff in on what she'd seen the previous day at the Talon, giving an approximate description of the thief which bore very little resemblance to Kevin Grady, the actual thief. The Sheriff gave short shrift to Lois' suggestion of how to mete out justice and told her that while the police would deal with the matter, following up petty crimes required more time and manpower than the Sheriff had at her disposal. Lois had to concede that it was unlikely anything would come of this.
Chloe described how and why she'd snuck into Summerholt and found the record of Kevin's treatment, apologising for taking the records without permission. The Sheriff admonished her for getting herself into trouble by trying to do the police's job but she was thankful that Chloe's intervention had led to the uncovering of a more serious matter.
Chloe and Lois were giving their statements as Clark stood to the side, looking around the lobby. He glanced to his left at the corridor and spotted a figure in a leather jacket step through a side door and make to sneak off down the corridor. It was Kevin. He followed Kevin down the corridor, calling out to him.
"Hey Kevin, wait up," Clark called out.
Kevin stopped and turned around. "Clark, hey."
"Running away again?"
Kevin nodded. "It's probably for the best that people don't ask too many questions. My dad's going into police custody, and I need time to get my head around things and start putting things right."
"Look, I can't tell you what you should do but I did want to thank you for what you did back there. Lois' memory seems to be fully restored. She's back to her usual charming self," he deadpanned.
"Yeah. I'm sorry I caused you guys so much trouble. Between you and me, I could use some work on my timing. Seems like I interrupted a moment between you two," said Kevin.
"Moment?" asked Clark, confused.
"Well yeah. Pretty girl in your arms making eyes at you," Kevin offered by way of explanation. "Anyway, I'm glad your girlfriend is back to normal."
Kevin stepped forward to shake Clark's hand.
"Thanks for the chance at a clean slate Clark. See ya around."
Kevin turned and made his way down the corridor, leaving Clark speechless. That was the second time Kevin had intimated that Lois was Clark's girlfriend. She'd been acting strangely without her memories, and he had held her in his arms while she gazed up lovingly at him. To anyone watching, what else were they supposed to think?
He slowly came back into the lobby as Chloe and Lois were waiting to leave. The cousins headed towards Chloe's car in the parking lot as Clark said he was fetching his truck. With that, they all made their way back to the Kent Farm.