Reap The Whirlwind

Book 2 of the Killian Kendall Mysteries

By Josh Aterovis
Copyright 2026

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Chapter 23

I looked up to find the whole room had gone deathly quiet and every eye was on me.

"It's, um... It's my dad," I said hoarsely.

"I'll drive," Aidan said as he swept into action, scooping up the car keys and my coat.

"We'll come, too," Killian said, and Asher nodded.

"Me, too," Laura said immediately.

"We'll stay and clean up the apartment," Adam assured me, and everyone else was quick to agree. "Don't worry about anything here. Just go."

We were out the door in record time and speeding to the hospital. We traveled in separate cars, Aidan, Asher, Killian, and me in one car, Gabe and Laura in another. Once there, we went directly to Dad's floor, stopping just outside the door.

"You go on in," Aidan said gently. "We'll be right out here in the waiting room."

I nodded, but didn't move. With all the death that had surrounded me over the last several months, I had never actually seen anyone die. I wasn't looking forward to my own father being the first. Even with everything that had happened between us, he was still my father.

As I stood there, frozen, I felt a hand slip into mine. It was Aidan.

"Come on," he said softly, "I'll go with you."

That gave me the strength I needed, and we stepped forward.

Mom looked up as we came in. She was sitting next to Dad's bed, his pale, limp hand in hers. She was still wearing the dress she'd worn to our wedding, but her hair was mussed and there were dark circles under her red-rimmed eyes.

Mom gave me a shaky smile, then turned back to Dad's still form.

"Will's here," she said to him. "We're all here now."

There was no response from Dad. He looked like he was already dead, but the steady beeping of the machines attested to the fact that, for the moment at least, he was still alive.

Mom stood up and we hugged, then, in a soft voice, she said, "You should say your goodbyes. I'll wait outside."

She hugged Aidan and thanked him for being there, then slipped from the room.

Aidan patted me on the back, lending me silent strength.

I approached the bed, but couldn't bring myself to touch him.

"Hey, Dad," I said, but my voice broke. I took a deep breath and tried again. "I'm here. I'm really glad we got to talk last time. I know things have been a little rocky with us lately, but I love you, and I know you love me. I'll take good care of Mom, I promise."

I wasn't sure what else to say. I wished I had something profound to say, but I had nothing.

I glanced up at Aidan, hoping for inspiration, but his eyes were squeezed shut. I suddenly realized how difficult this must be for him. It had to be bringing back painful memories of losing his own father.

"Why don't you go to the waiting room?" I said.

My husband opened his eyes and attempted a smile.

"I'm okay."

"Go. I'm fine." He looked unsure, so I added. "Really."

He nodded, and let himself out.

I turned back to Dad, still unsure of what else I was supposed to say. How did you say goodbye to your father?

Then it occurred to me that I'd never gotten this chance with Joey, so maybe I should make the most of it while I had the chance.

"I... I got married tonight," I started. "It happened really quickly. Maybe too quickly, if I'm being honest. I'm a little freaked out. Not because I don't love Aidan. I do. And I know without any doubt that he loves me, too. But what if I'm not a good husband? I'm kind of a mess. I mean, I tried to kill myself twice in the last few months. I don't know what I'm doing. But maybe...maybe nobody does. Maybe we're all just out here faking it, and all I can do is my best."

I looked down at him but he still hadn't moved a muscle. The steady beeping continued. Could he hear me? Did it matter?

"Did Mom tell you Joey got a girl pregnant before he died? I'm going to help raise it, be like an uncle. Maybe. The baby's mom is kind of crazy so hopefully she sticks to the plan. That baby is all I have left of Joey. Well, that and his necklace.

"It's so crazy that he's gone. It still doesn't feel real. And soon you'll be gone, too, I guess. I'd tell you to say hi to him for me, but if there is an afterlife and it's anything like what you taught me, I doubt you guys would be in the same place."

I chuckled to myself. I was rambling through my stream of consciousness, but if he didn't like it, he'd just have to wake up.

"To be honest, I'm not sure what I believe anymore. That's probably the most upsetting thing I've told you tonight. Aidan taught me a few things about the Bible, but I guess I was kind of questioning things even before that, you know? Or maybe you wouldn't know. You always seemed so confident in your beliefs. Blind faith. Maybe I'm just not cut out for that. You always said I asked too many questions.

"But I feel like I'm getting close to figuring it all out. Or closer anyway. I feel like happiness is attainable. It's been a rough ride getting here though. And, honestly, you were a big part of the reason why it was so hard. How could you just turn your back on me like that? How could you choose religion over your own son?"

I felt a hot tear run down my cheek and I swiped at it angrily, finally allowing myself to feel all the pain and anger I'd bottled up.

"Here I am spilling my guts at your deathbed, and you couldn't even bring yourself to visit me when I was in a coma. I know I told you last time that I forgave you, but I haven't yet. Not really. Maybe I would have in time, if you'd lived and made some sort of effort. And I guess I'm glad I got to hear you admit you failed me, but that was too little, too late. How do I know you even meant it? Maybe they were just the words of a dying man trying to clear his conscience."

I sighed and wiped my eyes again.

"I guess, in the end, it doesn't really matter, does it? It's all you could give, and it's more than many people ever get. So, I'll heal...in time. Maybe I'll even be able to forgive you. But I can guarantee you that I'll do it on my own terms. And I'll do it as an openly gay man with an amazing, supportive husband who loves me for who I am."

I took a deep breath and stood up.

"I guess that's all I have to say. If this is really goodbye, then...I love you. Despite everything, I do love you. Goodbye, Dad."

I walked out to the waiting room, and Mom jumped to her feet.

"Any change?" she asked.

"No change at all," I told her.

"I'll... I'll go check on him," she said, and rushed off.

"Are you okay?" Aidan asked.

"Yeah. Surprisingly, I'm good. I...got a lot off my chest. I feel like I may have actually gotten some closure."

I looked around and realized that Gabe, Killian and Asher were missing.

"Where are the guys?" I asked.

"They went looking for a soda machine," Laura said.

She looked tired, slumped down in one of the uncomfortable chairs in the waiting room.

I went over and sat next to her. "Can we talk?"

"About?"

"Us?"

"I'll give you guys some privacy," Aidan said, stepping into the hall.

"Are you mad at me?" I asked.

"For what?"

"The wedding? You looked pissed back at the apartment."

"Am I mad at you for throwing a surprise wedding? No, not really. Maybe a little at first, but mostly just because I felt left out."

"I'm sorry. It was a crazy idea."

She laughed a little. "Crazy doesn't begin to describe it. But, for the record, I'm happy for you. You deserve some happiness after the last few months, and Aidan is a great guy."

I leaned in and hugged her awkwardly.

"I miss us," I whispered.

She sighed as I sat back. "Yeah, me too, but I guess we'll never be the same again. Joey is gone, you've got Aidan, I've got Gabe. It's different, but that doesn't mean it won't be just as good."

I smiled. "Yeah, maybe it'll even be better. Joey was kind of a jerk."

Laura's eyes widened. "I never thought I'd hear Will Keegan say those words."

I grinned. "I guess I've changed, too."

"Hell yeah!"

"You know, there was a moment when Killian suspected that maybe you were the killer, but I knew it couldn't be you."

Laura shifted and sat up. "Yeah, I know. He talked to me."

"He did?"

"Yes. He wanted to know why I called Robbie that night."

I tilted my head. "Why did you?"

She shook her head. "It was stupid. I was so mad at Gabe for not telling me. I was feeling left out again, like Gabe was in this little club with you and Killian, and I was getting pushed out. It felt like you and Joey all over again, with me on the outside, as usual."

I opened my mouth to argue, but she rushed on.

"I said it was stupid. I know. But I decided I'd be the first to call him. Only I wasn't the first. By the time I tracked him down and called, he'd already talked to you, and he basically hung up on me when his doorbell rang."

"That was probably the killer," I said as the hairs on my arms stood up.

"Yeah, that's what it sounds like." She rubbed her eyes, then blinked at me. "You know, I think I've had enough of this whole detective thing to last me the rest of my life. I'm glad the police took over."

"Me too," I said. "And I'm especially glad that none of us got hurt for our stupidity."

Just then, a nurse went running by, quickly followed by another.

I jumped up and moved into the hallway, Laura right on my heels, just as the nurses burst into Dad's room. A moment later, one of them escorted Mom out.

"What's going on?" Mom demanded.

"Ma'am, you and your family will need to wait out here. A silent alarm went off, and we need you to wait here until the doctor can talk to you."

"What alarm? Please tell me what's going on."

Just then a doctor in a white coat came rushing past us and into the room.

"Excuse me," the nurse said, "I need to get back in there."

She left us alone in the hall. Aidan slid an arm around my waist. We stood awkwardly watching the door for a moment, but when nothing happened immediately, we all filed back into the waiting room. We were soon rejoined by Killian, Asher and Gabe, arms loaded with sodas nobody wanted. There wasn't enough seating for all of us, so I paced while Mom sat on a chair, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, not saying a word.

After several minutes, the doctor appeared in the doorway.

"Mrs. Keegan," he began. He looked tired, as if it had been a long night and it wasn't about to get any better. I knew what was coming. "I'm sorry."

He continued talking, but I stopped listening. My world had shifted yet again. My father was dead. My mom was a widow. Just a few hours before, I was getting married. The tonal whiplash of this day was starting to catch up to me. I turned into Aidan's chest and started to sob, then realized my mom probably needed me, so I tried my best to pull myself together.

She was holding up remarkably well, though, already discussing what arrangements needed to be made. There were a few formalities, papers to be signed, calling the funeral home, things like that. Mom somehow handled all of that like a pro. Aidan and I stayed with her, but we sent Asher and Killian back with Laura and Gabe.

We didn't leave the hospital until after three in the morning. I drove Mom back to our old house with Aidan following in his car. We didn't talk much on the ride.

Once we arrived at the house, there wasn't anything to do. Mom told us to go home and get some rest, and even apologized for interrupting our wedding night. We hung around for a few minutes, but, truthfully, I was beyond exhausted, so I finally allowed Aidan to take me home.

We arrived back at the apartment building just after four a.m. Nikki's door flew open as soon as we stepped off the elevator. As soon as she saw our faces, she threw her arms around me in a tight hug.

"I'm sorry, sweetie," she murmured in my ear, "as if you haven't been through enough already, now this. I couldn't sleep. I was so worried. Every time the elevator came up, I was out the door. Caitlin came by. I told her what was going on, and she said she'd be back tomorrow, or well...I guess later this morning. Listen to me babbling on, as if you care about all this right now. You need to rest. Don't even think about coming in to work tomorrow. You take some time off."

She gave me a quick peck on the forehead, and then she was gone, her door shut. I stood for a minute, feeling rather like Dorothy must have felt after the tornado had dropped her off in Oz.

"Caitlin," Aidan said under his breath, a frown pulling down the corners of his mouth.

"What about her?" I asked.

"Never mind," he said and went to our door. As he slipped the key into the lock, the door swung open at his touch. It wasn't even latched.

"Adam must have forgotten to pull it closed," he muttered as we stepped in.

My mind was so numb that it took a minute for it to register that all the wedding decorations were gone and all our furniture had been returned to their original places. The tree had been left up but other than that, you would have never known a wedding had taken place in this same room only hours before.

My mind kept going back to the name Aidan had uttered in the hall, Caitlin.

Aidan came up behind me and began to massage my shoulders. Then he kissed the side of my neck.

"Why don't you go get in bed?" he said softly. "I'm going to get myself a drink, and I'll be right there."

"Why did you say Caitlin's name just now, in the hall?" I asked.

He sighed. "It'll wait till morning."

"No, it won't. I want to know now. Is this something to do with that phone call tonight? I know you and Killian kept digging into things. Laura told me. I thought we were letting the police take over."

He sighed. "We were, but there were just too many loose threads," he said. "And you know how Killian had a hunch that it was someone close. We were worried that by the time the cops figured it out, it might be too late. So we just just asked a few questions..."

"Laura said Killian asked her about calling Robbie."

"Yeah, she was easy. Caitlin was more of a challenge," he went on. "We really had to get creative."

"What do you mean?"

"Like, maybe it was petty, but I couldn't stop thinking about that caption under your photo in the paper. It was such an oddly specific mistake for a reporter to make. So Killian tracked down the reporter and asked her where she got that idea. Turns out, Caitlin was introducing herself as your fiancée all night."

"What? Why would she do that?"

"To make herself seem more important? To get attention? Claiming something she thought was already hers? Who knows? But it did make us wonder what else she was lying about.

"I managed to find her parents' names and her hometown from a friend in the admissions office. I looked them up and called them. It turns out she made everything up. Her mom and dad never divorced, her mom isn't on any medications, and they aren't strict at all. Definitely not Mormon. They had no idea she was pregnant. There's more, but it's late. There's no point going into it now."

"But why—"

"Why would she lie? I've been trying to figure out the same thing."

"Do you think she's the killer?"

"I don't know." He rubbed his face. "It's possible. She had time while you were in the bathroom, she could have killed Joey and then gone to the front yard. Or maybe she's just a pathological liar."

"Should we tell the police what you found?"

"Probably. But that will wait until tomorrow. It's late, and I don't know about you, but I'm beat. It's been a long, emotional day. Let's go to bed and approach all of this in the morning with fresh minds."

There were a million questions flying through my head, but exhaustion won out. I nodded and stumbled off down the hall, my mind reeling.

I pushed open the bedroom door, but something stopped me cold. I didn’t know why, exactly—just that primal feeling of fear, the kind that prickles at the base of your skull and whispers that something isn’t right.

"Who's there?" I called out, my voice tight.

"What?" Aidan answered casually from the kitchen.

I stepped back, one foot retreating into the hallway. That’s when I heard it — soft, sharp, and chilling: "Stop."

The word sliced through the air, low and urgent.

I froze.

"Will?" Aidan called again. "Do you need something?"

"Don't speak," the voice hissed. "Don't move or I’ll kill you right now."

The shadows shifted. A shape emerged — first a gun, then an arm, and finally, a figure stepping fully into the dim light.

Then I saw her face.

"Caitlin," I said quietly, almost mournfully.

She tilted her head, the gun never wavering.

"You don’t seem surprised."

"Somehow, I’m not."

She took a few more steps toward me, and I instinctively backed away, despite her warnings. "You’re not as smart as you think you are," she taunted as she stepped into the hallway.

"I don’t think I’m smart at all," I said. My voice was flat, drained. "I defended you over and over. I wanted to believe in you. Guess you fooled me. You fooled us all."

"Not quite all of us," Aidan said from the other end of the hall, his voice eerily calm.

She whipped around, gun raised.

"I know the truth, Caitlin," he said, taking a step closer.

"What truth?" she barked. "You don’t know shit."

"I talked to your dad tonight," Aidan replied. "He told me everything."

Her eyes narrowed, but the hand holding the gun faltered just slightly.

"Yeah, he called me too," she snapped. "Told me all about your little chat. I guess they sold you some sob story. Well, it's all lies."

"Someone’s lying, that’s for sure. But I don’t think it’s your parents."

"Are you calling me a liar?" her voice rose.

"Well, you are the one standing here in our apartment holding us at gunpoint. You have to admit that hurts your credibility just a smidge. Plus, knowing everything I know now..."

Caitlin's lips curled. "Exactly what is it that you think you know?"

"I know about the hospitals. All the stays. Your dad said they started when you were just a kid. He told me about the dog — how you killed it when you were ten because it chewed your dolls. About the girl you nearly beat to death in high school because you were convinced your boyfriend cheated on you with her. You were locked away for that one for a long time."

"Shut up."

"He said you disappeared the moment you turned eighteen. They were terrified to let you go, but they couldn’t stop you. And then you just vanished. Until you showed up here."

Her hands trembled now, just a little.

I didn’t move. I didn’t speak. I could only watch her unravel, one thread at a time.

"That's... that's not true," Caitlin stammered, her voice trembling.

"Maybe you thought you could start over here," Aidan said. "A clean slate. New town, no past. Then you met Joey."

"Stop..." she warned, but her voice cracked.

"Maybe you liked him. Or maybe you saw an opportunity. But he was too broken to play into whatever fantasy you were spinning."

"No! He... he said... he said..."

"And then the lies started stacking up. One on top of the other. How were you going to explain the baby, Caitlin?"

Her eyes richocheted back and forth between us, panicked and cornered. "It’s Joey’s baby—"

"There is no baby," Aidan said, cutting her off coldly. "Maybe there never was. We talked to your roommate. She told us you're still getting your period. She's seen your menstrual products in the bathroom."

Caitlin’s grip on the gun tightened. Her arm quivered, just slightly. "You don’t know what you’re talking about."

"You used the baby to manipulate Will. You preyed on his grief. You saw someone vulnerable and kind and tried to take advantage of him."

Her expression twisted. "He’s an idiot. And so was Joey. This is all his fault. I was pregnant. He told me to get an abortion, then when I asked for money, he told me to go fuck myself. He called me disgusting."

"So you killed him," Aidan said flatly.

"I..." she hesitated. "No. I mean... I didn’t mean to. We fought. He said awful things. I snapped. Hit him with a rock. He fell in the pool. I didn’t help him. I just...left. I let him drown." Her voice dropped into something close to wonder. "But I’m not sorry. I’m glad he’s dead."

"What about Keiyara? Robbie?" I asked.

"I did what I had to do to protect myself."

"They didn’t even know who you were."

"She saw me with Joey earlier. Maybe she put two and two together. Maybe she hadn’t yet. But she might have."

"She still let you in to her room. That’s not what someone does if they’re scared of you, if they think you're a killer."

"She had to go," Caitlin snapped. "And so did Robbie. Loose ends."

Aidan’s jaw clenched. "Is that what we are? Loose ends? What are you going to do? Kill us too? You think that’ll fix it? I'm not the only one who knows all this. The police will know everything within hours."

"And I'll be long gone by then. Besides, what difference do two more make?" She cackled, a high, unhinged laugh.

"Caitlin, please," I said, stepping forward. My voice cracked. "I don’t understand. I tried to help you. I was your friend—"

"You never gave a damn about me!" she screamed, the gun swinging wildly toward me. "All you cared about was that baby. 'He's all I have left of Joey.' God! I hated you for that. I only stuck around because you all started your little detectives club. I had to make sure you didn't get too close."

"And you got all the inside information," Aidan said, calm but firm, drawing her attention again. "You used us. You played everyone. But it's over now. You’re either going to prison or an institution. You don't have any other moves."

I flicked my eyes toward him. He was still at the end of the hall, framed in the light from the kitchen, his face calm, almost radiant in its stillness. It felt like a final stand.

"Shut the fuck up!" she shrieked.

"Or what?" he said, lifting his chin. "You’ll shoot me?"

The gunshot shattered the air.

I didn’t think — I just launched myself forward, crashing into Caitlin as the echo rang in my ears. We hit the floor hard in the dark bedroom, grappling for control of the weapon in a tangle of limbs and fury.

She fought like someone possessed, wrenching the gun from my hands and slamming it across my cheek. Blood filled my mouth, but I barely registered the pain. I threw a wild punch, then another, and another. Some landed. Some didn’t. I just needed to stop her.

She caught me with a solid blow, and my vision went white-hot. I reeled back, blinking, and found myself cornered against the dresser.

The muzzle of the gun was inches from my face.

"Say hi to Joey for me," she whispered, eyes wild.

My hand scrabbled behind me, desperate. My fingers closed around something—corded, heavy.

I yanked.

The ceramic lamp came down hard, glancing off the side of her head with a solid thud. The gun fired, the shot cracking past my ear and blowing out the mirror behind me.

I didn’t wait. I surged forward, snatching up the lamp like a club, and brought it down on her skull — over and over until she crumpled beneath me.

Panting, bloodied, I scrambled to my feet. I grabbed the gun, hands shaking, and trained it on her unmoving body.

She didn’t flinch. Didn’t twitch.

I backed into the hallway, heart still racing, never taking my eyes off her.

"Aidan?" I called. There was no answer. "Aidan?"

I tore my eyes from Caitlin, heart pounding, and looked down the hallway for Aidan.

His feet were splayed out awkwardly in the middle of the hallway; the rest of him out of sight in the kitchen.

"Aidan!" I screamed, panic flooding my chest. My legs moved before I could think, but I came up short at the door.

"Oh, my God..."

He was on his back, still dressed in the white clothes Adam had given us for our wedding, but now a dark red bloom was spreading across his chest.

I dropped to my knees beside him with a broken cry, pulling his head into my lap. His skin was pale, clammy. I brushed his hair back with shaking fingers.

His eyes fluttered open.

A flicker of hope sparked in my chest. “Oh God, Aidan,” I gasped. “You’re okay. You’re going to be okay. We’re going to be okay, right?"

“I’m sorry...” he whispered, eyes barely staying open. “Tried to keep her talking...”

“There’s nothing to be sorry for,” I choked out. “You were perfect. You were brave. It’s going to be fine, I promise. Just stay with me.”

"...called the police..." he murmured.

“Shh. Don’t talk. Just hold on, okay? You have to hold on. Don’t leave me. Please don’t leave me.”

"...I love you, Will..." His voice was so soft I might have imagined it.

“I love you too, Aidan,” I sobbed. “I love you so much. Please, please don’t go.”

His eyes opened one last time and met mine—really met them—as if he was memorizing the shape of my soul. And then they closed.

I felt the stillness settle into him like a final silence.

I knew he was gone.

"I love you. I love you. I love you," I sobbed, the words spilling out like a broken prayer. I pressed a kiss to his lips and wrapped my arms tighter around him, rocking his body gently in my lap like I could lull him back to life.

I didn’t hear the sirens. I barely registered the pounding on the door. I just kept holding him, crying into his hair, whispering his name like it might tether him to me.

When the police finally burst in, voices shouting and boots thundering down the hall, I didn’t look up. They swarmed past me, filled the room, shouted commands I couldn’t understand.

But they were too late.

Too late for Aidan.

Too late for me.

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