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Back The Third Brother Save as PDF
Chapters (116)
  1. Cover
  2. Also by the Author
  3. The Third Brother
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. PART I
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. PART II
  67. 60
  68. 61
  69. 62
  70. 63
  71. 64
  72. 65
  73. 66
  74. 67
  75. 68
  76. 69
  77. 70
  78. 71
  79. 72
  80. 73
  81. 74
  82. 75
  83. 76
  84. 77
  85. 78
  86. 79
  87. 80
  88. 81
  89. 82
  90. 83
  91. 84
  92. 85
  93. 86
  94. 87
  95. 88
  96. PART III
  97. 89
  98. 90
  99. 91
  100. 92
  101. 93
  102. 94
  103. 95
  104. 96
  105. 97
  106. 98
  107. 99
  108. 100
  109. 101
  110. 102
  111. 103
  112. 104
  113. 105
  114. 106
  115. 107
  116. 108

“He didn’t give me the flask,” Lyle says. “I just took it.”

“Probably better for him anyway,” Mike says.

“I might be crazy, and I’m sorry, but I have to tell you some things.”

“Look, Lyle, give the third brother a rest, OK, I don’t . . .”

“It’s not him.”

“That’s right, because he doesn’t exist,” says Mike.

“I saw what happened, what really happened, before the fire.”

“You were asleep,” Mike says, hoping he’s right. “You’re lucky you made it out.”

“I set the fire.”

“You don’t have to do this, Lyle. Whatever happened, we know it wasn’t you, and even if it was you, it wasn’t you.”

“There was a reason, Mike.”

“There’s no reason for this.”

“I was covering for them. I had to. I didn’t want you to know. You’re my little brother. I’m supposed to take care of you.”

“Yeah, well, take a look around.” Mike immediately regrets saying this.

“I have to tell you.”

“Tell me what?”

“That there was a reason, there was a reason.” Lyle is shouting now.

“What reason?” Mike yells back, cutting his words short. “For what?”

“She lost it, Mike, she finally lost it and she killed him.”

“What are you saying?”

“And then she killed herself.”

“Fuck this.”

“So I covered it up.”

“Do you want to be locked up again?” Mike can barely look at his older brother.

“I was protecting you.”

“I don’t believe you,” Mike says. “I just don’t believe you. Pull your shit together. I’ll be right back. I’m going to get a bottle of water.”

88

The house, silent and treacherous, fills Lyle’s thoughts.

He was watching from the staircase. His father walked through the front door, after fumbling with the lock. It was late. His mother sat in blue light in his father’s easy chair, before the blinking late-night news. The rifle lay across her lap for defense against intruders.

“You never wait up,” he said.

“I always wait up.”

“What’s wrong?” He stood in the doorway for a long time, looking at her. She stared at the muted images flashing on the television. He swayed and she stared.

“What’s wrong?” he said again.

“I’m afraid,” she said, and then she began to cry, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

“Don’t be,” he said. “It’s not you.”

“You’re drunk,” she said.

“I know.”

“You’re a drunk.”

She turned up the volume on the TV.

“Turn it back down,” he said.

“No,” she said. “You’re like this all the time.” She was working herself up.

“Let me get you something to help you sleep,” he said.

“Do you think,” she said, too softly, clutching the rifle across her lap, “that it is a good way to live, with pills to make you sleep?”

“We just have to keep going,” he said.