Gabe was in shock. Ezra knew there wasn't a lot he could do until the wave of it passed. "I killed him. Oh my god. Oh my god." He repeated over and over again.
"Yes. And if you wouldn't have, I would have." Ezra finally said.
Gabe stopped sobbing and looked at Ezra.
"That's what I went there for. I was both surprised and disappointed you beat me to it." Ezra looked directly into Gabe's eyes. "How did you manage to find him and get there before I did?" Ezra asked. The conversation was bringing Gabe back to reality.
"A buddy of mine. A musician from out of town. That fucking monster hired him as an alibi. He knew the story because Sean told him about the ass beating he took at the bar in town. It's the bar I hang out at. So he called me to see if I knew anything about it." Gabe explained, still shivering. "He told me the motel he was going to be staying at. I headed there as soon as I found out to wait for him."
"Clever." Ezra said.
"I'm going to go to prison. I can't believe I did that. But she's safe now. I just… I just kept seeing my mom. 8 year old me, standing behind the closet door, watching my mom be pummeled by my father. That's all I saw, every time I… hit him…." Gabe stammered. Ezra put his hand on Gabe's shoulder.
"You're not going to prison. I have people taking care of it as we speak. It will look like an accident. We must go on, we must live our lives now. She's safe now. And any other woman that would have come in contact with him in the future is safe now, too. You aren't the bad guy here." Ezra made sure Gabe knew that he could relax now.
"It's over. And Andrew is going to take you home after he drops me at the house. This never happened. We can trust each other. We both love her." Ezra said. Gabe looked up at him. He did love her and he wasn't sure if Ezra saying it was a good thing or not, by the way it made him feel.
"Thank you, Ezra." Gabe said.
"Go home. Get some rest. Tomorrow is a new day. I'm going to go out of town for a few days. I have a guy, in LA. A record exec that owes me a major favor. Well, owed my father. I'll have Andrew give you his information. Tell him you are a close friend of mine. Take your band with you. Get yourself out of town for a few days." Ezra said, smiling.
"Wait, what? Really?" Gabe said.
"Yes." Ezra said. The car pulled into the long drive of Ezra's home. Ezra got out and looked back in. "Gabe. It's ok. Thank you. Thank you for what you did." Ezra said, reaching out to shake his hand.
Gabe looked at him and at his hand. He reached out with his own hand, still covered in blood and shook it.
They both nodded. "Wait." Gabe said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the signed divorce papers.
"Give this to her." Gabe said. Ezra took them and looked them over. "How?" He asked, in shock.
"He gave them to me before…" Gabe began to explain.
"Thank you." Ezra said. He closed the door and watched as Andrew drove down the drive until he was out of sight and headed back to Carefree.
He sighed and reached into his pocket and felt the ornate ring box still residing there. He smiled. "It's all falling into place." He said, walking inside and heading up to where Billie lay sleeping.
*********************
Paul watched as the car burst into flames after it rolled down the side of the steep embankment. There was enough alcohol both in Sean's system and poured out into the car to give the clear impression of an intoxicated driver unable to navigate the treacherous curves. It was all handled well. The evidence of his drinking in his hotel room. His diabolical plan to end Billie's life outlined in a suicide letter left behind, with him knowing it was wrong, thus wanting to end his own life instead. He would die a martyr, not a monster. And the world would continue on without much of a second thought.
"It's done. Clean as whistle." Paul said to Ezra on his cell as he looked back at the car one last time before driving off into the sunrise.