Free Those of the Margin: a Paranormal Suspense Thriller (Derek Cole Suspense Thriller Book 2) by T Patrick Phelps Page A

seems to be quite fond of you, but he did confirm that you purchase a bottle of Jack Daniel's every Thursday."
    "And did he tell you why I buy a bottle of Jack every Thursday?" Maggie asked, her eyes softer than the tone of voice she used.  
    "He did not."
    "Of course he didn't because he doesn't know. No one knows."
    "I think it's important for me to know if you do have a drinking problem," Derek said.
    "When I was 17, my oldest brother, Allen, killed himself. He was 22 years old. My parents tried to hide it, but I knew that he had a serious drinking problem. He'd come home almost every night, banging into things, stumbling up the stairs. He'd puke most nights, right on himself or, if Mom was lucky, onto his bedroom floor. Then he'd pass out and sleep until noon the next day.
    "I remember hearing Allen and my parents talking in the kitchen. They'd say how concerned and worried they were about him, and he'd tell them there was nothing to worry about and that he had his drinking under control. But, every day, after he got himself cleaned up, he'd head out to one of his friends' apartments, and every day, my brother and his friends would drink.
    "Shortly after Allen turned 22, my parents persuaded Allen to check himself into a rehab facility. He stayed there for two or three months. My parents let me visit him one time while he was there. He seemed wonderful. He apologized to me for not being a good brother, promised that he would stop drinking, and told me that he even had a job lined up for him when he got out. But the day he got out of rehab was the last day I ever saw him alive. My parents drove him home, and within an hour he told them that he had to run out and buy some interview clothes. He ended up back at his friend's house. Must have really felt the need to make up for lost time. When the paramedics found him passed out in the park, he was probably already dead. Blood alcohol was well over 2.0, and he had asphyxiated on his own vomit.
    "I never got to talk to him again. He was pronounced dead an hour after the ambulance brought him to the hospital. He died on a Thursday, Derek. And his friend told the police that he had drunk two, maybe three full bottles of Jack Daniels that day. I know it's stupid, but every Thursday since Robby was born, I've purchased a bottle of Jack Daniels and then poured it out onto the ground. I figure that if I make sure that there's at least one less bottle of Jack in the world, that maybe I can save someone else's brother, son, or husband. Derek, I don't have a drinking problem. I have a dead brother problem."
    Derek sat in silence, unsure of what to say. After several seconds of quiet, Maggie stood and walked closer to Derek. She sat in the chair next to Derek and placed her hands over his.
    "Derek," she said, "I'm not hiding anything from you about Robby and this whole thing he is going through. I promise you. Whatever you heard or whatever else you feel you need to ask me but aren't sure how to ask, just say it."
    To Derek, it seemed that Maggie wanted him to ask about her husband. As if she had her own unique and possibly shared set of suspicions but was too nervous to discuss them with anyone.
    "Where's your husband?" he asked.
    Maggie smiled, pulled her hands back and placed them on her lap. "He left last night. He had some business to take care of up in Portland. He should be back tomorrow to meet with you. Tomorrow is when the two days you gave us runs out, right?"
    "It may take me a little longer than two days."
    "I was hoping you'd say that."
    "I'll get back to Melissa Humphrey in a few minutes," Derek continued without pause, "but I want to go over my chat with Ron White."
    "My husband insisted that you speak with him," Maggie said. "He is such a nice person. I can't imagine him doing anything to harm Robby."
    "Why does your husband feel that Ron may have some involvement with your son's challenge?"
    "I don't know for sure. Maybe he's jealous that Robby talks about Ron a lot.