Ch. 22

Dear Elisabeth,

I know that nothing in the letter cannot fix everything. But I know what I can explain on my part, and I hope that can clear up any miscommunication.

I did what I thought best for Carter. I consider him family and I was afraid he might get hurt. Obviously I didn't know all the facts but I acted to help my friend. I don't regret that I did what I thought was right at the time.

However, you mentioned that I 'ruined Ryan Hether's life'. This I have to try to clear up.

I don't know what he told you, but I will be completely honest with what happened:

I've known Ryan since we were young. We grew up as friends and our families were friends. However, around Freshman year he grew distant because of all his sports and we didn't see much of each other. He made a new group of friends and I had mine. I lost respect for him once I saw the way he bullied others and played countless girls. We hardly ever talked, but I began to suspect he was involved in something he shouldn't have been once he started acting even stranger. He became distant, defensive and even aggressive and got into first fights frequently, which was unlike him. I was worried for someone I used to be so close to, and in my sophomore year I was shocked to discover he had been taking steroids as an advantage to his sports. This, of course, isn't allowed and could get him kicked off all his sports teams. By now junior year had started and he suspected I had figured him out. So he used the dirtiest tactic he knew, and charmed my younger sister Georgina, who was 15 at the time. He was 17 and charismatic, and he knew that it would a) irk me and b) he could use the advantage of Georgia falling in love with him so she would defend him or even help him get away with it from my father (who worked with narcotics officers at the time). I found out about him using Georgia too late: he had already taken advantage of her in the worst ways. He was doing things to my sister just so he could get what HE wanted, and that is unacceptable.

I was outraged that he was so blatantly using my little sister. I had wanted to privately confront him but he had made it personal. I went to the authorities, the coach, and the principal and showed them everything I knew about his steroid use. His plan to woo my sister for defense backfired and made him look even worse.

They kicked him off all sports programs he was involced in and he was expelled him from the school.

Once he was done for he dropped my sister as fast as he could. And he didn't let her down easy either.

Please, Elisabeth, I know I can't make you do anything but believe me when I tell you that he is not to be trusted and he isn't afraid to toy with affection in order to get what he wants.

He and his family left town and we never heard from him or knew where he went. Obviously we now know he ended up in Clarkson, but I had no idea at the time. Before he left, Ryan threatened me for ruining his sports career and future. I was just glad he wouldn't be around to harm anybody else. I didn't ruin Ryan's life or career, he did that to himself.

My father was offered the position of chief-of-police in Clarkson the following year and my family moved here just before my Senior year. The rest is history, I guess.

I hope this I formation sheds some light on the situation. I am not writing this to change your mind about me, but I feel you are entitled to Ryan's true character. Whether you choose to believe it is entirely up to you. However, I request you be discreet about the way he used my sister since she is still sensitive and even embarrassed about it, (even though it wasn't her fault) and wouldn't want everyone to know. Thank you for your time.

Happy New Year,

Will Cardston.