Do you think that leaving town was the right way for Erik Falk to deal with the situation he and Aaron were facing? How did his father's doubts about him affect Aaron?

Do you think that leaving town was the right way for Erik Falk to deal with the situation he and Aaron were facing? How did his father's doubts about him affect Aaron?

I do not feel they should have left Kiewarra. They should have stayed and solved the problems. But when you have someone like Ellie's father who would not have accepted the truth and was always confrontational, that was the easiest solution.

Agree that they should not have left town. Those problems will still remain if they are not confronted. I believe Aaron's father's doubts was a heavy weight for Aaron. I believe that is the real reason why he decided to leave Kiewarra...although Ellie's father was a real "scum bug" and did not shoulder any of the blame re. what happened to his daughter.

It's hard to say. The town residents made life an absolute misery for Aaron and his father and, despite his father's misgivings about Aaron's role in Ellie's death, a parent usually only wants to protect their child. It strikes me that Aaron's father was struggling in his role as the surviving parent and probably did what he thought made sense. In the end, it's just another example of how secrets send us on a path that may not be the right one.

Perhaps if they had not left, Aaron would not be alive to return and do the good that he did. It sounds good to say they should have stayed and stood their ground, but the town wanted a scapegoat - which even in Aaron's absence they still held on to - and if the two had remained Aaron would not have become the man he eventually became - one who was eventually capable of staying, who persevered and refused to back down. His father's doubts had to be difficult for him to handle, but perhaps they were the motivator for his growth and success.

I agree with susiej. He would not have become a policeman, certainly. Our pleasure in reading this mystery could not have happened either, if he had stayed.

Leaving was probably the best choice at the time. Ellie's father was very powerful in that small town and would have made their lives unbearable. Aaron's father knew his alibi was a lie and could not forgive or forget that fact.

I think they should have stayed and resolved the problems. It caused life long problems for both men.

Of course had Aaron and his dad stayed the story would have been different. Had Luke's father not accused him of lying along with Luke Aaron would probably not have returned to town. One thing always leads to another.

I don't think they had a real choice, Ellie's father was violent, possibly unhinged and also powerful as no one was willing to stand up to him. There was no guarantee "Justice" would have been served, and a pretty good chance that vigilante justice would have been served up in some brutal fashion. Sometimes you have to know when it's time to go, move on and leave a bad situation. It does seem harsh that his father doubted him but it was understandable that he had to ask, all evidence pointed to Aaron and as much as a parent thinks they know their child, they can be wrong. His father should have handled it better - and should not have shut his son out like he did. Sad.

Given how eager the town was for a scapegoat, chances are the harassment of Falk and his father would not have ended- -and quite possibly it could have escalated into physical harm. The family would not have been able to depend on the town for support (maybe counting on credit at the local shops during tough financial times or physical help on the farm). The town was already very isolated, and the isolation the family was feeling due to the treatment they were receiving only made things worse.

These are all very good reasons to pack up and leave, but the fact that Falk's father asked him if he killed Ellie on the way out of town may have led Falk to believe they were really leaving because his father thought he may be guilty. This made their leaving more about "running from" than "running to". And it kept Falk from his childhood friendships and hometown until he had no choice but to go. (Although, I think by Luke offering an alibi so readily, maybe Falk felt like his best friend did not believe him either.) As a result, of his father (and best friend) seemingly doubting his character, Falk avoided close relationships with others. He could not risk making himself vulnerable. It had cost him enough once in his life.

It is possible that at the time leaving was the only option. I just don't feel it should have happened the way it did with they basically being run out of town. We get the scene in a flashback of how Mal followed them not just out of town, but for miles. I think that damaged something in the relationship between Aaron and his father, in that maybe Aaron lost what little respect he had for his father in that moment. And I don't know the truth would have come out any sooner because Luke was so intent on protecting his "alibi" for when Ellie died.

I don't think they should have left town, but with the town being so small, it was easier to leave and leave the past behind them than live with people talking about them behind their backs for the rest of their lives and thinking one of them was responsible for Ellie's death.