It’s something I will never ignore again.
The FBI arrived to try to take Jack into custody shortly after he was cleared from the hospital, but Leopold held them off just long enough for me to have this face-to-face. Luckily, the bullet I took back on the boat went clear through the meat on my arm, leaving me with some pain and only needing a handful of stitches front and back.
Anastasia’s was a bit more extensive, but she was cleared just a few hours ago.
This is the final loose end in need of tying.
And I’m beyond happy to do it.
“You should have let me drown,” Jack says as he glares at me.
“That would have made me no better than you.”
“You think you won.”
“Given that you’re in shackles, I would say yes. You should know, your buddy Ryan sang like a canary once he knew you were in custody. Seems he wants to cut a deal by offering up information on those twelve murdered women. You know, from that serial killer case you were assigned to. Guess blood really isn’t thicker than water. Or the desire not to get the death penalty for someone else.”
As it turns out, Ryan is Jack’s half-brother. In exchange for his help from time to time, Jack provided Ryan with drugs and freedom to do whatever he wanted to do without risk of prosecution.
Jack’s expression darkens. “They have no proof. I’ll be out on good behavior. The stressors of the job got to me, and I snapped when my girlfriend chose another man.”
I lean in closer. “Except, Ryan has already told the police where to find all the evidence they need to put you away for Violet’s murder, too. And, you should know, Jack, that if you do manage to get away, I will be waiting right here to take you out the moment you set foot in Stormwatch Landing.”
“Do you think I fear you?” he scoffs. “You’re nothing but a has-been who didn’t have the courage to kill me when he should have.”
He’s taunting me, and I know that. But it’s still hard not to take the bait. Still, instead of doing what I want and repeatedly slamming my fist into his face, I force a smile. “Do yourself a favor, and don’t let it slip you were a cop. I hear prisoners don’t take too kindly to dirty cops.” Pushing to my feet, I head for the door.
“I’m going to come back for her! Do you hear me! You’d better kill me now!”
I turn toward him. “And rob you of what comes next? Not a chance. Why do you think Weston chose to stay away? We’re all going to enjoy the thought of you rotting away behind bars.” I close the door behind me just as Leopold and three suits approach.
“Sawyer Maddox?” A man in a black suit offers me his hand, so I take it. “I’m Agent Nate Harper.”
“You going to make sure he doesn’t ever breathe air as a free man again?”
“Jack Weathers will not be a problem for you ever again. The information Ryan gave us led a team to a storage facility where he kept enough evidence to lock him away, not just for the murder of Violet Hayes but the deaths of those twelve women as well.”
As horrific as it is, I’m glad the truth came out.
Now Anastasia, Weston, and twelve families can find closure.
Finally.
“I would like to apologize on behalf of the bureau. We should have picked up on it sooner, and we didn’t.”
“He’s good at playing a part,” I comment as I glance back at the door. “Or, at least, he was. Thanks again, Agent Harper.” I shake his hand.
“Thank you. And hey, if you ever want to think about a job with the FBI, we’d be lucky to have you. That water rescue—I hear it was one for the history books.”
“You would be lucky to have me,” I reply with a grin. “But I already have my team. See you later, Leopold.” With a final nod at the FBI agents, I head back down the hall and out of the precinct.
The drive to Linda’s doesn’t take long, but every minute I’m away from Anastasia feels like a lifetime. I pull up in front, happy to see that Garrison, Weston, and Ryker are all here, too. Since Zane and Tessa moved into the other side of her duplex, his truck is parked just beside Anastasia’s car.
I climb out and make the short walk up the steps. The door is unlocked, just as I knew it would be, and I move inside to complete and total family chaos.
It makes me smile.
Weston and Ryker are in the kitchen while Linda is seated at the table, clearly wishing she was in there, too. Zane is in front of the sink, washing dishes, while Tessa, Katelyn, and Thomas all work on setting the table.
