Page 78 of Shadow Justice

“They heard what your grandfather allowed them to hear.”

Hopper still held Blue by the collar near the couch, but his attention was fixed on Allen, grief hollowing him out in real time. “Emma wouldn’t have wanted this.”

“Emma didn’t get to want anything,” Allen snapped. “Dodge took that. The court protected him. The jury excused him. I’m the only one who remembers what justice is supposed to look like.”

Sirens cut through the evening outside, rising fast.

Reid gestured with his chin to his duffel. “Get my cuffs in there.”

Hopper pulled the flex cuffs out and handed them to Reid, still hanging onto the dog. Allen cursed as Reid secured his wrists.

When Reid nodded, Hopper released Blue, who ran straight to Holly. She wrapped one unsteady arm around his neck, and the dog pressed against her so hard she nearly tipped backward.

Reid hauled Allen to his knees and kept him there until heavy footsteps came up the stairs.

Claire entered first, weapon drawn, Emmet behind her. They came with two uniformed officers. Her eyes took in the room in one sweep: Allen cuffed on the floor, Reid controlling him, Hopper beside the breakfast bar now, protecting Allen’s weapon, and Holly injured on the couch. Her gaze stopped on the staged cup and napkin on the table.

“Allen is our killer,” Reid said.

Emmet moved to secure Allen, and Reid released him. Allen looked at Claire with cold contempt as she read him his rights, but when he glanced at Holly, something like wounded disappointment returned.

“You should have understood,” he said to her.

Holly’s hand tightened in Blue’s fur. “I did understand. That’s why this is worse.”

Reid went to her then. He dropped to one knee in front of the couch, careful not to jostle her, and turned her face gently toward the light. The cut at her temple was bleeding less, but swelling had already started, and her pupils made his stomach drop.

“Can you tell me what happened?” he asked.

“Allen came upstairs.” Her words were slow, and she frowned as if each one had to be pulled from somewhere far away. “Blue scratched. The cup and napkin.” Her mouth worked, but nothing came out. She squeezed her eyes shut. “I think he hit me.”

“He did. Probably with his gun. Open your eyes and look at me, okay?”

She did so slowly.

“Concussion?” Claire asked.

“Yes,” Reid said. “Pupils are uneven. She lost consciousness.”

“I’m okay,” Holly said.

“No, you’re not,” Reid and Claire said at the same time.

Holly blinked at both of them, then winced as the movement clearly hurt.

Paramedics arrived behind the officers, and Reid gave them the basic information of what had happened to her.

Holly’s eyes kept slipping shut. “Where’s Blue?” she asked.

“Right here,” Reid said.

Blue nudged her hand, and she gave a weak smile that tore straight through Reid.

“I need to—” Her voice faded, and her body went slack against the cushion.

“Holly.” Reid caught her shoulders. “Holly.”

The paramedics moved fast, one checking her pulse, while her partner went to retrieve a stretcher.