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She gives a single nod, silently accepting my explanation, just as I knew she would. Rella’s been through enough to have her own anger toward people like Gary.
The stiff mood in the room lightens fractionally with her acceptance. Trouble still looks worried as he watches Rella, but his shoulders relax some.
“And this Sierra,” she says. “You said she was psychotic.”
Judge’s entire body stiffens. “Yes,” he grunts. “She held Ellie and Maisy hostage. She shot at Maisy, but Emo jumped in the way and took the bullet for her.”
Rella sucks in a sharp breath, her gaze flying to me. Her eyes slide all over me, as if she’s looking for any wounds. After a moment, she says with acrimony in her voice, “She’s dead too, right?”
I give a clipped nod.
Sierra was a crazed nineteen-year-old who was also abused by Gary since she was a little girl. We had no clue that had happened until the day she completely lost it and held Ellie and Maisy hostage. She’d formed a sick attachment to him and was angry when he was put down. In retaliation, she attempted to take it out on Judge by taking away his child and Ellie. She also killed Earl, an elderly man who just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, and put rattlers in Trouble’s truck because it was his report that proved Gary was abusing his children.
“Good,” Rella says heatedly.
Everyone but me seems stunned by her passionate response. Rella’s seen too much, been through too much to have any compassion for anyone who harms a child. She’s like me in a lot of ways. She’s like all of us.
“So, now the question is, did Sierra tell anyone else and did she give them a name?” Judge states, bringing the conversation back on point.
“Has anyone asked her parents?” Trouble asks.
“No, and there’s really no point. Eddie and Charlotte would have already told us.”
“I don’t understand,” Rella says, tilting her head inquisitively. “Why are you all concerned over this?”
“We’re not concerned. Just curious and trying to piece together everything that happened that night. It’s one of the only answers left that we don’t have,” Judge answers.
JW’s and Trouble’s eyes move to me. If it wasn’t for me, there’s a possibility they could finally solve that puzzle. Right before I pulled the trigger and shot Sierra through the base of her spine, she spouted that she knew the identity of the shooter. She claimed Gary talked about it once. Before she died, Gary’s wife, Eloise, who was an original member of Sweet Haven and was there that night, told Gary she saw who killed those people. No one knows if what Sierra said was true, but there would be no reason she would come up with that kind of lie. Either way, it was her last-ditch effort to save herself. There wasn’t a chance in hell I was letting that bitch catch even a slight reprieve after what she did.
Those shootings have been a mystery to everyone. The police never discovered who it was and accounted it to one of the adults who got away.
It’s time everyone knew the truth.
“I did it.”
In stunned silence, all eyes turn to me. If I was a man who felt humor, I’d laugh at the expressions on everyone’s faces. But I’m not, so I just look at each of them.
“How in the hell is that possible?” Trouble demands. “You were only twelve, and small at that. How did you manage to overpower the men?”
“When you want something bad enough, you find the strength. Not to mention, most didn’t see me coming before it was too late.”
Judge crosses the room and stops in front of me, “How in the fuck did you find time? They hit Sweet Haven fast and out of the blue.”
I cross an ankle over my knee, shielding my hand pressing the key in my pocket into my thigh. Every time I think of that night, regret hits me. Not because of what I did, but because I didn’t take out more of them.
“My father and I were at the lodge. I was able to get away from him faster than I thought. I had a bag stashed outside with the few things I needed. On my way home to grab something, I made a few pit stops. The Moores were the first.”
“You planned this?” JW asks with a hint of shock.
“Yes.”
“Jesus Christ, Emo. Why didn’t you tell us?”
I glance at Trouble. “Because I didn’t want any of you involved. I didn’t want your hands dirty in case I was caught.”
“Fuck,” Judge mumbles and stalks over to the window, turning his back to the room.
“Why are you just now telling us?”
