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“Reports?” I parrot.
Bancroft turns to me. “Oh, yeah. Her brother was abusing young girls. Several of them came out after his death.”
Sawyer visibly pales, and she’s struggling to control her facial expressions.
“All right, let’s not gossip,” Jones cuts in, shooting his partner a look.
Bancroft faces Sawyer again and rests a hand on her arm in a comforting gesture.
“Let me know if you need help with anything. I’m sure you’re in good hands with Mr. Vitale, but I’ll be a phone call away if you need me.”
Sawyer smiles tightly, and thanks the officers. I watch them leave, then face Troy and Sawyer again. Troy is staring at the latter, who currently looks a little sick.
Troy is the only person that will ever know the truth. He knows I’d wrap him in chum and throw him in the water with a shark if he ever told a soul, and considering I murdered Sylvester, he has no reason not to believe me.
“You okay?” he asks, his brows lowered with concern.
She nods her head rapidly as if she’s trying to convince herself.
“Yeah,” she croaks. Then she starts shaking her head. “No, actually. Not really.”
I brush past Troy, grab her arm, and pull her into me. She’s trembling like a leaf.
“Did you know he was abusing other girls?” I ask, dropping my chin to catch her eye. She tucks her head lower, avoiding me.
Pinching her chin between my fingers, I force her gaze to mine.
“No,” she whispers, glancing away, her cheeks coloring red.
“Regardless, you did the world a fucking favor,” Troy mutters. “Honestly, you shouldn’t beat yourself up over it when you saved them from further abuse.”
Sawyer nods, but again, it looks like she’s trying to convince herself.
“Yeah, it just makes me feel stupid for not seeing that.”
Troy shrugs. “How could you have?”
She frowns. “Did I even need to kill who I used to be?”
“Australia would’ve turned you over to the U.S. If they did, you would’ve had to go to trial and relive everything, and there’s a high probability that you would’ve been found guilty, despite his abuse,” I say. “There is scarcely justice served for abused victims in America. It’s better that it’s all dead and buried.”
“You’re right about that,” she sighs.
The shark splashes in the water, drawing my attention away.
“I’m going to finish up work here. And then we’ll go get your name changed. I already know what I want it to be.”
Her blue eyes slide to mine, bewildered.
“You know whatyouwant it to be?” she asks sassily.
I grin, and Troy gasps dramatically.
“Yo, did he just smile?”
Ignoring him, I declare, “I’m choosing your last name,bella.”
Chapter 39
