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She wouldn't be so proud of him now.
"We're taking Wilson in ourselves. That’s what we are all going to do. We’re going to give him right over to McKellen. Or that boyfriend of yours. Tell him what happened tonight. What they planned for you girls.” And, well, McKellen and Foster and Rodriguez were some of the only ones he trusted to see this through. "It's time it all ends, girls. Gets better. After all the hell you've been through. Well, I'm going to end it now. Because it never should have happened to you in the first place. I regret my part in what happened so damned much. You make sure Lake's wife, and MacNamara's lady, and that Fields's devil daughter know that the darkness ends when the light comes, too. And Heather. You girls make sure she knows...it'll get better for her, too. Once the hurt stops. Things do eventually get better, girls, remember that. The darkness eventually ends. I used to think about that. With Maribeth."
"Who is Maribeth?" little Hope asked. She was calming down a bit. That was good. The way she had been breathing heavy like that, he'd almost thought the little thing's heart was going to beat right out of her chest. She was afraid and in pain, but she was staying calm.
Sol would take her to the hospital. Let her and the girls out there at the hospital where Hope could get the help she needed, be with her family and all. Then take Wilson to the TSP.
"She was my daughter. And she was good. Kind-hearted. She died a few months ago. She was eighteen."
"I'm sorry. I know that has to hurt. It does. When you lose someone you love," Hope said quietly. Of course. She knew that pain, too. Poor kid. She'd deserved so much better from life. She’d had a lot of damned loss in her life for one so young.
Little Madison was leaning over her, pressing her hands over the wound. "I don't think it hit anything vital, Hope. Just stay calm and try not to move too much."
"I'm trying. But my heart is really pounding right now."
“I know. I can feel it. We just need to calm down, that’s all.”
Hallie was passing Madison supplies, doing her best to help.
That had Sol breathing a little easier. She’d be okay. He hadn’t hurt her too bad. She’d be okay.
"Is your mama at the hospital tonight, peanut?" Sol asked.
"No. It's my mom’s day off. But Cashie is there. Cashie is working tonight."
"That the little thing who drove you to work the other day. In pink?"
"Yes. She is there. She's my niece. And my best friend. Her and Cara. We are all the same age. The three of us do almost everything together and always have." And she wanted to be with her family. No missing that.
Poor kid. Well, Sol would just get her there.
"We'll get you there, then. Get you taken care of. I'm sorry, peanut. I never meant for you girls to be hurt tonight."
"Did you know this was going to happen tonight?" Madison asked him, frankly. “That they would attack us.”
"No. I didn’t. Not until you two had already left. They were after one of you teams—decided to go after you two since you were easiest to get to. I think Naylor just got in their way. I just...couldn't let the hurt go on for any of you any longer."
“Thank you for that.” Madison told him, so quietly. “For stopping him when you did.”
But what Sol had done wasn’t enough. It never could be. It never could be.
85
Haldyn fought against the panic with everything she had. She could see the blood continuing to well on Hope’s white bra, where the polo was ripped out of the way, in spite of the bandages Madison was trying to tape in place. They had to get Hope to the hospital. They were six minutes away at most. They just had to hold on six more minutes.
Steve Wilson was in front of her. Kimball had instructed Haldyn to get in the passenger seat. To open the metal sliding door that separated the cab from the mobile forensics supplies. She was supposed to watch Wilson. Make sure he didn't move. Or get near Hope or Madison.
Kimball kept the gun in one hand while he drove.
She wasn't stupid—Wilson wasn't hurt that badly. He was just waiting for the right moment to do something.
They had the lower light on in the rear of the van. It was just enough to see everyone. To meet Madison's eyes. Madison was ready. She knew how precarious their situation was.
Haldyn jerked her head, just a little bit. Toward the rear door. Madison nodded. She knew what Haldyn meant. There was one stop on Boethe Highway in this part of the county, where it crossed with Old Garrity Road.
They were almost there.
Madison helped Hope move against the back cabinet. Hope was weak, listless. She was losing blood, but not as fast as Haldyn thought she could. It might not be that significant of an injury. Especially if they made it to the hospital soon.
