Sheriff Ratcliff took a deep breath, his gun never wavering. “I can’t let you kill them, Ce. I’m a fucking law official!”
“So is Jay. You even got the Sikeston sheriff to let him handle any calls about the club!”
“I only deputized your husband because I thought it would keep you in line. But he’s killed two girls!”
“You know they had to die. They were poking their noses into places they shouldn’t have been.”
Sheriff Ratcliff shook his head. “It’s over, Ce. God knows, I’ll never be able to erase my sin with you, but I can’t let you kill more innocent people.”
“If you let them walk, your career is over,” she told him. “Don’t let them do that to you. I’m the only one who cares about you, Earl. No one will ever love you like I love you.”
The quiet statement had him hesitating. And in that moment, Charlotte saw Jay’s hand grip his pistol tighter. Without thought, without any hesitation, she pushed herself up, jumping toward the sheriff and knocking him off balance. As they fell back, the report of a gun echoed around them, and a second later, the crack of another shot was heard. Charlotte heard a scream behind her. She heard the fall of a body, and she turned to see Jay Darling lying on the ground, moaning. Cecelia Duwhite stood frozen as she looked at him.
Charlotte looked around for the shooter and saw Nash’s gun smoking. He was running toward her, a line of FBI behind him. Without thinking, she pushed herself up and met him halfway. He caught her in a fierce hug, as the Feds fanned out to make their arrests.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Once again Charlotte was in the back of an ambulance with a rough woolen blanket draped over her shoulders, except this time Melody huddled next to her, their arms around each other. Jonas stood watch over them, silent as he surveyed the scene.
Makeup streaked down Melody’s face in a cartoonish version of the Joker. Although she had stopped shivering, the tears still leaked from the corners of her eyes. Charlotte was a little worried about her.
“You were right,” Melody whispered.
“About what?”
“Hunting killers is dangerous.”
Charlotte took a deep breath and hugged Melody closer. “Sh. It’s over now. We won. The bad guys are arrested.”
“It’s all so complicated, isn’t it?” Melody asked.
“Murder is always complicated,” Nash stated as he walked up to them. “How are you two holding up?”
Even though he had asked both of them, he was staring directly at Charlotte. She smiled wanly at him. “How did you know where to find us?”
“Sheriff Ratcliff told us we may want to check the GPS on Kendra’s phone.”
Oh, wow. She was very glad she’d picked up the thing.
“Any update when we can leave?” Melody asked.
They had given about a hundred statements and were told to stay put, but evening was falling, and Charlotte’s stomach began to growl a little.
“Soon,” he reported. “Deputy Darling is still on the OR table. My bullet hit him high in the shoulder, so he should be fine, the fucker.”
“It was a clean shooting,” Charlotte argued. “You saved our lives!”
“I know. But you know how these things are. A formal investigation always follows.”
Charlotte saw Jonas and Danny McCoin walking toward them. The younger man’s face held an ashen sheen that only emphasized the horror and disgust in his eyes. His gaze looked between her and Melody.
“How are you two doing?”
“We’re alive,” Charlotte murmured.
“They’re saying that…this had to do with me.”
“Yes.”
“Tell me.”
“I don’t think—” Jonas began.
“Please,” Danny interrupted, pleading. “I need to know all of it.”
“Janie Gable accidentally died,” Nash replied. “But your mother decided to conceal it by burying her body. Candace went looking for her, as you know.”
Danny nodded, his eyes turning wet even as he struggled to contain his emotions.
“When Candace went missing, your uncle decided to send in a plant,” Charlotte replied softly.
“Someone already associated with the inner workings of the Here After club,” Nash told him.
“Kendra,” Jonas clarified.
“And…the rest? The rest of what they’re saying?”
“In Candace’s meticulous research, somehow, she discovered something about your… parentage,” Charlotte continued.
“Don’t,” he whispered. “I changed my mind.”
“Danny, you can’t hide from this.”
Tears began to spill from his eyes. Charlotte felt her heart breaking for him. “Earl Ratcliff is your father.”
He flinched as if he’d been struck. “That can’t be true. I mean, he raised me, but only because Cecelia is the worst fucking mother on the planet. But…but he…no, it can’t be true!”
“It was the secret that Candace lost her life over,” she told him.
“When Kendra came around asking about Candace, well, Cecelia couldn’t take the chance of the answers coming to light,” Nash added.
Danny didn’t say anything. He bent over and cupped his face.
“Danny, listen to me,” Jonas said. “Your uncle is being forced to resign. He put the life of a civilian in danger, and she died because of it. There’s going to be repercussions from that.”
“He’s a fucking liar!” Danny mumbled.
“You’re going to have to hold it together,” Jonas told him. “There’ll be a special election, but until that time, you’re the sheriff of Rock Ridge. You’re the only law enforcement left.”
Danny abruptly stood, backing away from them. “I have to go. I have to…”
And just like that he turned and walked away.
“Poor kid,” Charlotte murmured. “This is really messed up.”
Silence fell between them, heavy and unnatural. The tension was so palatable that Charlotte could taste it in the back of her throat.
Melody stood and looked down at her. “I’m going to see when we can leave.”
Charlotte nodded and watched her walk away, half wondering what Melody was going to say about her at the next parascience meeting in Biloxi. But the thought slid away as Jonas took her hand in his, linking their fingers. He brought her hand up and kissed the back, his lips warm and soft against her skin. She felt those tingles all the way down to her toes.
“I talked with Nash,” he murmured.
Her eyes widened and she shot a look at Nash. He gazed at her unblinkingly. It made her heart pound.
“We need to sit down,” Jonas stated. “You and me. And him. To try to figure out how this is going to work.”
She turned back to face him. “Are you crazy? Do you know what you’re saying?”
“Charlotte—”
But she pulled her hand from his and stood. She turned to look at both men. “Again, I ask, are you crazy? That’s not a normal relationship.”
“We’re not exactly normal people, are we? Listen, do I make you happy?”
“Yes.”
“And Nash?”
Her gaze shot back over to Nash. He stared at her, his blue eyes burning like blue fire. She could see the question shining in them, but she wasn’t sure if she was ready to answer.
And then, as if by divine intervention, her phone rang.
She turned away from both men and looked at the screen. She’d never been so happy to hear from Holly.
“I have to get this,” she told both men. Then, following after Melody, she walked away from the two most important men in her life.
She clicked on talk and brought her phone up to her ear.
“Holly. The case is done, but I’m not ready for something more.”
“Charlotte, something’s happened.”
Charlotte’s heart suddenly jumped into her throat. Holly never called her by her full name, not unless something awful happened.
“Are Mom and Dad okay?”
“Yes, it’s—”
“Kira? Delia?”
And when Holly assured her that her sisters were fine, too, she started to relax. And then Holly let her bomb fall.
“There’s been a death at the swim club.”
Charlotte felt her breath leave her lungs in a swoosh, making her light-headed. “What?” She felt like her throat was made of sandpaper. “My swim club?”
“A girl drowned. She was found this morning, in the same pool that you had your…accident.”
Nausea churned in her stomach, along with guilt and sorrow. It was her fault. How could it be anything else?
“Oh my god.”
“Listen, Lottie, it could be a coincidence—”
“It’s not an accident. It’s my fault.”
“It is not your fault!”
But Charlotte was beyond listening. She’d been quiet for twelve years, and now, a young girl had lost her life.
“Book me a flight home, Holly. I need to find him. He has to pay.”
THE END
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I am a full-time writer and stay-at-home mom, which means I watch a lot of animated movies. Over and over again. I hate washing dishes, but I love cooking. I hate washing clothes, but I love wearing them. I try to write characters who aren't cookie cutters. I push myself to write complicated situations that I have no idea how to resolve, forcing me to think outside the box. Music inspires me, and each story their own signature song. I hate people who don't pick up their dog's crap in public places, and I really hate people who are rude and condescending. I especially hate discrimination in all and every form. The perfect place on earth is sitting in a bookstore, and my heaven would be a library that never runs out of books. I love to hear from readers. I’m really easy to find on Facebook or Twitter or email me at: [email protected].
For all titles by Beth D. Carter, please visit
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Siren Publishing, Inc.
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Hereafter [McKnight, Perth & Daire 2] (Siren Publishing Allure) Page 17
