“See, I told you he’d come back.”
A man appeared in the doorway wearing a black ski mask and holding a gun. “You’re right, I did.”
Winston.
Valerie screamed. Janet clenched her teeth together to keep them from chattering but there was nothing she could do to stop the trembles running through her body. Winston yanked her out of the room and into the main area, tossing her up against the broken holding cell. Pain shot up her elbow.
“I knew I heard someone.” Winston slammed the door, separating them from Valerie.
Footsteps on metal stairs preceded Lee entering the space. He saw Janet and his mouth dropped open. “What…what is she doing here?”
The corridor connecting the area to Janet’s house was dark. Todd hadn’t had enough time to find the bolt cutters and come back. What was she going to do? She was no match for two men nor could she outrun a gun. Valerie’s sobs seeped through the closed door.
“Does it matter how she got here?” Winston yanked off the ski mask covering his face. “We have to kill her.”
The blood drained from Lee’s face. “We said no one would get hurt.”
Janet’s heart leaped. Maybe there was a way…
“That was before. This is now.” Winston held out the gun to his brother. “It’ll be better if you do it.”
Lee reared back. “Me? I’m not going to.”
“Oh, yes you are. You should’ve killed her the first night. You created this mess and now you’re going to clean it up.”
“Don’t do it.” Janet swallowed hard. “Lee, he’s tricking you. He’s going to have you kill me so he can hold it over you. He’ll blackmail you for the rest of your life.”
Lee’s gaze darted toward her before landing back on his brother.
Winston laughed. “Don’t be absurd. We’re in this together. Don’t let her screw with your head.”
“I’m not—”
“Shut up!”
Winston’s hand shot out and slammed into Janet’s stomach. She doubled over, tears blurring her vision. She couldn’t breathe.
“Enough of this. Take the gun, Lee. Shoot her, and then I’ll help you get rid of the body.”
She lifted her head, wheezing. Beyond the strands of her hair, the gun barrel was a dark cavernous hole pointed straight at her. Winston backed up a step.
“Do it, Lee. Shoot her.”
Janet shook her head. She forced her gaze up to Lee’s face. Indecision warred and then he gritted his teeth.
Her death flashed in his eyes.
A blur of flannel and boots flew from the darkness of the corridor and tackled Lee. The gun clattered against the concrete and skittered across the smooth surface. Janet lunged and wrapped her fingers around the metal just as Winston slammed into her. The force of his momentum shoved her into the bars of the holding cell. Pain exploded across her shoulder and hip.
His meaty hand clamped down on her wrist, grinding the bones together. Janet cried out. Winston’s mouth twisted into a sneer, spittle gathering at the corners. The blood rushing in her ears drowned out everything and instinct took over as she grappled for control of the gun wedged between them.
She couldn’t let him have it. He would kill her.
“Sweetgrass police! Freeze! Everyone freeze!”
Winston smiled. He yanked on her fingers.
The gun fired.
Eleven
Three days later
“Winston’s going to pull through.” Chief Jackman shifted in his boots on Janet’s front porch and fiddled with the sunglasses in his hand. “Of course, once he’s finished recovering from the bullet wound, he’ll be spending the next fifty years in prison with his brother, but I thought ya’ll would want to know.”
Todd squeezed her shoulders, and Janet let out the breath she was holding. She hated Winston’s actions, and Lee’s, but she wished neither man dead.
“I also came to apologize.” He licked his lips. “I placed my trust in Winston and I shouldn’t have. It blinded me to things and delayed the investigation. There’s no excuse for it, and I hope you’ll forgive me.”
Janet had learned new things about the investigation in the intervening days. Winston hadn’t just manipulated his brother, he’d done the same to his boss. When Janet made her original complaint, it was Winston who did the initial “investigation” and convinced the chief there was no physical evidence to back up her story. After the doll was left in her shed and the connection between Lee Maxwell and Katherine Huntington was revealed, Chief Jackman started to question his own officer. He followed Winston, attempting to see if he would lead him to the missing woman, but it had taken time to discover the door hidden on the Bertrands’ property.
The chief arrived right before Winston attempted to wrestle the gun away, causing it to go off. Jackman had provided first aid until the ambulance arrived, saving Winston’s life. Janet was grateful. Although she hadn’t purposefully fired the gun, it would have haunted her to know Winston had died and she’d been a part of it.
“We’ve all been blinded by someone we care about.” Callie nudged Janet’s hand, and she ran her fingers through the dog’s silky fur. “In the end you did the right thing. That’s what matters.”
Todd nodded. “There were a lot of mistakes made. If Lacey and her sister had told the truth about Valerie’s disappearance, it would have made a difference as well.”
“It’s no excuse. I have to take the blame for my own actions or—in this case—inaction. I’ve apologized to Valerie as well and…” His voice choked off and he lowered his head. “She’s given me grace I don’t deserve.”
Janet wasn’t surprised. In the last few days, she’d spent a lot of time with Valerie and found her to be warm and generous. She wasn’t going to recover overnight from the kidnapping, but with therapy and prayer, she’d get there.
With a wave, the chief got in his vehicle and drove away.
“Time to tackle your bathroom.” Todd marched toward the front door. He paused and cast a glance over his shoulder. “Unless you have another crime up
