22. Selene
22
Selene
T he drive back to Morgan’s house is filled with tense energy. The car is too quiet, but the silence is thick, filled with thoughts too heavy to voice.
We know the truth now.
Aubrey killed George.
She killed Walter.
She killed Gabriel.
And she’s gotten away with it for decades.
Orion drives, his knuckles white against the steering wheel. Morgan sits in the passenger seat, staring straight ahead, her expression unreadable. Theo, Celeste, Bennett, and I are crammed in the backseat, each of us lost in our own spiraling thoughts.
“We need to bring her down,” Bennett finally says, breaking the silence. “For everything.”
“We don’t have anything other than speculation at this point. If it was her, she’s good at covering her tracks,” Morgan says. “We need more than just suspicions. We need solid, undeniable proof.”
“She’s stayed ahead of the law this long because she controls the town,” Orion says. “She manipulates the people around her. And she’s always had someone or an excuse to take the blame. It’s always somehow classified as an accident.”
“Not this time,” Morgan says firmly.
I glance at Theo, whose jaw is clenched so tight I’m afraid he might crack a tooth. “We don’t just need proof,” he mutters. “We need every loose end tied up before we make a move. If we screw this up, she’ll get away with it again.”
The weight of that thought settles over us as we pull into Morgan’s driveway.
The moment we step inside, Orion, Morgan, and Bennett break off toward the kitchen, already deep in conversation.
“She’s calculated,” Bennett says, leaning against the counter. “She plans ahead. Or she’s always damn lucky. We have to be just as methodical. If we rush this, we’ll lose.”
“We need to start at the beginning,” Orion says. “George’s death.”
Morgan nods. “If we can prove it wasn’t an accident, we can unravel everything else.”
“She left town for a year after he died,” I remind them. “Whatever she was doing during that time, it was important enough for her to disappear completely. We know she was pregnant with Bennet, but what else was she doing.”
Bennett taps his fingers against the counter, thinking. “I’ll dig into financial records, see if there’s anything suspicious. Any payments she made, any property she bought, anything that can tell us where she was.”
“She’s too careful to leave obvious paper trails,” Orion warns.
“She’s careful,” Bennett agrees. “But she’s not perfect.”
Morgan exhales, crossing her arms. “What about Gabriel?”
Morgan’s question stills the room.
“His murder is the most recent,” she continues. “If we can connect her to that, we won’t need to rely on decades-old cases.”
“Gabriel used to be sheriff,” Orion muses. “He had access to everything. If he started digging into something he wasn’t supposed to… Do you think those alerts he had on the computer meant he uncovered details we haven’t?”
“He could’ve found out the truth,” Morgan states.
There’s a beat of silence as we all consider it.
“If he had evidence,” Orion says slowly, “we need to find it.”
“The department will have records of his cases,” Bennett says. “If he was looking into Aubrey, it’ll be there. Even if she tried to cover it up.”
Morgan’s eyes darken. “I’ll get what we need.”
Orion studies her. “You’re the one who has to arrest her unless you run it up the ladder and officially consult the FBI. I’m not sure we want to do that until we know how she’s stayed steps ahead of us. We don’t need to bring anyone in until we know for sure she doesn’t have the department helping her stay so many steps ahead.”
Morgan exhales sharply, but she doesn’t hesitate. “I know.”
There’s a moment of heavy silence before Orion nods. “Then we make this airtight.”
Theo, Celeste, and I exchange glances. There’s nothing for us to add—Mo, Orion, and Bennett are already five steps ahead, crafting the perfect plan.
“The poison,” I say abruptly. “What did she use? How did she do it?”
Bennett turns toward me, considering. “The reports said cyanide.”
Morgan frowns. “Cyanide isn’t easy to come by. It’s highly controlled. Unless she’s making it herself, she has to have a source.”
“It can be found in certain plants,” Theo says. “Or in pesticides. She’d want a toxin so precise it’s undetectable until it’s too late.”
“Gabriel was at work before he went home sick,” Mo murmurs. “We need to check the CCTV footage. See if Aubrey was there that day.”
A chill creeps down my spine. “If she was, did she bring him anything? A coffee? Food?”
“His water tumbler,” Theo says suddenly. “He carried that damn thing everywhere. That’s got to be the key.”
Morgan’s eyes widen. “I’ll pull the footage.”
The pieces are clicking together, but we’re still missing the full picture.
Aubrey’s gotten away with murder for long enough.
Not this time.
***
The afternoon air is crisp as we step out of Morgan’s house, the weight of our plan pressing down on us. It feels like we’ve spent hours peeling back the layers of Aubrey’s crimes, and now, with the full picture in front of us, it’s suffocating. Like standing at the edge of a cliff, knowing the only way forward is down, but not being able to see the bottom.
Theo follows in his old truck, having asked for some time alone, as Orion, Celeste, and I head toward my place.
Orion, apparently, has decided that the best way to cope with that is to drive like we’re in a high-speed chase. I grip the door handle as he takes a turn way too fast, my stomach lurching. If we don’t die at the hands of a murderer, it’s going to be because of my brother’s complete disregard for speed limits.
In the backseat, Celeste and I are still reeling from the mess we’ve stepped into. She exhales sharply, leaning her head back against the seat. “We’re in way over our heads, aren’t we?”
I let out a dry laugh. “Oh, absolutely. But at least we have each other.”
She tilts her head toward me, a small smirk playing on her lips. “Think we could just run away? Start fresh somewhere new? Change our names, open a bookstore, and never look back?”
“Tempting,” I admit. “But we’d probably still find trouble. You’d get bored in a week and drag me into some elaborate scheme.”
Celeste gasps, clutching her chest like I’ve wounded her. “Me? Bored? I have layers , Selene. Depth. Mystery.”
“You also have the attention span of a squirrel on caffeine.”
She waves a hand dismissively. “Details.” Then she perks up, eyes glinting with mischief. “What if we were con artists? Like, really glamorous ones. With wigs and accents and designer trench coats.”
I stare at her. “What part of ‘lay low’ sounds like ‘commit felonies’ to you?”
She grins. “I can’t help it. I’d make a fabulous femme fatale.”
Orion groans from the front. “If you two don’t shut up, I will leave you on the side of the road.”
Celeste leans in conspiratorially. “We could totally disappear if we wanted to.”
I just shake my head, but I can’t help smiling. Because no matter how deep this nightmare goes, at least I’m not in it alone.
Even with Orion driving like a bat out of hell, Theo arrives about the same time we do. He pulls in behind us just as I’m stepping out of Orion’s car, and Valkyrie—deciding she’s been deprived of his attention for far too long—immediately makes it her mission to rectify that.
“Jesus—” Theo stumbles back, catching himself against the wall as she jumps up, her massive paws landing on his chest.
I snort. “She missed you.”
“This is missing me?” He struggles under the sheer weight of her love. “This feels more like a full-contact sport!”
I whistle, and Valkyrie finally backs off, giving Theo space to breathe again. His hair is a mess now, pieces hanging loose from his low bun, thanks to Valkyrie’s enthusiastic affection. It suits him—makes him look a little softer, a little less weighed down.
His eyes catch mine, and I see the flicker of a lighter emotion in them—an emotion not held back by murder and conspiracies and the ever-growing fear of what’s coming next. I want to hold onto that moment, stretch it out just a little longer before reality creeps back in.
“We should walk,” I say suddenly, because being cooped up inside doesn’t sound appealing right now, and I need to move— we need to move. “Clear our heads.”
Theo lifts a brow. “That’s your way of asking me on a date?”
I wink at him, already grabbing Valkyrie’s leash from Celeste. “Please. You wish.”
His grin is lazy, teasing. “Can’t prove I don’t.”
I roll my eyes and nudge him toward the road, trying really hard not to think about how annoyingly attractive he is when he’s smirking like that. We take the familiar route down my street toward the wooded trail at the end. The crisp scent of damp earth and pine fills the air, mixed with the faint smokiness of someone’s fireplace in the distance. Early autumn has settled over Shadow Grove, draping the trees in warm shades of amber, rust, and gold. The leaves crunch underfoot, a dry whisper against the quiet hush of the forest. The sky is a pale, cloud-swept blue, the air cool but not yet biting. It’s a beautiful day that makes you want to breathe a little deeper and walk a little slower.
Valkyrie trots ahead, of us as Theo falls into step beside me, his hands in his pockets, his strides easy despite the uneven ground.
“Hope you’re not luring me into the woods to kill me,” he says after a long moment.
I smirk over my shoulder. “If I was, would you really be able to stop me?”
He exhales a laugh. “You know, I think I believe you could if you wanted to. It’s honestly a little terrifying.”
“Good. Keeps things interesting.”
Theo shakes his head, but he’s smiling. “You and Orion have the same energy.”
“You wound me,” I say dramatically, grasping my chest. “But you do have to agree, I have better social skills.”
“Debatable.”
I laugh and shove him lightly as we keep walking. Valkyrie zigzags in front of us, stopping every now and then to sniff mailboxes before trotting ahead again. The path is lined with towering oaks and maples, their branches half bare, their leaves blanketing the forest floor in rich, rustling layers. Sunlight filters through the thinning canopy, dappling the ground in shifting patterns of gold. The distant caw of a crow echoes through the trees, breaking the stillness.
We walk in comfortable silence for a while, the sounds filling the space between us—the distant song of a bird, the rustling of a small animal moving through the underbrush, the crunch of leaves beneath our boots. It’s a weird type of peace, given everything we’ve uncovered today.
Valkyrie trots ahead, ears perked, tail nub wagging as she occasionally circles back to check on us. She loves Theo—has from the first time she met him. And if Valkyrie likes someone, I tend to trust her judgment.
“Has she ever run off?” Theo asks, watching her as she sniffs at a bush, sneezes, and then looks at me like I’m the one who betrayed her.
I smirk. “Nope. Have you ever met a Doberman? They’re velcro dogs. She thinks it’s her job to make sure I don’t die.”
Theo hums. “Smart dog.”
“Debatable. I once caught her trying to eat a rock.”
He chuckles, shaking his head. “Ah, so she’s got the spirit of a toddler. Got it.”
“Pretty much.”
We keep walking, and then, after a beat, I ask, “So, what do you do when you’re not unraveling small-town murder conspiracies?”
Theo’s smirk softens into a more thoughtful expression. “You mean back when my life was normal?”
“If you can even remember such a time.”
He huffs a laugh. “Barely. But… I used to work on cars with my uncle. Nothing serious, just maintenance stuff. I like working with my hands. There is a satisfaction about fixing things that stay fixed is satisfying. It started when I first moved in with him and Aunt Aubrey. I just lost my parents and had all these feelings I was trying to process. When we were working on his old truck, the one I drive now, there were never any expectations to talk or hold a conversation. It was just easy…”
The way he says it makes my chest ache.
Trying for a joke I tilt my head. “Are you any good?”
He grins at me flashing a dimple I’ve never seen before. “Are you doubting my skills?”
“I’m just saying, if my car breaks down, I need to know if I should call you or a professional.”
He gasps, mock offended. “Wow. Okay. For that, if your car ever breaks down, I’m gonna charge you double.”
“Oh, so now you’re a mechanic for hire?”
“For you? Absolutely. Hope you like ridiculous labor fees.”
I grin, nudging him with my shoulder. He nudges me back, and for a moment, it feels like we’re just two people enjoying an afternoon walk—no murder, no secrets, no weight of the past pressing down on us.
Valkyrie suddenly launches to the side, shoving her nose into a pile of leaves before popping up with a new treasure in her mouth.
“Oh no,” I groan. “Valkyrie, drop it.”
She wags her tail.
Theo crosses his arms. “I think she likes her prize.”
“She thinks she’s a damn dragon hoarding treasure,” I mutter, stepping toward her. “Drop it, gremlin.”
With a long-suffering sigh, Valkyrie spits out the object—a shiny, dented bottle cap.
He bursts out laughing. “That’s her grand discovery?”
“She’s obsessed with them,” I admit, picking it up before she can reclaim it. “It’s like she thinks they’re rare artifacts.”
Theo wipes his eyes. “A detective dog with an eye for trash. I love her.”
Valkyrie barks, as if agreeing, then prances forward like she just did the most important job in the world.
I shake my head. “Are you laughing at my dog?”
“No,” Theo says, grinning. “I’m laughing at you.”
I scoff. “Rude.”
He nudges me again, softer this time. “It’s nice,” he says, voice quieter. “Being out here. With you.”
A warm feeling blooms in my chest. I glance at him, meeting his eyes. There’s no teasing in them now—just something steady, something real.
I swallow, suddenly feeling shy. “Yeah. It is.”
We walk in comfortable silence, the air crisp, the sky stretched wide above us. Valkyrie prances ahead, bottle cap forgotten, her tail wagging like she just won the lottery.
His hand brushes mine, a fleeting touch, but enough to send heat curling low in my stomach.
“So,” he says, glancing at me, “past relationships.”
I groan. “Oh, we’re doing this?”
He smirks. “We don’t have to.”
I sigh, rolling my shoulders. “No, it’s fine. I just—” I pause, choosing my words. “Let’s just say my last relationship wasn’t great.”
Humming in acknowledgment, he waits for me to continue.
“He wasn’t a bad guy,” I admit. “But he made me feel… unwanted . I was always the one initiating any type of intimacy. After a while, I started to feel like maybe I was asking for too much.”
Theo’s jaw tightens, his expression unreadable. “Too much?”
I huff out a dry laugh. “Yeah. Like… wanting my partner to want me. To show me they want me. To be adventurous, try new things, take control sometimes.” I glance at him. “I told myself that next time, I wouldn’t settle. I want a partner who makes me feel desired. One who doesn’t make me feel like I have to beg for attention.”
Theo is quiet for a long beat. When he finally speaks, his voice is lower, rougher. “And what did you think of our first time?”
A slow, knowing smile curls my lips. “It was okay I guess . ”
His lips part slightly, waiting.
I tilt my head, watching him. “I mean, you got me there.” I lower my voice, letting it drip with teasing. “I actually had an orgasm, which has never happened with another man.”
Theo swears under his breath, his grip on Valkyrie’s leash tightening.
I smirk. “ But —”
His head snaps to me, eyes wide. “ But? ”
I bite my lip, dragging the moment out, enjoying the way his gaze darkens, the way tension thickens in the space between us.
“But I know you can do much better.”
A muscle ticks in his jaw. His hand flexes. And just like that, I see it—the shift in him.
Something deep. Almost primal.