Epilogue
Garrett had followed the legal case of Clara Dolan for the past four months. He wasn’t going to get another chance.
He’d considered disappearing. That would be the smart thing to do. The unemotional thing to do. The police thought he was
dead . . . or they didn’t. He didn’t know; he didn’t care.
But Becca deserved justice.
It was nearly time.
No one really saw the homeless, so he lay on a bench, face unshaven, hat pulled low, layers of dirty old clothing. And he
waited.
He knew the police in Ventura County had found Becca’s remains. Her family would have closure, a body to bury. At least he
had done one good thing before he finished it.
He had a prepaid cell phone with one number he’d put in it. He dialed it now.
“Quinn,” the female voice answered.
“Hello, Kara.”
A long silence. Then: “Garrett?”
“She was going to kill me. The boat was rigged to explode when it reached a certain speed—she knew I would come by water—so
I disabled it. But she had a backup plan, so I bailed.”
“You need to turn yourself in.”
“I am.”
“Good.”
“But first things first. Thank you for following up and finding Becca’s body.”
“That was the local police.”
“They listened to you.”
“It was a good lead.”
“Are you still with that fed?”
“I am.”
“Good.” He paused, saw the van pull up to the side entrance.
“What are you planning, Garrett?”
“Take care of yourself, Kara.”
“Gar—”
He ended the call and tossed the phone into the trash can. He rose, shuffled along the pathway, head down, hand clutched around
the gun in the paper bag.
People saw what they wanted to see. They saw a drunk bum, or they looked right through him.
The side of the van opened.
He continued to shuffle forward. Slowly. Don’t attract attention.
Two corrections officers escorted Audrey from the van to the side entrance of the courthouse. They barely noticed him.
“Audrey,” he said, not raising his voice.
She heard him. Recognized him.
He fired three bullets at her, making sure one hit her in the head. In case she was wearing a vest.
He dropped the gun and fell to his knees, hands up before the officers had unholstered their weapons. Audrey lay bleeding only feet from him. Half her beautiful face was gone, showing the ugly underneath the surface.
He smiled.
Game over, Audrey.
I won.
*****