Chapter 45
The door was unlocked. Miranda pushed it open, carefully. She knew she could be facing a problem here. “Hagan? Deputy Lindhour? It’s Dr. Talley.”
Hagan was a smart woman. She would not have left the door unlocked like this.
Miranda held her weapon steady, as she stepped further into the townhouse. She should wait for backup—but the OHP could be at least an hour away. They were in a spread-out area. She did not want Helery County law enforcement as backup. She could be in even more trouble if they showed up.
Trust no one.
Knight was right about that. At least here in Helery County.
Miranda made her way slowly down the hall.
That was when she saw the blood.
There was a lot of it.
And a young woman sprawled over the floor.
Miranda almost flinched. As the memories hit. For just one quick moment it wasn’t Hagan Lindhour lying there in a pool of blood—it was Miranda’s own cousin, Dixie. Targeted by the woman who had been Miranda’s closest friend when she’d been no more than fifteen.
Her lapse cost her.
A dark shadow came out of the hallway behind her. Bellowing.
Taking up the entire width of the hallway.
Miranda pulled her weapon up.
But it was far too late. Pain shot down her arm. The same arm she’d injured before.
Her weapon clattered across the laminate flooring.
Miranda scrambled after it.
As the woman kicked out, connecting with her stomach. Sending Miranda sprawling on the floor.
Oh, hell no.
This was not happening now.
Miranda rolled to her back. And looked at the woman standing over her, a softball bat in her hands, covered in blood. “Are you kidding me? You think I haven’t seen someone just like you before?”
“Why did she have to mess up everything?”
“Who? Hagan? Or Harper?”
“Both of them. Bitches. They were nothing but stupid bitches. Both of them. And that was all Julian could see. Them. He never looked at me. All they did was screw everything up for me. Act like they were so much better.”
“You killed Harper. Why? Why was Harper even here in Buckbert?”
“She thought she was so special. Rescuing me. My car broke down and there she was. Seeing me along the highway, so helpful, so perfect, so fucking Harper. While Uncle Ted was busy. Asking me about if I ever thought about those days. Before. While we waited.”
“Waited for what?”
“The tow truck. She rescued me, like she was special.”
So that was why Harper’s plans had been derailed. She’d stopped to help someone she’d grown up with. Being a good person. And she had died for it.
Damn it. It wasn’t fair. Harper had deserved better than that.
“What about Kevin Adams? Did he do something to you?”
“He told me to give him back Ramey’s bat. Like he thought I was stealing it or something. I wasn’t. I’m not a thief.”
“So you hit him. How many times?” Rage. Immaturity. Acting out. That was what it had been. An entitled young girl, who had probably been physically bigger than most girls her age. It made sense. And it fit what Dani had sent her.
“Just once. Uncle Ted fixed it for me. He made it all go away. And all I had to do was be really nice to him sometimes in return. It was the deal. It has always been part of the deal.”
Sheriff Johnson—a sexual predator with narcissistic tendencies. Who liked intimidating young girls. Coercing young girls, was more like it. Miranda could imagine exactly how it had happened now.
She was almost within reach of her weapon.
Right there. By Hagan’s left knee.
Hagan wasn’t moving.
And the woman was getting closer.
Miranda kicked out. Connected with the woman’s thigh. As hard as she possibly could.