Chapter 37
THIRTY-SEVEN
My body won’t stop shaking, notafter the hour-long search through the woods. Before finally finding Lincoln, Lilith, and Jenkins in the small clearing, I wasn’t sure what we would stumble upon. Too much time had been passing, and I kept flashing back to our awful discovery of Carley fourteen years ago.
Anxiety had whittled away at my emotions like a fickle beast. The relief at finally reaching Lincoln and untying his bruised and battered body, almost too much to handle. My only relief in any of it was when I ran into Patrick on the trail. He had his arms around Billy, who was caked in dried blood down the side of his head.
“That crazy bitch,” he muttered, when I’d asked him what happened. “She tried to kill me.”
That was all the confirmation I needed to know exactly who he was talking about. I sent Patrick back to camp with strict orders to get Billy help then find Lucy and stay with her until I made it back out with Lincoln. In turn, he told me the direction Dylan started searching. Seeing as that direction led toward the same section of woods we found Carley in years ago, that’s where I went.
Just when I thought I heard someone talking past a thick of bushes, a hand wrapped around my mouth from behind, just like fourteen years ago. This time, I knew who had me in his grip. As confirmation, I looked up to find Dylan there, his eyes wide, and a finger pressed to his lips, gesturing for me to be quiet.
“It’s just me,” Gabe whispered. “Do not move another step. And don’t make a sound.” He slowly started to release his hand. “Listen.”
My heart was racing when I started to tune into the sound of Lilith’s conversation with Lincoln.
Now, as Lincoln, Dylan, and Gabe all take steps toward a completely fucked Lilith, I can almost sense the silent agreement between them that the moment she starts to run, they’ll take her out. No hesitation. No questions.
Even I know that the cane in her hand and the boulder at her feet are enough to lock her away for several crimes, not just the ones Dylan mentioned.
Meanwhile, I make my way to J.D., whose chin is quivering as he watches his oldest client get arrested for a series of murders he surely feels is his fault. We all heard what Lilith said. He knew she killed Carley. He knew and helped cover for her by buying her time.
It was J.D. who had grabbed me that night when I was on my way to get help for Carley. He was the one who had placed his hand over my mouth. He was the one who whispered for me to be quiet or I would be next. He was buying her time by holding me back from getting help.
Emotion climbs up my throat as I stare at the man I trusted for so many years. “You deserve to go to jail for what you knew. You could have saved so many lives.”
He doesn’t even look at me. He can’t. As much as he’s helped me through the years, the guilt must be eating him alive.
Tears begin to stream down his face, and he just keeps nodding, accepting his fate. “I’m so sorry, Evie. I thought I could help her. I thought I did help her. But I was just in denial.” He bows his head in shame. “Lilith called me. Told me she was having thoughts of hurting people again. She told me to meet her here. I should have known she was trying to set me up.”
We both watch as Lilith drops J.D.’s gold cane and lifts her hands, finally surrendering herself to the arrest. Gabe is right there to cuff her, then he reads her rights while Dylan makes his way over to us. He stands in front of J.D., eyes narrowed. It’s clear just how betrayed he feels by a man who was supposed to be an informant.
“Maybe we can find you a cell next door to your friend.” He raises his chin. “Turn around and put your hands behind your back.”
J.D. does what he’s told without a fight. It’s not until both Lilith and J.D. are locked in cuffs, with Dylan and Gabe leading them out of the woods, that I run to Lincoln and throw my arms around him.
He winces in pain but hugs me so tightly, I think I might break from the desperation of it.
“It’s over,” I tell him, reassuring us both. “Lilith will never hurt another person ever again.”
Lincoln leans back and nods, his eyes locked on mine, fourteen years of pent-up emotions behind them. “She’s a femme fatale.”
My next breath is shaky as I remember their entire conversation. “A black widow in the firefly world.”
“I completely overlooked that rare species in all my studies. I never would have thought the killer was a woman.” He shakes his head. “I had completely forgotten she was even there that night because she wasn’t even staying at the campground. Her mom would just bring her to hang out every day.”
Even I had forgotten that, but he’s right. Lilith’s mom would have never gone camping, not even when she started dating Jimmy.
“She’s disturbed, Lincoln,” I tell him. “But she’s going to jail where she belongs. She won’t be able to hurt anyone else, and that’s all that matters.” I tilt my head, hoping he can get past the fact that he wasn’t able to figure this one out on his own. “And Lucy’s safe. The most important fact of all.” My throat tightens. “She asked me to come find you and bring you back.” I smile. “She has no idea anything is wrong.”
He blows out a heavy breath. “That’s a relief. I was so worried.” He frowns. “I don’t understand how Lilith thinks she would have gotten away with hurting me without anyone figuring out it was her. You all would have known she set up the entire thing.”
I shrug tightly. “I don’t know, Lincoln. I didn’t realize Lilith had anything to do with it until I talked to Francine. But Lilith told the rest of the group that she had a headache and went home. I’m sure that’s because she didn’t want to get placed at the scene. It was clever, but I don’t think she was expecting the search party that came after her tonight.”
He leans against me and shudders.
“We should head back,” I tell him. “You should probably get checked out by a doctor.” I pull back and try to assess his injuries. He’s clearly in pain, but I can’t see where the wounds are.
“I’m fine,” he says with a brief shake of his head. “She bashed that rock into my shoulder then followed it up with a blow to the head with Jenkins’s cane. She knocked me out for a bit, but what hurt the most was where she nailed me between the legs.” He winces as if the memory alone triggers more pain.
I cup his face with my hand. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” Emotion trembles in my voice. “I’ve never been so afraid in my entire life. As soon as I knew Lucy was fine, my mind went wild with where you could be and what could have happened to you. I was so afraid I would lose you again.”
He takes my face in his hands, too, bringing his forehead to mine. “Never again. I’m right here.”
I sigh, my entire being filled with a new sense of calm I didn’t even know I’d been craving. “You know what I realized when I was alone in the woods searching for you?”
“What?”
I take in a deep breath and smile. “As afraid as I was to lose you, I never felt alone or afraid of the woods themselves.” I look around at the tiny sparkles of light surrounding us. “Carley is with us, Lincoln. I can feel her. Her light will never die.”
He nods and holds me tighter. “And that, Evie girl, is what I like to call the firefly effect. A firefly truly never dies—it always leaves a piece of itself behind so that the cycle of life can continue.” He smiles gently. “The question is how do we want to leave the world? As a guiding light, or something dark and deceitful? Whatever it may be, that is our legacy.”
A smile curves into my cheeks, and I love that he can take our worst tragedy and turn it into something so incredibly beautiful. “Carley’s legacy is pretty damn great.”
Lincoln nods. “And ours will be too.”
I raise my head to his as my chest explodes with love. “So what’s next, Doctor Reed?”
His gaze sweeps around us, and he gestures to the symphony of lights. “Well, I guess now it’s time for you to pick your mate. Who will it be, Evie? The choice is yours.”
My heart beats faster as our eyes connect again. All I see in his beautiful green eyes now is an endless forest filled with sparkles of hope.
I touch his nose with mine. “I made my choice fourteen years ago, Linc. And my life has been so dark for so long. I’ve just been waiting for you to find me.”
His eyes close, and he presses his lips to mine. “I’m sorry it took me so long to get here, Evie girl.”