Epilogue
DANI
TWO YEARS LATER
“I can admit when I’m wrong.” Susan set her notepad down, giving me a rare smile.
I shifted on the couch cushion. “Wrong about what?”
Her small office was the same as it had been since the first time I saw it two years ago when I began my weekly meetings with her.
Kole hated coming here, and I wasn’t sure if that would ever change.
It was easier for me because Susan knew some of my real past. Kole had to lie every time he sat on this couch.
I did too, since Susan wasn’t aware that I was also studying everyone here and sending my findings back to Sean and the others who ran Winterlake.
“About you,” she said, an edge of resignation in her voice. “I was convinced you couldn’t change. I was wrong.”
My heart fluttered as I stared at her. “Really?”
“You’ve been here for two years. Every day you go work at the police station and have become quite the asset for the sheriff.
When Harry leaves, the newcomer will be lucky to have you.
” She paused as if assessing what to say next.
“You have a steady relationship with Kole—something that surprised me.”
I bit my tongue, anger stinging me. “Why?”
“I know you were convicted of only murdering that senator’s son, but you and I both know that’s not the extent of your crimes.”
“I killed Leo and Miles. That’s why I’m in Winterlake.”
She shot me a knowing look. “Don’t treat me as a fool, Dani.”
Silence fell over the room as I kept her stare.
We’d danced around this topic so many times, and it always ended like this.
She had suspicions that my victim list was far longer than three people—and she was right.
Something I would never admit. Those other murder cases were still open, and if I was ever tied to them, I’d never see the light of day again.
She sighed. “The point I’m making is…I didn’t think you were capable of such deep feelings, like the ones you clearly have for Kole. You spend every moment with him you can. You two seem genuinely happy to do anything as long as you’re together.”
My stomach knotted as I kept a pleasant look on my face.
Leo’s words echoed in my head for the first time in weeks.
He hadn’t believed I was capable of love either.
He was wrong. I was nothing like him. Though, I couldn’t blame Susan for speculating.
If I were in her shoes, I would most likely do the same.
“I’m reevaluating your case at the end of the month,” she informed me.
“In my statement, I will be giving my professional opinion that you are not a danger to society. It doesn’t mean you can leave Winterlake anytime soon, but I do not think you’ll be here for the ten years that was first agreed upon. ”
My pulse thrashed as I listened to her. “I…I don’t know what to say.”
“I need you to tell me that you think I’m making the right decision.”
She wasn’t doing this because she was second-guessing her choice. She wanted to gauge my reaction—and my words—face to face. She believed she could tell when I was lying.
“I’m happy,” I told her quietly. “If I leave Winterlake, I plan to continue this kind of work.”
“What do you want out of life, Dani?”
I thought about it for a few long seconds before answering. “I already have it. I love the work I do. And Kole? He’s my everything. I don’t care what happens in life as long as I have him.”
“That is the one thing that worries me.” She clasped her hands together. “What happens if you two don’t stay together?”
I frowned, not liking where she was taking the conversation. “We will.”
“But what if you don’t?” she pressed. “Would you be able to handle life without him?”
“I can handle anything,” I replied, kicking myself when I realized how curt my answer was.
She was studying my behavior, and if I failed, then her statement about my future could change.
I blew out a steadying breath. “What Kole and I have is a forever thing. It doesn’t matter where we’re living or what we’re doing.
We’ll always be together. But if something happened with us, then I would learn how to cope. I’d be fine.”
Would I be fine? I wasn’t sure. In the last two years, I’d fallen so fucking deeply in love with Kole, I couldn’t imagine life without him. Would I spiral without him? Go back to my old ways? I didn’t know. I was living life for right now, and I was happy.
Susan continued to stare at me, her face unreadable. I reached for my coffee on the small table, and took the last sip, waiting for her to speak.
“I think you will do well when you go back to society,” she finally said, picking her notepad back up. “I can also help you get interviews for jobs when that time comes.”
“Thank you,” I told her, and sincerely meant it. This was a conversation I never thought I’d have with her. When I first started seeing her after everything happened, I was sure she would never trust me. Maybe I had changed more than I realized.
“I’ll see you next week,” she said, checking her watch. “Have a good weekend.”
“You too.” I stood up, tossing my empty coffee cup in the trash before leaving the small room. It was in the back of the clinic, and I entered the main hall, getting greeted by the few who were working today. My mind was still racing with what Susan had said as I pushed open the door.
I sucked in a breath of the fresh winter air, zipping up my jacket. Fresh snow still covered the sidewalk, and I took one step before Kole’s voice cut through the wind.
“Leaving without me?”
I spun around to see him leaning against the brick wall, his lips quirking up when I met his eyes.
I couldn’t help but smile back. This man always made me happy. Just being around him comforted me in a way I couldn’t explain. “What are you doing up so early? I was going to bring you coffee.”
“The bed was lonely without you.”
I giggled. “How long have you been waiting out here? It’s freezing.”
“I need a reason to meet you?” He pushed off the wall, wrapping his arms around me and giving me a kiss. “I missed you.”
My stomach fluttered. “Want to get coffee?”
He nodded. “Then I’m just going to stop at the bar when it opens. Want to come?”
“I thought you had the day off?”
“I don’t trust that Brady can handle the bar by himself,” he grated out, a note of annoyance in his voice. “I doubt he’ll last more than a month.”
I laughed. “This is the seventh person since Adella left. You can’t keep firing people, Kole.”
“I can if they don’t know how to do the job.”
“I hear no on in the factory wants to work with you,” I teased. “They don’t want to get sent back until they’re assigned to a new job.”
Even though I was aware the factory was a prison, no one ever called it what it really was. For the last six months, I’d been going to the factory with Susan to conduct interviews with inmates to see who would enter Winterlake next, and what jobs they would have.
Those interviews were my favorite part of working. It let me get into the minds of people, and my notes helped choose those who would be a good choice for Winterlake—and those who should never see the light of day.
“How was your talk with Susan?” he asked, changing the subject. He kept his arm around me as we walked down the street.
“It was…interesting,” I said slowly, nerves fluttering. “Apparently, she thinks I can handle the real world.”
Shock spread across his features, halting his steps. “You mean leave Winterlake?”
I nodded. “Not right away, but I won’t be here for another eight years…unless I want to stay.”
“Is that what you want?” he questioned. “To leave?”
I grinned. “What do you want? Because I go where you go, Kole.”
The door to the café opened, and about six people crowded the sidewalk, interrupting our conversation.
They greeted us as they strode past, heading to the factory.
I glanced through the café window, giving Gina a small wave.
There had been a few people working at the café ever since Hallie was killed.
Most of the town had changed in the last two years.
Riggs left more than a year ago, and I hoped he was staying out of trouble. Harry was still here, but I had a feeling it was his choice, more than Susan’s. He didn’t seem to have any urgency to want to leave like most here. I missed Adella, but from her emails, she was doing well in her new life.
This place was a revolving door, and soon it would change again. Next month, interns would be arriving. It was the first time newcomers were coming to Winterlake since I’d come here two years ago. The murders had halted that part of the program until now.
“I don’t care where we go,” Kole murmured, turning his attention back to me. “I just want you.”
We didn’t need to make up our minds right now. My life was exactly what I wanted. Winterlake started as a nightmare but had become my little island of happiness. Kole and I lived every day how we wanted, and there wasn’t one thing I’d change.
I raised on my tiptoes, giving him a hungry kiss. “I’m glad we’re on the same page. Because you’re stuck with me.”
“Just say the word, Dani.” He grasped my chin, meeting my eyes. “I’ll follow wherever you want. Forever.”