Chapter 18 Liam
Liam
The red and blue lights hit the trees first, strobing through the trees like the whole forest was breathing in panic.
Two police SUVs skidded to a stop. Doors slammed. Officers fanned out, weapons drawn, voices barking orders.
And then I saw them—Forest and Fraiser climbing out of the lead truck, weapons down but ready. Their eyes swept the scene until they landed on me standing over Jarod’s prone body.
Jarod groaned, rolling onto his side as a cop yanked him to his feet, cuffs snapping around his wrists. His lip was split, and one eye was already swelling shut.
“Y’all don’t understand!” he screamed, spittle flying. “She’s my daughter! That lunatic sister of mine—she’s the crazy one! Took the girl, told everybody I was some kind of monster!”
He jerked against the cuffs, eyes wild. “All I was doin’ was tryin’ to get my little girl back!”
Jenny stepped out of the trees then, holding Poppy’s hand tight. The kid buried her face in Jenny’s shoulder, trembling.
“Daddy!” Poppy whimpered.
Jenny flinched like the word cut her.
Jarod saw it. Pounced on it. “See?!” he bellowed, voice cracking. “She wants her father! Y’all are arresting the wrong man!”
Two cops pushed him toward a squad car. He fought like a man possessed, ranting about lies, about how everyone was gonna regret this.
Then he snapped.
With a roar, Jarod twisted, slamming one cop to the ground. He snatched the man’s sidearm before anyone could react.
Forest shouted. Fraiser reached for his weapon.
But Jarod was already turning toward us, gun swinging wide—
I didn’t think.
I raised my weapon and fired once.
The crack split the night.
Jarod stumbled, eyes wide like he couldn’t believe it ended this way. The gun slipped from his hand as he hit the pavement hard and didn’t move again.
The whole world went silent.
Poppy started to cry. Jenny held her tighter, shaking but standing tall.
Forest crouched, checking the pulse he already knew wasn’t there. He met my eyes, gave one tight nod.
It was over.
For real this time.