Chapter 39: Chapter 39

LANCE

I make a snap decision to take the gun off Logan and catch Wren before she falls and hits her head. She isn’t out cold, but she’s very out of it.

Grant takes the gun from me and keeps it on Logan.

“How did you know we were down here?” I ask him.

“I was in the house grabbing some paperwork when I saw two people going into the woods, though I couldn’t tell who since I was so far away,” Grant says.

“So I grabbed a four-wheeler and followed. I heard the gunshots on the way in and knew something was going down.”

Grant shakes his head. “I should’ve suspected him. I caught him in the office right before you started back full-time. He was messing with the safe. Maybe if I’d fired him then...”

I look at Grant and can see the turmoil on his face. I’m shocked to learn Logan could betray us as well, but I can tell it’s especially difficult for Grant. I suddenly feel guilty for suspecting him.

“It’s been a stressful time—for all of us. You did the right thing,” I say. “Thanks for being here.”

Grant nods but never takes his eyes off Logan’s back.

The sirens gradually get louder. As Wren starts to wake up, I lay her down gently and run to the trailhead to flag down the first responders.

Within minutes, the place is swarming with cops, fire department personnel, and paramedics.

Logan is miraculously still alive, but they tell us it isn’t looking good. A sheriff rides to the hospital with him so they can place him under arrest when—or if—he stabilizes.

Wren, Grant, and I recount our version of events to three different sheriffs. After Wren is checked out, they ask us all to come down to the station to give our official statements.

They take us down to the station and we give full statements to three different officers and sign them.

When we are reunited, I ask the sheriff who I’ve been speaking to when Emma and Tad will be arrested.

“Well, Tad was arrested last night,” Sheriff McReedy says. “He was in a pretty violent brawl. But we’ll investigate his involvement in the robbery and assault as well.”

“And Emma?” I ask.

McReedy sighs. “That’s going to be a little harder. I spoke to my colleague at the hospital and Logan’s phone doesn’t harbor any communication with Emma Peterson.

“We’ll subpoena phone records, but we don’t have any hard proof of a conspiracy between the two. At this point, we only know of Logan’s involvement.”

“I tried to record our conversation where he implicated her, but he turned it off. In fact, I don’t know where my phone is,” Wren says. “I assume you’ll be questioning him?”

McReedy looks between all three of us. “Well, I would, but he died about thirty minutes ago.”

Wren gasps and covers her mouth with her hand. I put my arm around her shoulder as she buries her face in my chest.

“That’s terrible,” she says with tears in her eyes.

Personally, I think the bastard will be rotting in hell, but Wren is clearly feeling more conflicted about this outcome, especially since she was the one who pulled the trigger.

“So, what, Emma just gets off scot-free? Can I at least file a restraining order against her?” I ask.

“Well, according to you, she hasn’t threatened you directly, and there’s no evidence she’s been stalking you. If she makes contact or comes on your property, keep records of everything.

“Until then, your best bet is to just keep your distance,” McReedy says.

“Unbelievable,” I say.

“Sorry, Lance. I truly hope if she is involved that she is held accountable, but we have to have more evidence than the secondhand account of a dead man.”

McReedy does look apologetic as he places his hat back on his head. “You all are free to go, please let me know if you remember anything else that might be relevant. I’ll keep you updated as well.”

He shakes our hands and one of his deputies drives us back to the farm. All three of us are silent the entire way.

At home, my family greets us and Mom hugs all three of us for a long time with tears in her eyes. We all sit in the house and recount the events for what feels like the umpteenth time.

By late afternoon, Wren can barely keep her eyes open and I decide to take her home.

Grant and Mom head to the bunkhouse to talk to the rest of the team about Logan and the events that transpired today.

We will also be releasing a statement, as Logan’s death is sure to reverberate through such a small community.

The ironic part is that Emma used to handle all of our PR communications.

My anger still boils at the thought of her getting away with all of her bullshit. My only hope is the officers find something to indicate her level of involvement.

After we get home, I try to get Wren to eat, but she insists she’d rather go straight to bed. As soon as we’re settled under the covers, Wren snuggles up to me and begins crying.

I know she doesn’t want to talk anymore, we’ve said all the things that need to be said, but Wren has had a traumatic day. She nearly died, she nearly watched me die, then she took a life.

I hold her for several minutes while she releases her emotions as I wish I could take all this on for her. The scars from this day will not fade for a long time.