Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 102560 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102560 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
“Not a monster, a hero. You saved me. You saved Cynthia once.”
A choked cough escapes his mouth. “I’m nobody’s hero, especially Cynthia’s.”
“You are. You don’t see it now, but you did save lives. And now it’s over. It’s time to find the peace you deserve. It’s time to go home.”
“I can’t. I have seen too much. Done too much. I have no home.”
I wrap my arms around him and feel as he melts into my embrace. Allowing my words to soak in, allowing himself the reprieve from his thoughts. “Let’s go. We have to go to the police and let them know this was self-defense. You were saving me.”
“I’ll go to jail for not turning Stone in all those years ago and then again now.”
“No, you won’t.”
He turns in my arms and looks at me. His eyes are narrowed and confused.
“We aren’t going to tell them about your mom. Or Cynthia. We aren’t going to tell them about North. As far as we know, North died that day.”
“But—”
“No buts. I fit the MO, and I was the one investigating The Compass Killer. As far as I am concerned, you saved me. It was self-defense. I owe you my life, and this is how I am going to pay that debt.”
“You are too amazing. I can’t believe you would still want to be with me after everything that has happened.”
“Of course, I do. I see you. The real you. Both sides of the mask is the man I’ve fallen for. I love you.”
“I love you, too. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you,” he says before crashing his lips against mine. His kiss is hungry and desperate. Emotions flow through him that are primal and a bit scary. But I’m not afraid. As I told him, I love both sides of this complicated man.
His kisses become gentle until we eventually pull away completely.
“What do we do now?” he asks.
We both look down at the body and then at the shed. “Burn it,” I say. “This place signifies evil, but the final drop of blood was shed, ending The Compass Killer’s reign of terror.”
Cain nods. “There shouldn’t have been anything left here after the last time.”
Together, we go into the shed, and this time, Cain uses his flashlight to look around. With the threat dead, the structure isn’t as intimidating. The monster has been slain.
Cain grabs a jug of what must be oil and starts to douse the structure. Once he’s satisfied, he leads me back, and then he lights it on fire.
As he watches the flames eat up the last remaining part of his father’s property, his head hangs down.
I walk up to him, stepping close to take his hand in mine.
“I’m sorry.”
He answers, but I can’t hear him. A mumble, as if he’s talking to himself. Maybe coming to terms with what he did.
“I would do it all over again,” he says. “I’d do anything to protect you, Layla. Anything.”
Epilogue
Cain
Sixteen months later.
I watch Layla from where I’m sitting. She’s frantically running around the house, cleaning. As if there is anything left to clean in this place. There’s not a speck of dust, nor any items out of place. I know what this is. Layla is nervous. Despite her attempts to pretend today isn’t a big deal, it is.
Today, her first book releases.
A year ago, after we went to the police, told them the story we came up with, and gave them the body of Stone, Layla decided to write down her experience. After all, she was the final victim of The Compass Killer.
The difference is she’s the one who lived.
Layla asked for my blessing, and of course, I gave it to her. How could I say no to something so personal for her, but just what she needed to feel whole with her career?
Since that day, Layla wrote the story of The Compass Killer, offering exclusive details of the murders of the girls that Stone revealed to her during her time in captivity.
The article she wrote was huge, gracing every newsstand across the country. Front-page material. She was offered a book deal and a job working as an investigative journalist.
Today is the release day of said book.
I can tell she doesn’t want to make a big deal about it. The nerves of what she omitted in the story, the facts only we know, still sit heavy for both of us, but this was the only way. I live now in plain sight.
As Cain Archer. North burned in the fire so many years ago. All the remnants of him are ash now.
Today, instead of resting, Layla is already back in front of her computer, investigating a series of murders in New Hampshire.
The next murderer she will hunt for and hopefully find.
I walk farther into the room, but she hasn’t noticed me. I’m carrying a bottle of champagne and flowers. I place the flowers down on the side table in her office.