The abandoned house was sward by locals after the police cordoned off the cri scene.
The narrow road leading there was clogged with cars, trapping Jas’s truck in place.
"Hey! You can’t go through here!" a man shouted. "The police blocked the road. Turn back!"
"Great. Just great. The cops are already here," Jas muttered under his breath, his mind racing. How was he supposed to catch Yvette now?
Lyra peered through the tightly closed window, hoping for a glimpse of her family, but the crowd blocked her view.
Then she examined Jas, who looked slightly uneasy, and asked, "Why are we turning back?"
"I won’t let that kidnapper get away. She must face the consequences of what she’s done. I’ll gladly deliver her into Rowan Pierce’s hands."
"So you’re on Rowan’s side?" Lyra pressed.
Jas said nothing. He wasn’t on Rowan’s side, but even his na gave people pause. Rowan was a storm of fear, his wrath crushing anyone who stood against him.
Jas sighed. If he’d known who she was, he’d never have gotten involved. Too late now.
"Why so quiet?" Lyra asked, noticing how he’d suddenly gone silent.
"I’m racking my brain on how to get you back to your husband and catch that brat." he snapped.
"If I’d known you were Rowan Pierce’s wife, I’d have stayed out of it."
She blinked. "You... you want to send back?"
Jas nodded. "And catch Yvette."
Her eyes narrowed. "Are you trying to act like so hero, saving in front of my husband?"
"No, that’s not it," Jas said. "I just want to wash my hands of this ss. I’m a victim too. Yvette Windsor trapped to get to you."
The truck was still stuck. "What now, boss?" the driver asked.
"Let’s walk," Jas said, but his gaze fell on Lyra’s bare feet.
He crossed his arms, thinking.
...
Back at the cri scene, police scoured the area for evidence.
A wounded woman, the so-called sole witness, sat in the back of an ambulance, receiving treatnt while a police officer took her statent.
Though only she knew how carefully she was playing the part of the victim.
Yvette sobbed uncontrollably, her face swollen and her eyes bruised.
"I was kidnapped and brought here to be sold by those two," she said, pointing to the two bodies lying on the ground.
Truly, she shot them dead when they returned, after leaving her beaten by Jas’s n.
"I heard them calling their boss... um, maybe Jimmy Dolan or Jas Nolan."
She looked at Rowan with a sorrowful expression. "I didn’t get a chance to do anything... they took Mr. Pierce’s wife."
Rowan’s jaw tightened. He turned to Damian, clearly ordering him to find out where Jas Dolan was.
He couldn’t stay calm. His wife had fallen into the hands of an underworld trafficker and gang leader. The man had dared to kidnap her.
Behind the yellow tape, a tall man and a woman just a little shorter than him pushed their way through the crowd.
Lyra wore the worn-out pair of shoes they’d bought from a local outside the cri scene. The sa pair Jas had paid a hundred bucks for.
"Excuse , please make way," Jas muttered, shoving anyone blocking the path.
Lyra noticed Jas carefully shielding her as they pushed through the crowd, keeping her from bumping into anyone.
She caught a glimpse of Damian moving swiftly, clearly carrying out Rowan’s orders.
"Mr. Arthur!" Lyra shouted, waving desperately, hoping he would notice. Jas, seeing that Damian hadn’t heard her, bellowed in his rough voice, "Mr. Arthur... here!"
Damian heard soone calling him from a distance and saw Jas holding Lyra as the crowd jostled around them but he misread the situation.
"Stop that man! He’s the culprit!" he shouted.
The police quickly raised their pistols, advancing cautiously. The crowd scattered in panic, leaving only two behind the yellow line. Jas froze, Lyra stiff at his side, both hands raised.
"No! Don’t shoot—he’s innocent!" Lyra scread, her voice cutting through the chaos.
Damian raised his hand, signaling the officers to hold their fire. He was more worried about his madam’s safety than anything else.
"Madam, it’s okay," he said gently. "We’ll rescue you." He feared Jas might have a sniper trained on his madam.
From afar, Rowan ca running at the sound of the commotion, unable to contain his anger.
"Jas Dolan! You’ve got a death wish. How dare you lay a hand on my wife!" he shouted, his voice rough with rage.
His pistol was in hand, ready to fire. Rowan was a sharpshooter, hitting his target ca easily.
Damian added, "Jas Dolan! You’re surrounded. It’s best you surrender!"
"Damn it," Jas cursed under his breath. "The devil’s here. What now?" he asked Lyra.
Lyra thought hard. She knew Jas was involved, but she had promised to let him go because he’d brought her back.
"W—wait! Don’t shoot!" Lyra shouted, her gaze fixed on Rowan. "I’m with him! He saved !"
Everyone stared in bewildernt. The statent from Yvette completely contradicted what Lyra had just said.
"Yvette Windsor kidnapped —she’s the culprit!" Lyra said.
Then she wiped the sweat from her brow. They were standing under the scorching sun, and she was starting to feel exhausted.
"Jas Dolan is innocent... please!" she begged Rowan to stop, not to hurt Jas.
...
The dic by the ambulance glanced around in confusion, Yvette was nowhere to be seen.
Yvette had believed Jas had already spirited Lyra away by boat, but they’d doubled back, and she was about to be exposed.
She slipped away, limping and clutching at the pain in her side.
She pried open the police-secured cache, grabbed a rifle, and hauled herself to a second-floor window.
From the dark fra, she watched them below, drawing a slow breath to steady the barrel—her aim shaky with one swollen, bruised eye.
"You’ll die, bitch," she hissed, and lined the shot for Lyra’s heart.
"Crack! Crack! Crack!" Three sudden, sharp cracks echoed from the abandoned house.
Yvette laughed, certain she had hit her mark.
Rowan’s blood ran cold. His heart slamd against his ribs as he lunged toward her. Horror clawed at him as he saw blood gushing across the ground.
The police froze for a split second, stunned by the shots, before springing into action. They spotted Yvette and returned fire.
Yvette fell from the second-floor window, landing in the overgrown grass below. The officers crept closer. "dic!" one of them shouted.
Reviews
All reviews (0)