AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sheila bounced on the balls of her feet, fists raised, ready for his next move. Reeves feinted left, then lunged right, the candlestick whistling through the air. Sheila sidestepped, but not quite fast enough. The edge of the candlestick caught her shoulder, sending a jolt of pain down her arm.
She gritted her teeth, refusing to let the pain slow her down. As Reeves pulled back for another swing, Sheila saw an opening. She stepped in close, inside his guard, and drove her knee up into his midsection. Reeves doubled over, but as Sheila tried to back away, he wrapped his arms around her waist, tackling her to the ground.
They hit the asphalt hard, the impact knocking the wind out of Sheila. Reeves was on top of her, his weight pinning her down. The candlestick lay forgotten nearby as he wrapped his hands around her throat. Sheila clawed at his fingers, gasping for air. Her vision began to darken at the edges.
With a surge of desperate strength, Sheila bucked her hips, destabilizing Reeves' position. She managed to get one leg free and hooked it around his torso. Using the leverage, she rolled them over, reversing their positions.
Now on top, Sheila rained down blows, her fists connecting with Reeves' face and chest. But he seemed to feel no pain, hishands still reaching for her, eyes wild with rage and madness. It was almost like he wanted this—he wanted to be punished.
Disgusted, Sheila pushed off him and stood. Reeves scrambled to his feet, coughing, but before he could lunge at Sheila again, a shot rang out. Sheila turned to see Finn, his gun still pointed at the sky.
"It's over, Reeves," Finn said. "On the ground, now."
Reeves looked from Finn to Sheila, then to Megan. For a moment, Sheila thought he might try to run. But then, like a puppet with its strings cut, he collapsed to his knees.
"I was so close," he mumbled. "So close to completing the cleansing..."
As Finn moved in to handcuff Reeves, Sheila went to check on Megan. The young woman was shaking, tears streaming down her face.
"It's okay," Sheila said softly, putting an arm around her. "You're safe now. It's over."
In the distance, Sheila could hear sirens approaching. Backup was on its way. As she watched Finn lead Reeves to their car, a wave of relief washed over her. They had done it. They had caught the Coldwater Confessor.
But as she looked at Megan, still trembling beside her, Sheila knew the effects of Reeves' actions would linger long after he was behind bars. The healing process for Coldwater was just beginning.
And Sheila vowed to herself that she would be there every step of the way, helping her town recover from the nightmare it had endured. Because that's what she did. That's who she was.
A protector. A seeker of justice. A guardian of Coldwater.
And as the emergency vehicles, Sheila knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, she was ready to face them. For herself, for the victims, and for the town she had sworn to protect.
EPILOGUE
The morning sun cast a warm glow over Coldwater as Sheila stood on the steps of the police station, watching the last of the reporters drive away.
Well, that took forever,she thought, sighing.
The press conference had been grueling, but necessary. The town needed to know that the nightmare was over, that the Coldwater Confessor had been caught.
Sheila felt a presence beside her and turned to see Finn, two steaming cups of coffee in his hands. He offered her one, which she accepted gratefully.
"How are you holding up?" he asked, his voice gentle.
Sheila took a sip of coffee before answering. "Honestly? I'm not sure. It doesn't feel real yet."
They stood in companionable silence for a moment, watching the town slowly come to life. After days of fear and suspicion, people were finally emerging from their homes, tentatively reclaiming their streets and routines.
"You know," Finn said, breaking the silence, "I've been thinking about what Dawson said. About the department looking for a permanent replacement for Natalie."
Sheila tensed slightly at the mention of her sister's name. "What about it?"
Finn turned to face her, his expression serious. "I think you should go for it, Sheila. You'd make an amazing sheriff."
Sheila shook her head, a rueful smile on her face. "I'm not Natalie, Finn. I never have been."
"No, you're not," Finn agreed. "You're Sheila. And that's more than good enough. Look at how you handled this case. Your instincts, your determination—they're exactly what this town needs."
Sheila felt a lump forming in her throat. She turned away, blinking back unexpected tears. "I don't know if I'm ready for that kind of responsibility."
