Page 97 of Widow Mayker

I removed the blindfold from her eyes and let her scope our surroundings.

“What? Where are we?” she asked. Seconds later, it dawned on her. She squealed with delight and jumped into my arms. “Wait! What does this mean?” She leaned back and searched my eyes.

Kissing her lips, I said, “It means that Sergeant Winston is here for good. It means that I’m willing to do whatever I have to do to make us official.”

Tears coated her eyes. “Are you serious?”

I caught the tears that slipped. “Yes, baby, I am. While I wait for you to accept my proposal, I’m gon’ already be in position to take my place on the farm.”

Shyah’s arms tightened around my neck, and I picked her up to let her wrap her legs around me.

“I’m ready,” she professed. “I accept!”

Laughing, I placed her on her feet. “I’m supposed to get down on one knee.”

She cupped my face. “Since the day we met, you’ve been on one knee. So, like I said, I accept.”

Ecstatic, I picked her back up and twirled her around. I was sure everyone within a block’s radius heard and felt my baby’s joy.

VONSHAE

EPILOGUE

“Detective Gunner, how is your office handling the rise of murders tied to Officer Raphael Chalmers?”

Raphael Chalmers was murdered long before I became a detective. However, his murder was the first of my suspect’s bodies. Chalmers killed his girlfriend, Cassidy, and would’ve likely walked had he faced a jury. With that knowledge, I revisited every murder tied to my suspect. What I uncovered unsettled me. So much so that I harbored feelings that no detective should’ve harbored. I was on the side of the law, but what happened when the law wasn’t on the side of the people?

“Our office is handling the homicides as best as we can. This killer is very sophisticated, very methodical, and very intelligent. A killer like that is hard to apprehend.”

“Do you think these murders will remain cold forever?”

“Unless our killer makes a mistake, they’re likely to roam the free world for the rest of their lives.

The smell of Maja’s perfume, and the sound of her soft voice telling me she loved me brought me to. My whole body felt like it had been hit by a train, but when I opened my eyes, I didn’t give a fuck about any of that shit. The woman laying by my side and smiling down at me was my focus. She kissed my lips, and her tears fell on my face. That feeling soothed me.

“I have a confession,” I stated. My voice was rough from lack of usage. I wasn’t sure how long I’d been out, but it was long enough for Maja’s eyes to wear the brunt of her sorrow.

She wiped her tears and said, “What’s that?”

“I wasn’t close to catching you.”

Her watery eyes searched mine, and she almost slipped away from me.

“Don’t do that,” I urged her. “I promised you that I would protect you forever, and I meant that. I love you. All of you. Past, present, and future.”

She licked her lips, then measured her words. “Then you won’t mind if I tell you…that they’re all dead? Jerell, his crew… I…”

Chuckling hurt my chest a little, but I did so anyway. “I expected nothing less, baby.” My smile faded, and I stared into her eyes. “You love me?”

“I do.” She sniffled and revealed, “We’re having a baby.”

“‘Bout time. Now lay down and rest. You safe, mama.”

Maja seemed to exhale a pent-up breath before laying her head on my chest. I closed my eyes and went back to sleep, too. I’d deal with my family and everyone else after I prayed and made some declarations with the man upstairs.

March…

“Congratulations on tying the knot.” I dapped Lewis and brought him in for a brotherly hug. “I’m proud of you, bruh.”