AllFreeNovel
Share Us
With a final tug, Sheila pulled out a small box from the hiding place.The weight of it in her hands sent a shiver down her spine—she knew that whatever was inside could very well provide them with the answers they so desperately sought.
"I have no idea what that is," Edward said.Judging by the look on his face, Sheila suspected he was telling the truth.
Sheila lifted the lid of the shoebox, her heart pounding in anticipation.Inside, she found an assortment of items that made her stomach churn—jewelry, wedding bands, watches, and similar items.
As she rifled through the contents, a particular watch caught her eye.It was a meticulously crafted gold piece, with an engraving on the inside: "To RH from JH, with Love."A cold shiver ran down her spine as realization set in.It must have been a gift from Jane Hubbard to Roy Hubbard.
Which meant Ben had to be the killer.
"Looks like he's been keeping trophies," Sheila muttered under her breath, her hands shaking slightly.Her thoughts raced with anger and determination.She couldn't let this monster escape justice.
"Hey, Sheila!"Finn's voice interrupted her thoughts, urgency lacing his tone."Someone spotted Ben's vehicle a few miles from here.I managed to track his phone, too, but they're in different locations."
"Which one do we go after?"Sheila asked.
"We'll have to split up," Finn decided, his eyes locked on hers with steely resolve."I'll go after the vehicle—you follow the phone."
"Alright."Sheila nodded, scanning the room for anything else that might be of use.
She then turned to Edward, who had been watching them in stunned silence."Do you have a car I can borrow?"she asked.
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
The moon hung low in the sky, casting an eerie glow on the barren landscape as Sheila drove Edward Burton's beat-up old Camaro down the silent country road, heading toward the address where Ben Burton's phone was located.The gnarled branches of leafless trees reached out like twisted fingers, while the wind howled through the vast expanse of dry, cracked earth.
As Sheila drove, she found her thoughts turning to her sister, wondering where Natalie could be and whether she was alright.
"Come on, Natalie," she muttered under her breath as she dialed her sister's number for what seemed like the hundredth time.But once again, all she got was Natalie's voicemail.She clenched her jaw, frustration mounting alongside her fear.
Lost in thoughts of Natalie and the danger that lay ahead, Sheila didn't notice when her GPS announced the upcoming turn.It wasn't until the robotic voice urged her to make a legal u-turn that she snapped back to the present.
"Damn it!"she said, slamming on the brakes and bringing the car to a shuddering halt in the middle of the road.She shifted into reverse, backed up, and then swung the car onto the correct path.She floored the accelerator, determined not to waste another second.The tires squealed in protest, but the engine roared to life, propelling her forward.The GPS informed her that the house would be on her right in a few hundred feet.
Please, let me get there in time, before someone else gets hurt,she thought desperately, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the steering wheel.The weight of responsibility bore down on her, threatening to crush her beneath its burden.But she refused to give in to the pressure.She had trained her entire life for moments like these—high stakes situations that demanded every ounce of strength, skill, and determination she possessed.
Before long, the GPS notified her that she had reached her destination.As she slowed the Camaro to a stop, she peered through the darkness at the solitary house in front of her.She noticed a vehicle parked haphazardly at the edge of the road—a battered, mud-splattered pickup truck that didn't match the description she had been given for Ben's vehicle.
"Damn it," she muttered under her breath, her heart pounding in her chest.She couldn't shake the feeling that Ben was somewhere nearby, lurking in the shadows like a predator stalking its prey.As she continued to study the scene, searching for any signs of movement or danger, her phone rang, making her jump.
"Hello?"she answered, her voice shaky.
"Hey, it's Finn," came the familiar voice on the other end of the line."I followed up on a report about Ben's vehicle, but he wasn't there.I think he abandoned it and got a new one."
Sheila glanced back at the pickup truck, a cold realization dawning on her."Finn, I'm looking at a truck parked near the house right now."
"Which house?"
"The house where Ben's phone is.I think...I think maybe Ben ditched his vehicle and got a new one.Thisone."
"Shit," Finn hissed, his concern palpable even over the phone."Okay, listen to me, Sheila.You need to wait for backup before you do anything.Do you understand?Don't go in there alone."
Sheila said nothing, her gaze fixed on the darkened windows of the house.
"Promise me you won't confront the killer on your own, no matter what," Finn said.
"I'll do my best," she said.
There was a long pause that suggested Finn wasn't entirely happy with this answer."Why don't we just stay on the phone till I get there?"he suggested, and Sheila realized he was worried she'd go in there on her own.
