Page 150 of Fought and Freed

“Why?” she asked in confusion.

Didn’t she just go to sleep? And wasn’t Jace with her?

Damn, that pill knocked her out.

“Because you’ve been sleeping for over twelve hours,” Ryder breathed against her ear.

Her eyes popped open. “What?”

She turned and looked out her window to find it bright and sunny outside.

“You have some guests downstairs.” Ryder sat back. “Officer Bryant and Officer Rivera asked to speak to you.”

“Shit, did they find something new? Do you think they arrested Scott?” She slid her legs out of bed. “Can you find me a pair of socks and leggings?”

“Sure.”

With help from Ryder, Maddy dressed and brushed her hair.

He stopped her at the top of the steps. “Before we go down, I want to warn you that the officers aren’t the only ones down there. A lot has happened since you fell asleep.”

Who else was there?

Maddy took a deep breath and walked downstairs.

When she reached the living room, the same officers from the hospital stood waiting for her.

Confused, she looked back at Ryder. “I thought you said…”

Then, she heard a baby cry, and she smiled. “E.J.”

“They’re in the basement so you can talk to the officers,” Ryder told her. “Do you want me to stay with you? Or I can join them downstairs.”

“Please stay.” She stepped closer to the officers.

“Ms. Walsh.” Officer Bryant nodded at her in greeting. “We’re sorry to wake you, but we had some developments in your case, and we wanted to inform you immediately.”

“Please, take a seat.” She waved to the couch.

They sat.

“Last night, Cody Anderson called to inform us that he received a call from his brother,” Officer Bryant said. “Skylar Anderson overheard a call from Amber Schulz to one Scott Lang. Skylar was concerned that Amber and Scott were involved in your accident.”

Officer Rivera took over. “We were waiting for the prints we found in the truck that hit you to come back before we confronted to them. When the prints came back, they belonged to Scott.”

Maddy’s eyes widened. So, Scott did hit her. He was an ass, but she didn’t think he’d go that far?

Officer Rivera continued. “When we picked him up, he spilled the beans. Amber Shultz paid him to hit you hard enough to kill you. She wanted you out of the picture. She thought that if you weren’t here, she and Mr. Skylar Anderson would become a happy family.”

Maddy shook her head at Amber’s stupidity. Even if she wasn’t in the picture, Skylar would never give up Jace to be with her.

“We arrested Scott and have Ms. Shultz on watch while she recovers from having a baby,” Officer Bryant said. “When she’s released later today, she’ll be sent straight to jail. Neither one will get out soon.”

“She never hid that she hated me, but enough to kill me? And Scott…” Maddy stared at them in bewilderment. “Why did he do it?”

“He didn’t give a reason beyond the money,” Officer Bryant said.

Ryder wrapped a hand around Maddy’s. “Thank you, officers, for coming down and telling us about your findings.”

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