Page 56 of Lake House Killer

The room breaks out into dark murmurs as if Lydia’s name were verboten at the event. I can see why it would make them uncomfortable.

Jewel’s face burns a bright shade of crimson as she glares down at Jack and me.

She pulls the microphone down to her chest before uttering something unintelligible to Damien, but I catch the last two words, your involvement.

Judging by the expressions of the other panelists, it looks as if it was a nasty remark from beginning to end.

Damien’s eyes widen her way and there’s a note of fear in them. He looks caught off-guard, uncertain of what to do next. He jumps to his feet and the table hitches onto his waist before tipping this way, sending the books that were sitting on it scattering to the floor.

The room breaks out into gasps.

Damien bolts to the right side of the stage and disappears behind the curtain.

Jewel grabs the tote bag on the seat behind her and disappears behind the curtain as well just before a gunshot rings out.

36

Special Agent Fallon Baxter

Screams erupt as the audience scrambles in a desperate rush toward the exits. Chairs topple and people stumble over each other in their haste to escape immediate danger, right here in the auditorium behind the community center.

Jack heads for the stairs leading up to the stage, but I manage to leap onto it straight from the ground level. I dart to the right and find a door gaping open that leads to the dark night outside.

Jewel can be seen chasing a dark figure across a dirt field and it looks as if they’re headed toward the lake.

I run as fast as my legs can carry me, the cold air burning my lungs, and each breath is sharper than the last. The ground beneath my feet is uneven as dirt kicks up as I push myself harder.

Just up ahead, Jewel’s figure becomes clearer, her movements desperate and erratic as she chases Damien toward the shimmering surface of the lake.

The moonlight casts a soft glow across the field and I pull out my gun as we get close to the water’s edge. I can hear Jack’s footfalls gaining ground behind me. My heart pounds in my ears as adrenaline courses through my veins like a wildfire.

“Stop, FBI,” I shout just as another gunshot goes off and I see Damien’s body buck in the darkness before he crumples to the ground.

I go to tackle Jewel from behind, but my foot catches on a root and I land sideways onto a bed of rocks, hitting my head as my gun jumps from my hand and scatters to the right.

In one monstrous move, Jewel swoops in and drags me to my feet, and soon the barrel of her gun is pressed hard against my temple.

“Jewel, drop the gun.” Jack’s command is forceful as his voice echoes across the expanse, his own gun poised in this direction

“We know you took Nikki. We have all the evidence we need,” I pant.

“Shut up,” she screams so loud my bones shake. “And you had better drop your weapon, mister,” she growls at Jack. “Because I am not afraid to die, and I’m not afraid to take your friend along with me.”

Jack gives a sober nod before lowering his weapon and landing it at his feet.

My eyes close because it’s the last thing I wanted to see.

“Is Damien dead?” Jewel thunders as she glances at the lake. “Because he did this. This was his doing you know. He wanted me to kidnap Lydia. He wanted me to take that girl, too. It was all his doing. He orchestrated all of it. He even had me set up his neighbor. It was Damien who set fire to the hedges a few months back. He blamed Owen in hopes of getting him to move. He’s an intimidator. A manipulator. He makes people do things. He wanted Nora silenced.”

“Is that why you killed her?” Jack asks. “The neighbor, Connie Pickman, said she heard two women in the yard the day Nora died. That was you, wasn’t it?”

That couldn’t be further from the truth. Connie Pickman said no such thing. But good move on Jack’s part if it works in our favor.

“Yes.” Jewel’s entire body shivers as she says it. “It’s true. He made me do it. He made me do everything. He wanted Lydia dead, too, and for the blame to fall on Owen.”

Jack’s forefinger on his left hand twitches as if pointing up. His eyes dart left for less than a microsecond.

I try to glance that way as far as I’m allowed without moving my head, but I don’t see anything. And aside from Jewel’s ragged breaths, I can’t tell if anyone is moving behind me either.

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