Page 4 of Silent Prayer

"Eddie Mills," Sheila whispered, her heart pounding.

"I wondered when you'd find me," he said, his tired eyes suddenly alert.

For a heartbeat, they stood frozen, eyes locked in the hallway of the nursing home. The bouquet of flowers in Eddie's hand trembled slightly, betraying his nervousness.

In that moment, the weight of Sheila's long quest crashed over her. For years, she'd been haunted by her mother's unsolved murder, a case that had driven her to join the sheriff's department. She'd eventually found footage of the car that had fled the property the night of her mother's murder, and she'd tracked the car to its owner, a criminal named Rayland Bax. But Bax hadn't been in the car that night. According to him, a friend of his had been borrowing the vehicle.

Eddie Mills, a local troublemaker with a history of drug abuse.

After months of dead ends, she'd tracked down Eddie's godmother, Estella Wright, hoping for a lead on his whereabouts.

She'd never expected to literally bump into him here at the nursing home, though.

The chance encounter felt like fate, a moment Sheila had both dreaded and longed for. This man might hold the key to unlocking the mystery that had defined her life and career. The air between them crackled with tension, loaded with unspoken accusations and the promise of long-awaited answers.

"You know who I am?" she asked.

"I do." He swallowed, his throat bobbing. The silence stretched taut, ready to snap.

"Why don't we just head down to the station and talk about—"

Before she could finish, Eddie was in motion, hurling the bouquet of flowers at Sheila's face before bolting down the hallway.

Sheila batted away the flowers, petals scattering across the worn linoleum. "Stop! Police!" she shouted, breaking into a run.

Eddie crashed through a set of double doors, knocking over a cart of medical supplies. Sheila leaped over the scattered debris, her boots skidding as she rounded the corner.

Ahead, a group of elderly patients shuffled along, walkers scraping against the floor. Eddie weaved between them, nearly toppling an old man. Sheila slowed, carefully maneuvering through the group.

"Excuse me, sorry," she muttered, trying not to lose sight of her quarry.

As she broke free of the cluster, a nurse pushing a wheelchair appeared from a side room. Sheila swerved, her shoulder clipping the doorframe. She gritted her teeth against the pain and pushed on.

Eddie glanced back, his eyes wild. He reached a stack of boxes and sent them tumbling. But Sheila didn't slow. She vaulted over the falling cardboard, landing hard but maintaining her momentum.

She wasn't going to let this bastard get away. Not now, not after all the years of waiting and wondering.

Ahead, a door marked "Parking Garage" loomed. Eddie slammed into it, disappearing from view. Sheila burst through seconds later, the cool air of the garage a shock after the stuffy hallways.

She skidded to a stop, scanning the dimly lit space. Concrete pillars cast long shadows, and the acrid smell of exhaust hung in the air.

Eddie was nowhere in sight.

"Damn it," Sheila muttered, straining to hear any sound of movement. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her heart thundering in her ears. She was so close to answers about her mother's death. She couldn't lose him now.

A sudden screech of tires echoed through the garage. Sheila spun toward the sound just as headlights blazed to life, blinding her. A car engine roared, and the vehicle lurched forward, bearing down on her.

Sheila's training kicked in. She dove to the side, feeling the rush of air as the car missed her by inches. She hit the ground hard, rolling to absorb the impact.

In an instant, she was back on her feet, her weapon drawn. But the car was already speeding away, tires squealing as it took a corner. Sheila knew she didn't have a clear shot.

Instead, she focused on the retreating vehicle, burning the license plate into her memory. JRK 4729.

I got you, you bastard,she thought.

***

Sheila slumped into the chair across from Finn's desk, exhaustion finally catching up with her. The adrenaline from her encounter with Eddie had worn off, leaving her drained.

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