Page 92 of Little Shattered Dreams

“My desire to help every single woman who’s ever come to the retreat to make a better life for themselves has always been genuine.”

“Every woman except one,” I said.

“I am the same person you thought I was before now. You’ve seen my employees. You’ve interacted with them. They’re different people now. Better people. And it’s all because of me.”

“Or is it all because of Karl, and you’re taking all the credit?”

She shook a fist at me. “I’m serious about helping people. This place, it means everything to me. My employees served their time for the crimes they committed. They all deserve a fresh start. Quinn didn’t spend a single night in a jail cell after the trial ended. Where’s the justice in that?”

“Is that why you killed her, to exact justice?” I asked.

“I gave her the sentence she’s always deserved. Sometimes the law fails you. When it does, you must take things into your own hands.”

She was delusional.

“Was it always your plan to kill Clara?” I asked.

“I never meant to harm a hair on that precious woman’s head.”

“So why did you?”

“I thought I had everything figured out. A way to kill Quinn, dispose of the murder weapon. It seemed like a good plan. I even expected I could fool you. But here you are.”

“Yes, here I am,” I said. “Who’s the fool now?”

“You’re the fool if you’re dead.”

As gunfire was exchanged, Karl sprinted into the room, throwing himself in front of me. In doing so, he caught the bullet that was meant for me—but Grace would have missed me anyway.

He aim was as sad as her soul.

My aim on the other hand was spot on.

Grace collapsed to the ground next to Karl.

Moments later, Foley rushed in, his officers behind him.

The moment I’d figured it all out, I’d called him. He’d done what I expected he’d do and asked me to wait to speak to Grace until he arrived. And I’d done what he expected from me, confronting her before she had the chance to flee.

Grace murdered Quinn and Clara, but she left many unanswered questions.

Questions that I still needed to be resolved.

CHAPTER49

Karl had a significant chest wound, but he would survive, as would Grace, which satisfied me. I was certain she’d be convicted and spend the remainder of her life behind bars, which is what she deserved—not just for killing Quinn and Clara—but also for attacking my mother.

Over the next several days, more details emerged as Grace made a full confession. After Lori Parker’s suicide, Grace was angry, and she needed somewhere to channel the uncontrollable amount of rage she was carrying around. She started attending spiritual retreats, thinking if she immersed herself in them, she could find a way to move past the loss of her best friend and godson.

It worked for a while, and then the past came flooding back, and Grace would find herself thinking about Lori, the one person she needed most in life. And the anger she’d worked so hard to suppress would creep its way back in, and she’d start searching for Quinn again.

It took many years, but in the end, Grace found Quinn in the simplest of ways. Quinn had returned home to attend her aunt’s funeral months before. I imagine she must have assumed so much time had passed, no one would care to dredge up the past again.

She was wrong.

Grace had kept tabs on Quinn’s family over the years, waiting for the moment Quinn would slip up, and slip up she did.

Grace attended the funeral, slipping into a pew in the back without anyone knowing the real reason she was there. After it was over, she followed Quinn back home. Once she had her address, she did a little research and she discovered the woman was no longer going by the name of Brynn.

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