Page 97 of Hunted, Season Three

“And clearly, you bein’ in Wayland’s favorite fuckaway, proves it.”

“I-”

“And I knew from the get go you were nothin’ but a lying, cheatin’, fuckin’ city slut who-”

“Is being fucking held against her will!”

Her chapped mouth abruptly freezes open.

“I’m aprisoner, Jolene.”Rattling the bars precedes me pointing down to where it’s locked.“I’m not in here by choice.”

“Ohmygod…”

“They kidnapped me from Posie’s shop-”

“I thought that was jus’ town goss.”

“-and are holding me hostage-”

“That can’t be…right.”

“-and are planning to put me on a helicopter to get me out of town.”

“We ain’t got no place for a helicopter to land or-”

“Focus,” I hiss, quickly recapturing the conversation.“Do you have your phone on you?”

Pulling it from her jacket pocket is accompanied by a muted, “Always.”

“Call Nolan.Or Kipp.Or Post.Or fuck –anyone– in town that can reach them and tell them where I am and to come get me.”

She swiftly nods and wakes up her screen.

“Go,” is unintentionally barked.“Move and dial.Get back to the office.Lock yourself up.Don’t let them see or catch you.”

One more nod is all that precedes her shuffling the opposite direction from which she came, fingers frantically moving, desperate to follow my orders, so anxious to do the right thing that she doesn’t notice Beverly standing in the opening, swinging her weapon bearing hand upwards towards Jolene’s thin shirt covered abdomen.

“Nooooooooo!” I fiercely scream as she crumples forward, the phone lifelessly falling to the ground.

“Annabelle failed to mention we wouldn’t bealoneon the property,” announces Beverly at the same time she sadistically stomps on the device.“Ohwell.At least she left tools around for me to use at my disposal.”Holding Jolene’s shoulder while yanking the bloody object out of her prevents the woman from fighting back during a second stab.“I’ll tell the team they need to do another sweep of the property before I have my morning tea.”An unmistakable smirk slips onto her face.“I had not planned for more messes to be cleaned up.”This time she not only stabs her a third time, she firmly holds it there, leading her towards me like a fish that never expected to be hooked.“I warned that incompetent Sheriff about doing things the easy way,the clean way– if you will – yet he refused.”Her slitted stare shifts to me, stumbling me backwards.“All to protectyou.”

Tears callously clump together in my throat, preventing me from speaking.

“Youare the reason his pathetic little town will be filled with funerals instead of weddings.”She slams Jolene’s twitching body against the lock of my prison.“Did you really think this wasn’t going to happen?”Blood begins soaking itself past her wrist, a point she easily ignores much like Jolene’s airy croaks.“Did you really think I was going to let some backwoods Barbie keep me from gettingmybaby out of this shithole?”In one fluid motion, she yanks the tool out, allowing the poor woman to slump to the cold floor.“Are you really that incredibly dense?”The crimson coated item is flung in my direction, fresh red droplets landing inside my stable.“I took yourparentsout of the equation in order for my precious boy to simply haveyou.”She devilishly grins during her fold forward.“Do you really think I would be above doingworsefor our unborn child?Our unborn child that better not bedefectivelike you but perfect like him.”

Disbelief crinkles my brow.

Cuts off my oxygen.

Bobs my jaw as I croak out, “No…they…they died before we were ever together.”

“No,” Beverly correctively wags, “they died before youagreedto be together.”

Shock renders me completely speechless.

“He knew what he wanted, what he justhad to have,and I got it for him, like a good mommy should.”An undeniably vindictive grin is given alongside her face resting on the bars.“Which is something you’ll never get the chance to be.”

Fury and resentment and resolve obliterate the lingering fear forcing me to swallow my sadness.

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