Page 75 of They Will Fall

Mrs. Crane walks toward me with tearstained cheeks and bloodied knuckles. She stops at my side, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. “Make him hurt.” Then she disappears up the ladder.

I watch Mr. Crane for a second, waiting to see if he begs for his life. His cold eyes are dead set on me. Every couple seconds he blinks, making it known he’s still alive.

I take a step toward him, then another, still watching. Still waiting. He finally opens his mouth to speak. “Well. What the hell are you waiting for?”

I shrug my shoulders, one hand gripping the gun in my pocket. “Just trying to decide if I wanna make this quick, or torture you a bit first.”

He turns his head and hacks up some blood, then spits it straight out in front of him. “Or maybe you’re just too much of a coward.”

I pull the gun out, my hand trembling as I raise it in the air.

“Go ahead,” he taunts me. “Pull the trigger.”

With a jerky finger set on the trigger, I count down in my head.

Ten.

Nine.

Eight.

Seven.

Six.

A raspy laugh climbs up his throat. He coughs and spits again. “Seems I forgot the most cowardly Pemberley member of all when I took the others out. Always knew I should’ve tracked you down and put a bullet between your eyes.” The venom in his tone is enlightening. It settles any question in my mind I could have had about my decision here. He means every single word. They aren’t out of desperation to die; they are out of a sickness within him.

With the cold steel gun in my trembling hand, my arm stretches outward, pointing directly at his heart. I've killed before, but never with such a personal connection. “Too bad you missed your chance.” My tone is stoic—empty of any emotion.

One.

I watch as the bullet fades into his chest, a pool of blood spilling out onto his shirt. His eyes go wide before settling into a blank stare. “How’s that for a coward?” I ask his corpse.

It’s finally over.

CHAPTER27

MADDOX

Three Days Later

Stanley Crane is gone.The nightmare has ended, and I don’t feel an ounce of sadness. Will I miss the man I thought he was? Of course, I’m only human. But that man didn’t exist. He was a figment of my imagination, built on manipulation and lies. The world is a better place without him in it, and I’m a better man without him in my life.

After Lev fulfilled his assignment, there was just one more thing he had to do, and being his best friend, I accompanied him. Stood by his side as he used the last bullet in my dad’s gun to end the life of Dr. Edmonds—another monstrous man who was a waste of skin and air.

Lev finally got the justice and closure he’s sought so desperately for, for years. The book of his past is closed, and we’re all ready to live in the present while soaking up each moment we have with our girl.

“Do you hear them?” Riley says, speaking about the students who fill the coffee shop. “They’re all looking at us. Laughing and whispering. We’re a fucking joke to them.”

News traveled fast about everything that went down. How my dad went on a killing spree and we were all tangled in his web. It’s only natural that people would gossip and begin to spread their own versions of what happened. Hell, I’d do the same. But it’s still annoying as fuck.

“Just ignore them,” Lev says. “Give it a week and they’ll be gossiping about something else.”

Ridge sticks a forkful of pancake in his mouth, talking as he chews. “I can give them something to talk about. A new murder mystery to try and solve.”

“Don’t you dare.” Riley scoffs. “It’s way too soon to jump into that ring of fire again.”

“Fiiiiine.” Ridge drags out the word. “I’ll be on my best behavior.” He gives her a wink. “For now.”

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