Page 39 of Till Death Do Us Part

The couple both smiled in awe at this little gem they had found. They truly were lucky.

"Oh, wait, I almost forgot, the real estate agent said, holding a finger in the air. "The cabin in the back."

He began walking to the back door, and they followed him. "It's this cute little thing set down by the river banks. It can easily be turned into a mother-in-law suite if you like. It even has plumbing. You could easily set up a small kitchen, and boom, you would have an Airbnb and create some additional income, or just let friends live there. It even has views of the river. Let me show you."

He slowly pushed his way through the waist-high grass, the family of soon-to-be three following behind. The cicadas hummed a rhythm in the humid air as the wife spotted a squirrel scurrying up an old oak tree. They stopped at the edge of a small clearing, and there before them stood a rustic cabin, its chipped paint and aging wood made even more beautiful by the hint of sunlight peeking through the branches above. It needed a new roof, but that would be easily done.

The real estate agent stepped forward and grabbed hold of the door handle; it creaked slightly as he opened it. He took one step into the room, then froze. The couple moved closer behind him, standing next to him with matching smiles on their faces—that is, until they saw what had caused him to stop suddenly.

The wife gasped; her hand flew to her mouth, and she screamed.

Chapter32

Ishuffled into the precinct, my steps echoing off the walls. As I arrived at Chief Annie's office, I heard raised voices coming from inside. Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door.

“Come in,” she said sharply. She had been on the phone and put it down.

When I entered her office, I could see her lips were pressed into a thin line, and her forehead was creased with worry. She motioned toward a chair, and without even needing to hear what was wrong, I knew it wasn't good. I feared it had to do with the fact that I hadn’t been able to find John Baker. I felt like a failure.

"What's going on?"

"They've found something in an abandoned house in Snug Harbor in the south part of town," she said, her voice low. "I need you and Matt to go check it out."

I stared at her, surprised. “What did they find?”

“A body. That’s all I know. Some real estate agent was about to show the house to his clients and found him inside the back cabin.”

I could feel the adrenaline already coursing through my veins. I stood up and left her office, ready to race to the scene. As I left, I could hear Chief Annie's final words ringing in my ears.

"Be careful, and call for backup if you need it."

I didn't waste any time. I told Matt to come with me, and we hurried to my car and sped off toward Snug Harbor. When we arrived, I saw police cars and officers swarming around the abandoned house. I quickly parked and hurried across the yard toward the small cabin in the back. Matt came rushing behind me.

My heart sank as I saw the blood on the floor. It was everywhere, staining the wooden boards a deep crimson. As I stepped closer, I could see the handprints and smears where someone had tried to crawl away. I could feel the weight of the situation threatening to pull me under, but I pushed it aside.

I lifted my gaze and saw the stretcher being wheeled out, a man lying on it. My heart stopped as I recognized him.

It was John Baker. He was still alive, someone told me, as they rushed him out the door and into the ambulance.

I watched the ambulance pull away, sirens blaring as it raced toward the hospital. My mind was racing with questions.

But there was one thought that stood out above all the rest. I hoped he survived. Not because I cared about him but because I wanted him to pay for what he did to his wife.

Rachel was my friend, and seeing what John did to her broke my heart. They had children together, young ones who would miss their mother terribly and never recover from losing her. She had been so full of life, so full of hope and ambition. But John had taken all that away from her.

I knew that if John survived, he would have to face the consequences of his actions. He would have to stand trial for what he did to Rachel. I was going to make sure of it. And I wanted to be there to see it happen.

As I stood there, watching the police gather evidence and the paramedics pack up their equipment, I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. We got him. John Baker was caught, and justice would be served. It may not bring Rachel back, but it was a small comfort to know that her killer would face the punishment he deserved.

I turned to leave the abandoned house, my mind still reeling from what I had seen. But as I stepped out into the sunlight, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Relief that John Baker was still alive. Relief that he would face trial for his crimes. And relief that Rachel's memory would be honored by his punishment.

Chapter33

The wind howled outside, and Elyse Winters looked worrisomely at the window, then sighed.

"Continue, Mommy, why did you stop?" her son Charlie said.

She looked at her boy, then smiled gently. Then, she continued to read the story. It was already the third book, and she had told him it was the last one of the night, and then it was time to sleep. Her phone lit up, warning of a severe thunderstorm approaching, and she could hear the thunder rumbling in the distance as it slowly grew closer to her small mobile home. She could feel the tension building inside her but tried to shake it and focus on tucking in her son. Lightning flashed nearby, lighting up the entire room, and she jumped, startling her son.

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