Page 61 of Hidden Shadows
A second of silence passed, and nothing. No response. No movement.
Finleytook a small step forward. “Beth?”
The same thing. The woman was just standing there, unnaturally still, arms hanging by her sides.
Ice slipped over Finley’s skin, penetrating deep inside her right down to her bones, but it had nothing to do with the snow outside. “Beth, are you—”
The woman turned—and the air caught in Finley’s throat, nausea immediately churning in her gut.
Blood…it soaked Beth’s white shirt. Someone had stabbed her. Or shot her. Finley wasn’t sure which. All she knew was that the woman had an open wound on her stomach. And her eyes, they were so blank, like there was no life in her.
“Wh…what happened?”
Beth stepped forward. “You did this.”
Finley shook her head, her feet stumbling back a step. “No. I—”
“You came here, knowing you had a stalker. You led him straight to me.”
Nausea crawled up her throat, choking her. “I didn’t mean—”
“But you still did.”
Finley shook her head and closed her eyes. “No. This isn’t real. You’re not real.”
“I am.”
“No.” She continued to shake her head, refusing to glance up. Refusing to look at the woman in front of her.
“Look at what you’ve done. Finley—look at me!”
“No!” She screamed louder, the raw pain grinding at her throat. “You’re not real! You’re not Beth. Stay away from me!”
“Finley!”
When hands grabbed her arms, she pushed and shoved, twisting her body, begging to be released.
She needed to get away. To find Nixon. She needed him to confirm this wasn’t real. Tell her everything would be okay.
The world was darkening around her when the voice twisted into something different. Something deeper. Calmer.
“Finley, you’re safe. Please stop, you’re gonna hurt yourself, honey.”
Safe…there was that word again. And it came from Nixon.
Her eyes opened to find there was no trailer. No Beth with vacant eyes in front of her. Finley wasn’t at the fair at all. She was in bed with Nixon. His fingers were wrapped around her arms, and there was so much concern on his face.
“Beth’s not okay. And it’s my fault!” Tears she couldn’t stop built in her eyes. “It’s my fault Beth’s gone. He took her—I can feel it!”
Suddenly, she was tugged up and into Nixon’s lap, her legs on either side of him. The second his arms came around her, she let every pent-up emotion release from her like a wave. The frustration. The anger. The fear and the guilt. All of it just came out as the tears rolled down her cheeks. She cried so long and so hard that her chest ached. Until she had nothing left.
Nixon remained silent the entire time, just holding her. Giving her everything with his gentle touch.
When the tears finally stopped falling, and any sounds that had been tearing from her chest silenced, he pulled back, his hands on her upper arms. “Even if she is in trouble, this isn’t your fault. Nothing that has happened involving this asshole is your fault. It’s all onhim. Do you understand me?”
He’d said that before, but God, it was hard to believe. It felt like it was all on her. “If I hadn’t come here—”
“If hedidtake her? Then if you hadn’t come, he would have just found another way to torment you. Another person to hurt trying to reach you. Because that’s what sick assholes do. They use whatever means they can to destroy you.”
