Page 260 of Unravelling The Beast

When it rings, it feels like he is taking forever to answer, and I become frustrated.

“Fucking pick up!”

Suddenly he answers, and I exhale a big breath.

“Wren?”

“Jasper, you need to come back now!”

“What's wrong? Why do you sound like that?”

“That cop has Arlo tied to a chair, and he is being beaten badly!”

“What!?”

“The house is doused in gasoline! Please hurry!”

A tear rolls down my eye, and my stomach is in knots.

“He's going to kill him, Jasp!”

“I'm stuck in traffic quite far away, but I'm leaving my car right now and running to you! Don't enter the fucking house, Wren, whatever you do!”

He hangs up the phone, and I shove the clip back into the gun before cocking it back and wiping the tears from my face. I close the trunk, shove the phone into my back pocket again, and make my way outside.

I continue the path around until I'm at the back of the house again, and I peek into the window.

“You and your pathetic business killed my fucking daughter!”

When the cop shouts, my brows pinch, not knowing what the hell he is talking about. He points the baseball bat in Arlo's face, swaying back and forth before continuing.

“You should die. After everything you've fucking done, it should have been you buried, not her!”

I can sense he is drunk, which only gives me confidence in this situation and I don't hear Arlo speak a word, but he is definitely still awake because of his head movements.

“This is your karma, Arlo!”

When he raises the bat again, my heart crashes, and I swiftly slide the door open and scream while aiming my gun.

“DON'T!”

He turns his head and looks straight at me while I notice Arlo lifting his head.

“Put the bat down, and I won't shoot you.”

I take more hesitant steps forward, and he gazes at me before laughing and swinging the bat down his side.

“You're not going to do that, sweetheart.”

I narrow my watery eyes and aim my gun more before speaking through gritted teeth.

“Try me.”

My body is trembling, but if I have to kill a cop to save the love of my fucking life, there's no doubt in my mind that I will do it.

“You should get out of here; the place is covered in gasoline.”

“I'll give you the count of three.”

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