Breathe (24 page)

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When we pulled up to the dock at the boathouse, there were police cars, fire trucks, and paramedics everywhere. I didn’t see any news vans yet, but they couldn’t be far off. When we got out of the boat, we were swarmed by Easton’s family. They had apparently come down to help with the search. Once Easton found out what was happening, he had called his dad and the word went out. They were all there. I hadn’t meant for all these people to get involved, but it was too late to be embarrassed. I was so grateful no one had been hurt.

I saw the police pull up to the dock in another boat. The Monster was sitting hunched over in handcuffs in the back. The police got him out of the boat, and everyone silently made a path for them to lead him through. He stood tall as if we were all watching a parade in his honor. Easton drew me back and put his arm around my shoulders. As they walked him by me, I looked him right in the eye. He gave me that creepy grin and spoke.

”This isn’t over, Jasmine. It’s just starting. You belong to me.” He looked at Easton with a condescending smile. The policeman behind him shoved him forward.

I shivered and Easton squeezed my shoulder.

“Don’t listen to him, sugar.” Easton hugged me and whispered in my ear.

I nodded.

We got him, and that was all that mattered. He would have no more power over me, my family, or anybody I cared about. He was going to get what he deserved. Even though it could never be enough.

Easton was surrounded by his family when I made my way through the throng of people gathered at the end of the dock, I could hear yelling from one of the police cars parked up by the boathouse. It was rocking back and forth.

“Let me out, you jerks! I haven’t done anything wrong. Let me out of here. I need to find my sister! You can’t keep me here! I have to find her! Let me out!”

Caedan. What was going on? I ran up to the police car. One of the officers stopped me.

“Ma’am, we’re just keeping him there until he calms down. He’s been trying to sneak off and interfere with our investigation. It’s for his own good.”

I had never heard Caedan kick up a fuss like that.

“Well, I
am
your investigation. Can you please let him out now? He’s just worried about me.” I leaned down and looked into the window. They actually had him handcuffed to the back of the seat like a criminal. Holy Cow. What had he done?

“Caedan! Stop it! I’m okay. I’m here. They’re going to let you out now. Calm down.”

He looked at me through the window. His eyes got really big, and he just burst into sobs.

Oh my gosh! No.

“Open this door! Open this door right now!” I was pulling on the door handle, but it wouldn’t open. “I need to get in!”

The officer opened the door, and I slid into the backseat and grabbed him. “Caedan, it’s okay. I’m okay. I’m sorry. Are you all right?” I hugged him hard, and I couldn’t stop the tears.

I hadn’t realized until this moment how much I had been resigned to never making it back. I knew exactly how he felt right now. We had been here before. We were going to be okay this time, but it had been a close thing. He was trying to pull it together.

“Jas, what were you thinking? I thought he was going to kill you.” He was wiping his face on his arm. “Are you insane? Easton is going to let you have it—if there’s anything left when Mom’s done with you.”

Well, so much for our touching little moment. Of course, I knew he was just having trouble processing his emotions. He was the best little brother on the planet. If it hadn’t been for him, I might not have made it out alive.

Then, from behind me, I heard one of my favorite sounds ever.

“Well, besides being grounded for the rest of her life, there will be enough of her left to be doing chores for ten kids.”

And there she was. I slid out of the backseat of the police car and threw myself into my mother’s arms. I didn’t care how long she grounded me for. She could be mad for the rest of my life. I was just so happy to see her. I was sure I was the worst daughter in the world to put her through this a second time.

“Mom, I’m so sorry.” I was sobbing into her neck.

She grabbed me and held on. Tears were streaming down her face. I thought about what she must have been feeling before she knew I was okay. She was taking big gulping breaths and squeezing me so tight.

“Don’t you ever do that again. Don’t you ever risk your life like that. What would I do, Jasmine? What would I do if something happened to you too?”

I knew she was right, but I was right too.

“I had to, Mom. I couldn’t let him do that to someone else. It was the only way. I’m sorry. You weren’t supposed to find out until after.” I wasn’t going to tell her right now that he had threatened to take Lily. Not right here. Maybe later. If I had to.

“Where’s Lily?” I was trying to stop crying but it wasn’t working.

“She’s at Abigail’s. We haven’t told her.” My mom was sniffling and looking for a tissue. Then she stopped and looked me right in the eye. Did I detect a slight gleam? Uh-oh. “I wouldn’t want to be you when you have to explain to your sister exactly what you thought you were doing with this whole scheme of yours.”

Ahhh. There’s the Rose Rourke I know and love. Yes, a love for retribution runs in our family. I didn’t really want to be me right now either. For many reasons. Sigh.

A police officer, this one in a suit, interrupted, “Mrs. Rourke?”

“Yes?” My mom was wiping her eyes.

“We’re going to need to have Jasmine come down to the station to make a statement.”

“I saw them bringing that man out. I know him from California. He worked at the hospital,” my mom explained.

“Yes ma’am. Ellis Reed.”

“Yes, that’s him.” My mom looked stunned.

“He also worked here at the high school as a custodian.”

Well that explained a lot.

Easton had finally gotten free from his family that had been surrounding him and was walking up, when the officer spoke to him too.

“Mr. Ward, you’re going to have to come also. There’s a lot to go over, and we want to be sure we can put him away for a long time.”

“Yes sir. I’ll be there.” Easton looked determined. “Whatever you need.”

The policeman thanked us and walked away. Was this it? How could it be over so fast? We had caught the Monster. He couldn’t add even one more picture to that horrible wall of photos. He had stolen so much from me and my family: my sister, my confidence, and two years of my life. He had almost ruined us, but we had made it. Well, most of us.

I felt so strange. Shaky and lightheaded. But I also felt relieved and lighter. I knew we had a long road of healing ahead, but I had my family, and I had Easton. The Monster couldn’t hurt us anymore.

I could breathe.

We sat on the end of the dock watching the sunset. Easton’s family had decided to have a nobody-died-so-we-have-an-excuse-to-have-a-party party. Easton said his family uses any excuse to have a get-together. They were Southern. That’s how it works. It seemed strange to me, but what can you do? They did help save my life.

We had snuck away after dinner to the pond. I sat quietly while he read what I had written to him. I had told Easton that my grand plan had included letters to each of my family members and him, in case I didn’t make it. I knew it was morbid, but I wanted them to know how much I loved them and that I had made a conscious choice to risk my life. I was not a victim. I just needed to catch Daisy’s killer. He couldn’t be allowed to go free after what he did. He could not be allowed to torture my family anymore.

The last few days had been a whirlwind of media and police interviews. We had had to do a press conference. It was almost as horrible as the last time. The only thing that made it easier was that Easton was with me. We were finally on the downhill side of the media hype. It was over faster this time because, for one thing, I didn’t die, and two, we caught him. It was only so interesting to the press when a story had a happy ending.

I did have a pretty stern interview with that homicide detective I sent the e-mail to. He was furious and stunned that I had taken it upon myself to do this thing. He told me all about the Monster. Ellis Reed had been in the foster system since he was five years old. He had been abandoned by his mother and had been passed from foster family to foster family, neglected and abused until he was sixteen. He got a job working in the maintenance department at the hospital. His mother’s name was Dahlia. The police thought the flower names were the reason he was drawn to us. He had been obsessed with his mother and finding her again. When he found out she had died, he shifted his obsession to Daisy and then to me.

When we moved here, he moved also. He got a job working for the school, doing maintenance. He had access to all areas of the school, which was what made the stalking so easy. He could get into personal information, locker combinations, phone numbers. All of that stuff was in the files at school. He was there many times after hours. No one even thought it suspicious. He had no criminal record—not even a parking ticket—so he passed all the criteria to work at the school.

The detective explained to me in excruciating detail what could have happened to me and how lucky I really was. I told him I didn’t believe in luck. I believed in doing the right thing and praying a lot. His answer to that was, “The Good Lord looks after fools and children.” Good thing I’m still a minor or I might have been offended.

I had come such a long way since we moved here. I felt like I had become the girl I had been meant to be before Daisy’s murder. I felt comfortable in my own skin again. I wasn’t afraid anymore. I had stood up for my sister, my family, and myself. I didn’t have to live my life in fear. I was looking forward to my life in Lafayette. I hoped Easton could get past the fact that I had lied to him. I hoped he loved me enough and thought I was worth it. It was the only thing I had left to worry about. Could he forgive me?

During the last few days Easton and I had had zero time alone together. They interviewed us separately, and with everything going on, we hadn’t even had time to talk on the phone except to say good night. I was pretty sure that he wanted to yell at me in person anyway, so here we were.

Easton put the letter down and stared out at the water. He had been quiet for a long time, when he finally turned to me. He was still upset—I could tell.

“Jasmine, you’re going to have to promise me that you won’t ever be this stupid again.”

“Umm, Okay. I promise.” I smiled.

“And no more lying to me. Not ever. Got it?” He looked very serious.

My smile got bigger. “Got it.” I tried to look serious. It didn’t work. I was just so happy to be with him.

“If it happened again. Right now. What would you do?”

My face went blank. Hmmm… What would I do? “I would tell you?” I hedged.

“Okay, I guess I am going to have to believe you.”

I nodded. My smile was back.

“You said some pretty nice things about me in this letter.” The corners of his mouth twitched.

“I guess I did.”

“Did you mean them?”

“I guess so.”

“You changed my life too. I love you, Jasmine.” He leaned in and kissed me.

Now I felt like a normal sixteen-year-old.