Page 56 of Final Inning

“Who? Hagan? Or Harper?”

“Both of them. Bitches. They were nothing but stupid bitches. Both of them. And that was all Julian could see. Them. He never looked at me. All they did was screw everything up for me. Act like they were so much better.”

“You killed Harper. Why? Why was Harper even here in Buckbert?”

“She thought she was so special. Rescuing me. My car broke down and there she was. Seeing me along the highway, so helpful, so perfect, so fucking Harper. While Uncle Ted was busy. Asking me about if I ever thought about those days. Before. While we waited.”

“Waited for what?”

“The tow truck. She rescued me, like she was special.”

So that was why Harper’s plans had been derailed. She’d stopped to help someone she’d grown up with. Being a good person. And she had died for it.

Damn it. It wasn’t fair. Harper had deserved better than that.

“What about Kevin Adams? Did he do something to you?”

“He told me to give him back Ramey’s bat. Like he thought I was stealing it or something. I wasn’t. I’m not a thief.”

“So you hit him. How many times?” Rage. Immaturity. Acting out. That was what it had been. An entitled young girl, who had probably been physically bigger than most girls her age. It made sense. And it fit what Dani had sent her.

“Just once. Uncle Ted fixed it for me. He made it all go away. And all I had to do was be really nice to him sometimes in return. It was the deal. It has always been part of the deal.”

Sheriff Johnson—a sexual predator with narcissistic tendencies. Who liked intimidating young girls. Coercing young girls, was more like it. Miranda could imagine exactly how it had happened now.

She was almost within reach of her weapon.

Right there. By Hagan’s left knee.

Hagan wasn’t moving.

And the woman was getting closer.

Miranda kicked out. Connected with the woman’s thigh. As hard as she possibly could.

Chapter 46

Dani just knew something had happened in Helery County. She had that feeling again.

Miranda wasn’t answering her phone. Why wasn’t Miranda answering her phone?

Dani had contacted the OHP. They had responders in the area—headed toward Buckbert now. But why wasn’t Miranda answering?

She had Kelly and Ally and Shayna with her. They all knew something was happening. Miranda had said there was something happening. But there wasn’t anything they could do now. They all were just there, so helpless.

“OHP is fifteen minutes from Deputy Lindhour’s address,” Shayna said. She was on the phone with the dispatch for that part of Oklahoma, getting updates. Pushing them to get more people there. To help somehow.

Even though they really didn’t know what was happening.

It was only a matter of time before the Helery County cops heard, figured out that something was wrong. If the wrong ones responded…

Miranda could be in serious trouble now.

Dani grabbed her phone. She needed updates. She needed to know where everyone was.

She dialed. Ward answered on the first ring.

“Where are you? How close are you to Buckbert?”