Page 68 of Silent Road

"You found me," Sheila managed.Her whole body was shaking now, delayed shock setting in."Both of you."

"Always will," Finn said softly."We're a family, remember?"

Sheila hugged both Finn and Star tight."Yes," she said through chattering teeth."Yes, we are."

Somewhere out there, Tommy was running.But right now, surrounded by the two people she loved most, Sheila could only feel grateful to be home.

EPILOGUE

The hospital room was too warm after the bone-deep cold of the tunnels.Sheila sat propped up in bed, an IV dripping fluids into her arm, thermal blankets piled over her legs.Her core temperature was almost back to normal, but her fingers and toes still tingled with the memory of frost.

Finn dozed in a chair beside her bed, his injured side clearly bothering him though he'd refused to go home.Star curled in another chair, her dark hair falling over her face as she flipped through a photography magazine she'd found in the waiting room.

"Look at this," Star said suddenly, holding up the magazine."They're offering winter photography workshops at the resort."She paused."Well, they were.Before everything."

Sheila studied her ward's face."Since when are you interested in photography?"

Star shrugged, trying to seem casual but not quite managing it."I don't know.It's just...when all this started happening, I looked up some of Bradley Greenwald's photos.The real ones, not just his social media stuff.They were actually pretty amazing."She glanced at the magazine again."I thought maybe...but it's stupid."

"It's not stupid," Sheila said softly."I think it's a great idea, actually."She paused, coming to a decision."And I want to be part of that, if you'll let me."

"Seriously?"There was a spark in Star's eyes—hope?Excitement?

"Seriously," Sheila said."I'd love to be a part of that with you."She smiled.

Star smiled back—briefly before she distracted herself by picking at a thread on her sleeve.

"There's something else we should talk about, though," Sheila said.She wished she could skip this next part, but it was too important not to address it.

"Jake, right?"Star muttered."He wasn't taking advantage of me if that's what you think."

Finn stirred in his chair but kept his eyes closed—listening, Sheila suspected, but not wanting to interfere.

"Star."Sheila waited until the girl looked up."He was an adult dating a fourteen-year-old.That's not love, that's predation."

"You don't understand.He made me feel special."

"Of course he did.That's what predators do."Sheila leaned forward despite her body's protests."But you know what?You don't need some creep to make you feel special.Youarespecial.Your interest in photography?That's special.Your resilience after everything you've been through?That's incredible."

Star's eyes welled with tears."I just wanted...I don't know what I wanted."

"You wanted to feel grown up," Finn said quietly, opening his eyes."To make your own choices.But part of being grown up is learning to recognize when someone's trying to manipulate you."

Star wiped her eyes."I'm sorry.About Jake, about skipping school, about everything."

"We're not angry," Sheila said."We were worried.There's a difference.And I know I haven't made your life any easier, what with how distant I've been.I'm sorry about that."

Finn sat up straighter, wincing."What she's trying to say is that we care about you.You're family now, Star.Which means you're stuck with both of us hovering and worrying and probably embarrassing you in front of your friends."

A small smile tugged at Star's lips."Even after everything I did?"

"Especially after everything you did," Sheila said."Because you're a teenager.You're supposed to make mistakes.Our job is to help you learn from them, not punish you for them."

Star nodded, her face brightening with something that looked like hope.

A knock at the door interrupted them.Deputy Barnes entered, looking apologetic.

"Sorry to disturb you, Sheriff, but I thought you'd want to know right away.We got Wells."

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