Page 149 of Sunrise

The other cop takes careful notes of what happened.

I listen to Sophie describe the events, kicking myself the whole time for not putting a device on her car. Or at the very least, have her location on our phone. She can call us stalkers all she wants, but that’s going to be a rule from now on.

“We can finish this up at the hospital,” the female cop says. “You need to be checked over.”

“I don’t need to go anywhere but home. I’m fine.”

The EMT in front of Sophie shakes his head. “Ma’am, it’s best if we—”

“I said I’m fine!” she yells at him. Squeezing her eyes shut, she covers her mouth with her hand and resets herself. “I’m sorry.”

“There’s no need to apologize, ma’am. We understand this is a stressful situation. We’re here to help. You’ve been banged up pretty bad.”

“I don’t want to go to the hospital.”

While she refuses treatment, I stare at Knox.

He looks different, but I can’t tell what’s changed. He isn’t acting like how I’d expect, given the circumstances. He’s… too calm. Avoiding eye contact. Staying further back than I am from Sophie.

In the middle of taking Sophie’s statement, the officer gets a call and steps away for a moment. I stay by our girl’s side while keeping an eye on Knox. Whenthe cop comes back, her brows are furrowed. “You said his name was Christopher Rivetti, ma’am?”

“Yes.”

The officer’s walkie-talky goes off and rattles off a code.

Two more cop cars roll in, lights spinning, along with an unmarked black sedan.

“Excuse me,” the officer says to us. She leaves to convene with the new arrivals. I watch their expressions and body language. They look over at Sophie and my instinct has me reaching out to hold her hand.

“I’m going to be arrested,” she faintly whispers. “Vault, I’m so scared.”

“We’ll figure a way out of this. Promise.” I squeeze her hand and brace for the worst.

The cop we’ve been talking to slowly makes her way back to us. “He’s committed suicide,” she announces.

Sophie’s voice cracks. “What? No. That’s…”

The cop deadpans Sophie. “He shot himself, Dr. Ross. He’s dead.”

Holy shit. My gaze flies to Knox. That’s when I finally see the difference. He’s not in his chef’s coat anymore. And when his mouth twitches in the slightest of fucking smiles…

I know he’s the one who pulled the trigger.

Chapter 48

Sophie

I’m not supposed to be happy that someone’s dead. Suicide is devastating. But I feel nothing at all when they tell me Christopher is no longer a threat.

ThatpopI heard was him eating a bullet.

I didn’t believe it, so I asked to see the body.

It’s most definitely him. He doesn’t look human anymore. He looks fake. Maybe that’s how my mind chooses to process what’s happened. I don’t know.

None of this feels real.

Fireflies blink in the grass and cars slowly drive by, being nosy.

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