Page 94 of The Hanging Dolls
“Regina made me do it!” Connor cried out, desperate. “I’ll testify against her. She wanted to cut off Logan Bennett after the campaign money started to dry up.”
“Regina has given us evidence of how you were siphoning off money from the campaign, and we found your communications with that casino owner,” Scott retorted.
“But if you have a different version of events, we’re willing to listen. But not like this,” Zoe countered. Turning to Scott, she whispered, “We have to make him feel safe.”
“I don’t trust you!” Connor’s voice broke, like he was crying.
“Where is Lucy, Connor? Hand her back to us and we can talk about a deal,” Zoe said.
“I don’t have Lucy! I didn’t take her! I didn’t want to kill Tara. But… I couldn’t see any other way.” He started wailing.
Zoe and Scott exchanged a puzzled glance. “What do you mean, Connor? You didn’t take Lucy?”
“No! I didn’t kill Lily either. When the news broke that Lily had been found in the woods, it was the perfect opportunity forme to use that to make Regina win. We needed to get rid of Logan so it was killing two birds with one stone.”
“How did you replicate the crime scene and MO with such accuracy?” Scott said. “We didn’t release the details to the public.”
“I have a source! A uniform. Terri Walters. She fed me enough information.”
“Damn it,” Zoe hissed under her breath. Scott shook his head in disappointment. She connected the dots—that’s why there were so many hesitation marks around Tara’s case, why the note was printed instead of handwritten and why the stuffed animal was brand-new—details he got right but not completely right. “Okay, Connor. I’m going to stand up, all right? Don’t shoot me. Let’s talk face to face.”
Scott gripped her arm. “What are you doing?”
“We need this stalemate to end.” She tucked the gun back into her jeans but turned off the safety in case she needed it. Her knees shaking, she stood up with her hands in the air and her heart in her throat.
Connor peeked from over the armchair, the top of his head visible. “Tell your partner to drop his gun too.”
“I can’t do that, Connor.”
“Are you going to arrest me?”
“Connor, we’ll take you to the station and take your statement and then after that?—”
“No! No! No!” he cried. “I’m not going anywhere. You need to let me disappear.”
“We can make sure that that casino owner doesn’t bother you again. I’m offering you the chance to do the right thing. I know you feel guilty for killing that little girl.” Zoe’s courage was faltering the longer she stood like this in a vulnerable position. “Isn’t that better than living your life on the run always looking over your shoulder?”
Something flashed in his eyes. A cruelty. “But it’s better than going to prison.”
In a swift motion, his arm reached over the top of the armchair, gun in hand. He pulled the trigger, a deafening blast filling the room. Zoe’s hand instinctively went for her weapon, but before she could react, Scott shoved her aside, throwing her to the floor.
He loomed above her but his hands had gone slack next to him, his mouth slightly parted, his eyes rolling to the back of his head.
“Scott!” Her voice tore through the night.
He collapsed on the floor just as she sprang to her feet. There was a noise, squelching footsteps, grazing armchair and the door opening. Connor was running away. Without hesitating for a second, she pulled out her gun and shot him in the back of the head.
He stilled for a second and then slumped down the door.
But Zoe didn’t care about him. She attended to Scott who lay on the floor motionless. Blood oozed out of his chest, turning his white shirt dark.
“Scott!” She shook him, opened his eyes. “Can you hear me?” Tears raced down her cheeks unchecked, her heart drumming against her ribs. “Scott!”
She checked his pulse. It was thready. His eyes fluttered open, a glimmer of hope sparking within her. But then, with a labored breath, he slipped away into the darkness.
Zoe froze, her mind struggling to process the reality. The thunder roared around her relentlessly. Scott was gone.
FIFTY-TWO
