Page 86 of Forbidden Secrets
Relief crashed over Melanie in a dizzying wave.Her knees wobbled, but she forced herself to stay upright.
Chase’s bravado collapsed.The gun trembled in his grip.Then his expression hardened and she braced herself.
A blur of motion and Shane Keller came in hard, taking Chase to the ground.The gun skittered across the floor.Gage surged forward and retrieved it as Shane wrenched Chase’s hands behind his back.
Gage threw him handcuffs.He moved to Melanie as his gaze surveyed the scene.
“Gage, Rhonda is here,” Melanie spoke urgently.“She ran up the stairs when Chase got the gun.”
Donna, who’d hobbled to the doorway, shouted a warning that drew their attention up.
Rhonda stood on a narrow metal catwalk, hands wrapped around a massive industrial claw suspended by a rusted cable.Her expression was wild with desperation as she fought to move the heavy steel.
“Leave it, Rhonda,” Gage shouted.“Come down.It’s over.”
“Rhonda, think of Dylan.”Melanie raised her voice to be heard over the crashing storm.“Please.Come down.Your son needs you.”
“I’mprotecting my son.”Her voice cracked with rage.“I’m doing what I have to.”
With a wrenching cry, Rhonda released the heavy claw and let it drop.
It swung in a deadly arc bearing directly toward them.
Shane flattened on the floor beside Chase.Gage grabbed Melanie and pushed them both against the wall as the claw swung perilously close.
Like a massive pendulum, the weight swung back toward the catwalk.
Melanie’s heart stopped.Rhonda realized her mistake and tried to scramble back.But it was too late.
The claw crashed into the catwalk, making the entire structure shudder.Rhonda lost her footing and grabbed for a railing that gave under her weight.Her scream echoed through the mill as she toppled over the edge.
Her cry died the instant she was impaled on a jagged saw blade.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Mel burrowed deep into Gage’s arms.They sat curled together on the couch, the soft rhythm of his breathing grounding her.After the fear and chaos of the day, the quiet wrapped around her like a blanket, slowly uncoiling the tightness in her chest.
They’d picked up Addy from Olivia’s that evening, offering Ashley and Nick a brief rundown of the day’s events.Addy, oblivious to the danger they’d survived, had been excited about the brown eggs she’d gathered from the chicken coop and got to take home.
Someday she’d know the full story, but not yet.Certainly not tonight.
After returning home, Melanie snuggled on the couch with Addy to watch a video while Gage made spaghetti.Not fancy, but it was warm and familiar.Comfort food.After dinner, Addy took her bath, then Gage read her bedtime books.Pancake snored on the soft bed Addy’d made for her, guarding her girl.
Melanie closed her eyes, letting her weight sink into Gage’s.They were safe.Together.And for the first time in a long, long while, she could begin to imagine what forever might look like.
“You good?”Gage’s arms tightened around her.
“I don’t know.It’s going to take time before those images fade.”
“For me too.I heard that gunshot and I thought I’d lost you.”He brought her hand to his mouth and rubbed warm lips over her knuckles.“But you’re safe.That’s what matters.”
Chase had been arrested.After all these years, he would finally face justice.Satisfaction was overshadowed by the shock of Rhonda’s death, her role in the cover-up a twist Melanie hadn’t seen coming.
“I still can’t believe Neil Grafton confessed,” she muttered.“That he admitted he was Chase’s father and tampered with the DNA results.”
“The man’s dying,” Gage said quietly.“The warden told Sawyer he’s only got weeks.Grafton wanted to clear his conscience before the end.Your email pushed him to do that.”
She shook her head.“Maybe.I’ll never understand how he could justify doing what he did.”
