Missing Pieces(84)
“Sarah?” he mouthed silently.
Sarah fell to her knees. The concrete bit into her skin, but she barely felt the pain. Sarah cried, “Oh, my God, Jack! Jack!” Jack fell forward, his head striking the floor with a sickening thud.
Celia continued talking as if nothing happened. “After I took care of his parents, I thought that Jack and I would go back to the way things were.”
“You’re crazy,” Sarah murmured, struggling to stand.
“You ruined everything,” Celia said, her voice filled with rage and disdain. “You started digging into things. I saw how you and Margaret were off whispering whenever you got the chance. I saw you snooping around Jack’s old room, looking in drawers. You were this close to finding the bracelet. I got to wondering why you were so careful to lock your car all the time, even out here in the country. No one does that, unless they are trying to hide something. So I took a little peek in your trunk and saw the evidence box.” Celia’s eyes burned with anger. “You couldn’t just let things go.”
“But there was nothing in the box that pointed to you,” Sarah tried to explain. “You don’t have to do this.”
“You’re a little whore and if it weren’t for you, Jack would be with me. He loves me, you know.” Celia scowled as if the words were bitter on her tongue. “We belong together.”
“You’re delusional,” Sarah said. She was weak with blood loss and exhaustion.
“Shhh,” Celia hushed with her finger pressed to her lips. She looked at Jack, who appeared to be unconscious, blood seeping out from beneath him in a black puddle. “He’s sleeping, you’ll wake him up.”
Sarah knew that if she didn’t get to a phone, Jack would bleed to death and she would be next. She needed to keep Celia talking. “You framed Amy. You put the bloody bale hook in the box.”
“Well, aren’t you the little Sherlock Holmes?” Celia said in mock approval. “I had no idea that Amy found the charm I put next to Julia. That was just my little inside joke.”
Sarah felt nauseous. “But if you shoot both Jack and me, the police will know that someone else did it.”
Celia laughed. “Do you think I’m that stupid?” she mused. “I won’t be the one they think shot Jack. He lured you down here and attacked you. You grabbed the gun from the corner and shot him trying to protect yourself,” Celia said with a smirk. “But sadly, you will die from your head injuries.” Celia gave an exaggerated sigh. “Coincidentally caused by the same weapon used to kill Lydia.” With her free hand she pointed to the notching tool. “And poor, poor Celia will be found unconscious at the bottom of the stairs, a witness to it all.”
“But how are you going to explain Julia’s head injury. Jack wasn’t even in town when she was hurt. And it was the poison that killed her, not the blow to the head.”
“You’re pretty smart for someone so dumb.” Celia tapped Sarah’s temple, causing her to cry out in pain. “There’s still Amy. Amy hit Julia and Jack poisoned her. The two siblings were in it together. I’ve already hid the poison and the burner phone in Jack’s suitcase. Gilmore will find them and all the loose ends will be tidied up.”
“You’re insane,” Sarah whispered. “No one will believe you.” Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jack’s fingers move. He was still alive. He managed to lift his head slightly and made eye contact with Sarah.
“I’ve fooled everyone for the past thirty years, haven’t I? Why would this time be any different?” Celia rested the shotgun on her shoulder and turned toward where Jack lay. Suddenly, Jack’s hand shot out and he grabbed Celia’s ankle, causing her to stumble to her knees, and the shotgun clattered to the ground.
Without thinking, Sarah lunged for the barrel, her fingers wrapping around the cool metal. At the same time Celia reached for the stock of the shotgun and for a moment they were locked in an absurd game of tug-of-war with Sarah acutely aware that Celia’s fingers were just inches from the trigger.
Sarah loosened her grip on the shotgun and the momentum forced the butt to strike Celia squarely in the mouth. Celia cried out in rage as blood spurted from her lips and she yanked back on the rifle, pulling it from Sarah’s bloody hands. Breathing heavily, Celia planted her feet and once again hefted the shotgun to her shoulder, taking aim.
Helplessly, Sarah tried to meet Jack’s eyes, but he had moved from her line of vision. She had so much she wanted to say to him—that she loved him, loved their life together, that she was sorry she had ever thought the very worst of him—and now she would never get the chance. She screwed her eyes shut, not wanting Celia’s face to be the last image she would see in life. The blast of the shotgun rattled her teeth and all the air was thrust from her chest.
Unable to move, Sarah stared up at the ceiling, the naked lightbulb swaying lazily above her in hypnotic circles. The world around her became void of sound; a strange, not unpleasant warmth slid down her neck and darkness closed in around her.
24
SARAH WOKE TO the sound of a familiar voice. She tried to move her right arm but found she couldn’t. She lifted her left hand and found IV tubing trailing up to a bag holding clear liquid. She gingerly touched her temple and felt a thick layer of gauze. She was in a hospital. She was alive.