Page 124 of The Woman Who Couldn't Scream
Elsa slashed her skin with the rotary cutter.
Merida screamed in silent agony, strained and reached. Bolstered by pain-induced adrenaline, she dragged Elsa with her. She grasped the hilt of the long sword, pulled it away from the knight, lifted the heavy blade and swung.
Elsa’s severed forearm rested on the rug.
Elsa screamed again and with the other hand raised her now unsheathed paring knife toward Merida’s knee.
With a downward stab, Merida drove the sword through Elsa’s back, through her heart and into the floor, pinning her there like exhibit A in the serial killer museum.
The door burst open.
Benedict ran into the room.
Kateri followed on his heels, pistol in hand and pointed at the scene.
Sean Weston in police uniform. Phoebe Glass in her robe. Lilith… they all piled into the room. All witnesses to Merida’s achievement.
Merida lifted her gaze from the bloody wreckage of her would-be assassin. She wiped at the blood trickling down her face with the back of her equally bloody hand.
Using her tongue and teeth and vocal cords, she slowly and distinctly said, “I saved myself.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
Lacey stood in the door of Kateri’s office and barked.
Kateri glanced at the clock, then at the rather surprising report in her hand. “Yes, you’re right, it’s past time for dinner.” Turning off her desk light, she wandered through the patrol room smiling at her guys.
They all smiled back.
Everybody was happy. Everyone felt as if they’d accomplished something great—even though, as Merida Falcon had said, she’d saved herself. But to have the monster off the streets, to know they would see no more mutilated corpses, that was a great thing.
Lacey raced to the outer door and waited.
Kateri opened it and the dog bounded out, license rattling, down the stairs and onto the street.
At the press briefing, even Councilman Venegra had had to offer up a grudging, “Well done.” Then he had, of course, asked about John Terrance. But after the gruesomeness of these murders, John Terrance had become a lesser terror and, as Bertha told the entire town, the press and Venegra, she’d put so much buckshot in Terrance, his ass was dragging.
Bertha was now a bona fide Virtue Falls hero.
Truthfully, like Bertha, Kateri hoped John Terrance had died alone in the woods, a pain-filled septic death, one that in some small part made up for the misery he had caused Rainbow. And her.
Kateri and Lacey called on the park across the street—Kateri found herself revisiting the wonderful world of dog poo removal—then Lacey trotted past the Oceanview Café, past the Gem Lounge, headed for home.
Or so Kateri thought. But to her surprise, Lacey missed the turn for their apartment. Kateri called her, but Lacey continued trotting toward the marina, into the cool, softly lit mist that crept off the ocean. The light fog crept over the streets, bringing a magic to the evening. The shops had closed. The restaurants and bars were humming; people greeted her by name, congratulated her on making Virtue Falls safe once more.
Lacey was right. It was a good night for a walk.
As Kateri crossed at the corner of Ocean and Marina, on a quiet stretch of sidewalk, she heard the rolling thump of a suitcase on the sidewalk. No, two suitcases.
Lacey gave a bark and ran toward the sound, disappearing for a long moment.
Kateri heard a murmur of voices, then out of the mist stepped Lacey, proudly leading Merida and Benedict. Merida's hands were bandaged as was the side of her face.
Both pulled a light suitcase and looked dressed for travel.
Interesting.
In her newly found, soft voice, Merida said, “Kateri, I’m so glad Lacey found us. We’re off on an adventure, and I wanted to say good-bye.” Putting her suitcase onto its four wheels, she stepped forward and hugged Kateri, hugged her hard, looked into her face and hugged her again. “Thank you for all you’ve done. You’ve been… the truest friend…” She choked up, then stepped back and signed, “… anyone could ever have.”
