Page 42 of Finding Peace
It’s subtle.
His shoulders shift.
His eyes flick toward Lawson.
He must have grabbed the knife when we turned to look at Abigail, and he lunges.
There’s no shout of warning. No dramatic pause.
Lawson barely has time to register the movement before Caleb drives forward, blade aimed straight for his ribs.
I don’t think.
I don’t weigh options.
I don’t hesitate.
My gun is up before my brain realizes the severity of what I’m about to do.
I pull the trigger, and the sound of the gun firing splits the air.
Caleb’s body jerks mid-step before the knife falls from his hand, disappearing into the snow as he collapses at my brother’s feet.
Silence follows.
Snow continues to fall.
I lower my gun.
And for a moment, no one moves.
We just stand there and look at yet another lifeless Coates brother.
Then, Lawson exhales slowly.
Beau turns toward the tree line.
And Jasper collapses on his back.
Abigail slows at the edge of the trees, her gaze locking on Caleb’s lifeless body sprawled in the snow. The gun hangs at her side, trembling in her grip.
But she… she’s still alive. And that’s all that matters.
I move toward her immediately,with Lawson and Beau right on my heels.
When I reach her, she doesn’t speak.
The moment I slowly remove the gun from her hands and tuck it back into the waistband of my pants, she just wraps her arms around me, and I hold her like I didn’t just take a life in front of her.
Grayson is gone.
Victor Hale is gone.
And we have no idea where Keller is.
None of this is over.
Not even close.
