Page 52 of Final Inning

There she was again. Hagan.

Of course, it would be Hagan.

And right beside her…Julian. Valeria’s Julian.

Valeria’s throat closed. There he was. And he was…perfect.

He was so beautiful. And if he would just notice her, look at her, everything would be perfect then. They would get married and have two or three kids. They could even name one after his dad if he wanted. She could give him the family he didn't have any longer. All he had now was that stupid bitch Ramey. Ramey had been a bitch when she was twelve, and she was a bitch now. She’d always be a bitch, too.

But…but…Julian was touching Hagan. On the shoulder, and looking down at Hagan like he thought she was hot or something. Like he was seriously hot for Hagan.

Just like that, he scooped Hagan off her feet and hugged her. Laughing. He was happy with Hagan. Touching her.

Hagan was nothing. She was nothing.

Julian didn’t need Hagan—he had Valeria. Why didn’t he at least look at her?

“Honey, what time you get off work? I need you to come to the house extra special tonight.”

She didn’t want to. She never really wanted to, but she did it. Because it was part of the deal for Uncle Ted to have made things right. “At four, Uncle Ted. But…I have to make something right first.”

Chapter 40

Hagan had made her decision. Julian was going to leave Buckbert. He was the last real friend she had here. It was the incentive. They’d stayed up late talking when he’d been at her townhouse. Until they’d both felt better. Neither one of them was going to be okay in Buckbert. They both felt trapped. Buckbert hurt just too much.

They were going to do it. To move. She didn’t know where they’d both end up, but…it felt right. He was talking about OKC. Joining Harper’s boyfriend there, helping his friend get through. His friend was struggling, and Julian wanted to help.

She loved him for that. Julian Adams had the best heart of anyone she had ever met.

She was going to start with Finley Creek. She had friends there, she could stay with them for a while. She had some money until she found a place of her own and a job. Hagan had already sent in the job application and resume to that private company. They’d specifically posted they were looking for women in their twenties and thirties for a special security detail.

She wasn’t going to get her hopes up, but…there were other jobs in a city like Finley Creek. She was going to be okay.

As soon as they wrapped up this case.

For the first time in a long time, Hagan felt actual hope for her future.

It was a quarter past four when she locked up the post. People would be able to reach her through dispatch if they needed something else. Dr. Talley was going to meet her at five or so, at Hagan’s place. They were going to work late, if they had to, until Dr. Knight and Dr. Ward made it back. They were getting closer to something.

Hagan could seriously feel it.

Maybe…Ruth’s precious Sisters were finally making things align?

Hagan still didn’t believe in the Sisters of Destiny, or whatever Ruth called those beings she followed so religiously. Hagan just didn’t.

But Ruth…Ruth...

Of course…

She checked her watch—4:06. She had time to run over to Ruth’s. She was going to ask her…about Kevin. She had been looking through witness statements again—to see what lined up with what had happened to Harper.

But there hadn’t been anything from Ruth anywhere.

Ruth had opinions on everything, and had lived right there. Why hadn’t Johnson ever interviewed Ruth? There had been a statement from Bill, and from the people living on both sides of Ruth and Bill. But nothing from Ruth. Hagan had missed that, herself. She’d missed it.

Hagan grabbed her keys. She’d need to grab her weapon off her nightstand—she never went anywhere without it, even here in Buckbert—but she was going to head over to the trailer park. She’d be back by five, easily.

No time like the present. If nothing else, Ruth could tell her—probably with embellishments—what it had been like after what had happened to Kevin. Hagan remembered, but…she’d only been seventeen at the time. The woman she’d been living with had sheltered her and the rest of the girls living there from all of it, as much as she could.