Page 207 of Broken
“Hey, guys, we’re moving the party up to the house,” Prescott said.
“Ethan, did you get to play with Loki?” Jack asked.
Ethan yawned. “Uh-huh, we woke him and played with him, then we took him outside so he could go potty.”
“You’re holding a g-u-n,” his mom said.
Prescott shoved the Glock into the shoulder holster before picking Ethan up. Snuggling close, Ethan slid his thumb into his mouth. Prescott hugged him. “Let’s get outta here.”
“Where were Nicky and Addison going in such a hurry?” his dad asked.
“They had to take care of something,” Prescott replied before addressing the guests. “We’re moving to the house. Everyone is welcome, but if you’ve had enough excitement for one day, we’ll see you tomorrow.”
As the guests filed past, everyone stopped to thank Prescott.
Jericho pulled him in for a hug. “You did good, brother.”
“Welcome to the team,” Cooper said.
Hawk and Addison rushed back into the barn and over to them.
“He took out the guards,” Hawk said breathing hard. “Police are on their way—”
His mom’s eyes grew wide. “Nicky, you’ve got a g-u-n too. What is going on?”
Prescott passed Ethan to his dad. “Take Ethan to the house. We’ll be there as soon as we can.”
His family left, the guests vacated the building. Prescott regarded his brother and Addison, then peered at Jack. It was over. Finally, fucking over. And it had been much worse than anyone had realized.
A serial killer who had managed to trick so many people. Maul lived his life as a predatorandas a civil servant, taking an oath to protect and defend. Terrence Maul was pure evil. The worst of the worst… and Prescott had taken him out for good.
The scream of sirens grew louder.
Hawk pulled him in for a hug. “You did good, Scotty.”
Relief pounded through him. “You were right there with me, Nicky. Thanks for the assist.”
When Hawk and Addison left to meet the police at the bottom of the driveway, Jack threw her arms around him, and he breathed easier.
“He was going to kill me,” she said.
“Not on my watch, baby,” Prescott said as he held her close, never, ever wanting to let her go.
* * *
Jacqueline
Jacqueline was goingthrough the motions. First, she identified herself as a federal agent to local law enforcement. She gave a concise statement, provided her contact information, and waited while Prescott gave his own statement.
Truth was, she wasn’t okay. She needed to process what had just happened and who this monster had been. Maul’s lifelong path of destruction was overwhelming to take in, and it would take years for law enforcement to fully resolve, if they ever actually did. Based on what Maul had told her, there were probably more women who’d gone missing.
Maul was the devil. He was evil personified.
But he was gone. And she was free, for the first time in a decade. No more looking over her shoulder, no more sleepless nights, her weapon tucked under her pillow to ensure a few hours of uninterrupted rest.
A serial killer who hid behind his badge, he used his skills and expertise to trap the innocent. For the first time since she’d been abducted, she felt empowered. She could make a difference, for Janey’s sake and for all the other women whose lives had been taken far too soon. She’d been a victim, then she’d been plagued by constant fear.
Time to step up and help others.
