Chapter 39

THIRTY-NINE

The scene outside the sheriff’s station buzzed with quiet urgency. Voices murmured between the deputies as they moved with purpose, coordinating the aftermath. Yellow tape stretched along the edges of the chaos, marking out boundaries that were invisible to Hatch as she walked through the scene.

She passed through unnoticed, although the weight of everything hung over her. Her eyes scanned the crowd, settling on Maggie, wrapped in a blanket on the bumper of an ambulance. A paramedic checked her vitals, his voice soft and reassuring. Maggie’s eyes were distant, her face pale and glassy, as if she was still trying to process the nightmare she had narrowly escaped.

Hatch approached slowly, her boots crunching softly against the gravel. As she neared, Maggie’s head lifted, her eyes blinking back into focus. Looking fragile, as though the wind had knocked her down, she barely found the strength to stand again.

“They won’t be coming after you,” Hatch said quietly, crouching beside her. Her voice was low, meant only for Maggie. “It’s over. Whatever’s on that drive of yours, it’ll bury the people responsible.”

Maggie stared at her, the words sinking in slowly, her brow creasing in confusion. “Who … who are you?”

“Just someone who happened to be in the right place at the right time.”

Maggie let out a small, breathless laugh. “If this is the right place, I’d hate to see the wrong one.”

“It’s all a matter of perspective.”

Standing up, she felt the strain of the day in her muscles. The girl was alive, and for now, that was enough.

Hatch moved with purpose. Sheriff Tuck stood just inside the station doors, overseeing the remnants of the chaos. When their eyes met, Tuck raised his brows in silent acknowledgment, then followed Hatch’s gesture, stepping aside into a quieter corner of the room.

“I cleaned up most of the mess on the hill,” Hatch said in a low voice, speaking only for him. “Someone from my agency will contact you soon, give you the spin. You’ll know what to say by then.”

Tuck’s eyes flicked toward the body under the bloodstained sheet nearby—the remains of Reeves. “Hell of a shot.” He shook his head, frustration lining his face. “You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”

Hatch’s lips curled into the hint of a smirk, but her eyes stayed cold. “I didn’t take the shot, Sheriff. You did. Remember?” She leaned in slightly, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m dead. Ghosts don’t pull triggers.”

Tuck chuckled under his breath, but the weariness never left his expression. His eyes shifted, searching her face for something deeper. “And that guy we were after … the one who started all of this?”

Hatch’s expression darkened, her tone firm. “He won’t be a problem anymore.”

Tuck studied her, a question hanging on the tip of his tongue. After a moment, he seemed to think better of it, simply accepting her answer without pressing for more. They stood in silence for a beat, the air heavy with unspoken words.

Tuck cleared his throat. “Gonna take a while for things to feel normal around here.”

Hatch looked at him, a flicker of amusement in her eyes. “Normal’s overrated.” She let the words settle between them, a quiet truth they both understood.

Tuck’s weariness was clearly etched in his expression. “You need a ride back to your motel? I can at least do that much.”

Hatch shook her head, glancing at the clouds that were finally beginning to break, slivers of sunlight pushing through. “You’ve got your hands full here, Sheriff.” She made her way back to the doors, glancing back at him. “Besides, the walk will do me some good.”

Tuck studied her for a moment, something unspoken lingering between them. “Take care of yourself, Hatch.”

Already turning away, her boots crunched softly against the gravel as she walked down the road, her back straight, her steps measured. She didn’t look back as the station faded behind her, the slivers of sunlight growing brighter as the clouds continued to part.

Ahead of her was the next fight. There was always another mess to clean up. Somewhere down the road, she’d find it.