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Chapter 14
Beckett
Georgia took care of the deputy just as Mia had dealt with Lindsey. Instead of calling the Sheriff, we called in the state police trusting them much more than the local police. Charlie hasn't been responding to our calls as it is making us wonder if Lindsey has done something to him as well.
We were lucky this time. Our group came out of this unscathed, but it could have been much worse. Fortunately, Georgia has perfect aim, she could have been in trouble if she didn't know how to use a gun. Ma doesn't surprise me though, the woman is a wonder.
Sitting in the house, the morning sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon. The storm had finally passed and the damage of what was left behind was now visible. The backyard was a mess of mud and puddles that haven't soaked into the ground yet. It would take a while for that yet.
Leo was sure the same held true for the preserves. He called Ethan first thing and he said that the water was still flowing along what used to be the trail below them. They couldn't get out yet. We still had time before we could head in to get them.
Aubrey made coffee while Ma made breakfast. There wasn't much else we could do besides wait. We couldn't leave until the state cops arrived, and until then, we had some talking to do. Might as well do it with some food in our stomachs and caffeine in our veins. We have to be on our toes.
We warmed up in the house, got our stories straight and waited. Ma was the calmest I've ever seen her. She cleaned the kitchen before she started cooking, wiped down the weapon she used to kill the deputy and scythe Mia used to kill Lindsey. Aubrey used the garden hose to spray out the green house and all the blood and evidence of what happened in there.
Those two made sure there wasn't anything left to tie us to what happened. Thanks to the storm, the water from the cleanup washed away and the mud around the green house was no different than from the mud everywhere else at the moment.
Leo and I did our part by putting Lindsey's body outside laying her on the ground out back along with the deputy. No weapons. No clues to how their deaths happened. No evidence leading to who killed them. Just the bodies back by the trees as if someone had just left them there.
Georgia didn't leave anything behind in the house for the police to find that would implicate any of us. Just as Aubrey did the same in the green house. It was their way of protecting all of us.
Especially Mia.
She isn't handling this well. I don't think she's going to be able to make a statement. She's ready to break as it is. Just watching Mia, I think we're in trouble with her. Her face is white as a sheet and she hasn't stopped shaking.
"It's the first time she's killed someone. Give her a break, Beckett!" Aubrey says it as if we kill people all the time around here.
"She hasn't seen a lot of drama in her life, has she?" Georgia asks, getting out the bottle of whiskey from over the refrigerator. The bottle she keeps for special occasions or emergency situations. I guess she considers this one of those times.
"She stays out of trouble," Leo answers for us, helping her with the glasses. "Georgia, we need to go find the others."
"I know, sugar. But the police are going to need your statements," she takes the glasses from him and puts them on the table. "And we need to talk first. Eat, we'll make this fast."
Leo didn't want to wait but he did as she asked. None of us were going down for what Lindsey has done to us. I know that's exactly what Ma is thinking too. We've been through enough because of her and we aren't going to go through anymore.
"The best thing we can do is stick as close to the truth as we can," Aubrey suggested. "We went out in the preserves knowing that the storm was coming and would be a bad one."
"And the others got stuck out there, while you all came back to the house. When you did, you found Mia here and she found an intruder in your home, hence the alarm going off," Ma concocted the story as she spoke. "She ran out of the house and hid in the green house. While she was in there, she heard the gunshots."
"Mia, can you remember that?" Aubrey asked, getting her attention.
She looked up at Aubrey, her eyes wide and glazed over. I don't think Mia will remember anything. She looks like she's seen a ghost. Maybe it's best that she is shaken up like this. That way they don't question her too much. The state troopers would go easier on her, right?
"Mia, you tell them after you heard the gunfire you came out of the house to look around and that's when you found the bodies at the back of the property, understand?" Georgia asks, looking concerned about the woman. I think she is about to toss her cookies and run out of here.
"After we make our statement we will go find the others," Georgia eased Leo's mind.
"Okay, We'll tell the others everything as soon as we see them. But Georgia, I need to find my brother," Leo knows that Ethan has everything under control but Cole has got to be climbing the walls wanting to get back here. Especially after Leo called and told them what happened.
I heard that conversation and it wasn't going well for anyone. Ethan and Leo were trying to figure out how to get them out of there while Cole was freaking out in the background. Poor Brynn was doing her best to calm him down but I know if I had been in his shoes and it was Aubrey who had killed Lindsey, I'd have been losing it too.
We loaded up the climbing gear, and got as much rope as we could find, and the first aid kit. We weren't sure what shape they were in, as we prepared to head out. Georgia will occupy the state cops as long as she can.
Blake drove up just as we were about to get into the car. Ma breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness. Blake, get this girl out of here now. Get her on the plane and back to Point Conception. She can't give a statement to the police. She's in no shape to tell them anything. She needs some rest and some time to recover. And to be as far from the police as possible."
Blake nodded and headed straight for the house. She had already explained the situation to him when she called him. I can't say that I disagree with her. Mia won't be able to lie. It's just not in her.
We followed Blake into the house and let Ma take the lead. It's a slight change to the original story we had but it will be fine. Mia can't handle this, Ma is right about that. She won't be able to help herself or any of us if she says the wrong thing.
"Come on, honey. Blake is going to take you somewhere safe for you to rest. It's okay, sugar. It's over now." Georgia reassured her as they brought her outside to the car.
Blake got her into the car and looked up at me, "I can take Aubrey too. She'll be safe there."
"I'm not going anywhere without Beckett and Chance. I'm fine, Blake. Thanks for the offer though," Aubrey came out of the house and wrapped her arms around my waist.
"Take care of her. Mia is in bad shape. I'm not sure if she's going to get through this whole," I quietly told Blake. She is really in bad shape.
"I'm taking her to Chelsea first. If anyone knows how to get through the worst of the worst, it's her." Blake looks past me at the house, "Ma said she would take of this, but Beck, make sure she doesn't take responsibility for it. We both know who was responsible. Make sure he goes down for it."
"I will," I plan on making sure of that personally. There's only one person left who needs to pay for this mess.
Blake goes around and gets in the car and drives off with Mia in the car and off to safety. She would have admitted to killing Lindsey. She would have told the police everything. We wouldn't be able to go after the last person if she stayed. She would have told them everything she knew. We couldn't have that.
Within fifteen minutes the state police were here. The coroner was with them and the house was taped off as a crime scene. We knew it would be, which is why Aubrey had packed us a couple bags and put them in Georgia's car to stay at her place for a few days.
We were prepared for the questions, we were ready with our answers. And we knew that our stories had to match. We each said the same thing. Our friends went for a walk in the preserves and were stuck out there during the storm. They managed to find a cave to take shelter in. Now they needed to be rescued.
The police offered to help them, which was expected and accepted. The more people looking for them the better. And with their help they might just find the one who has "disappeared" as well. The coroner did their job as Georgia left for home with Lady and the rest of us, with Lump, went out to find our friends. The weight of the murders off our shoulders.
Cole
I haven't slept a wink since Ethan got the call from Leo last night about Mia killing Lindsey. I can't imagine what she's going through. I can't believe she did that. She's not a killer. She doesn't have an aggressive bone in her body. But she killed her. It had to be self defense.
Mia must be a wreck. Leo said that she hasn't said anything since it happened. Georgia is getting her away from here before the authorities get there. That's probably for the best. I wish I could be there to help her.
"I'm sure Georgia is taking care of Mia," Brynn says softly, while Ethan is on the phone with Leo again. "She'll protect Mia, Cole. Georgia won't let Mia go to jail for this."
I'm sure Brynn's right. Georgia will do everything she can to protect her. That isn't the problem. When Mia comes back to her senses, she's not going to let Georgia or anyone else take the blame for something she did. Mia is stubborn and pig headed. She's going to go to the police and tell her side of the story and then she'll be arrested for murder, self defense or not.
"Blake got her out just in time. The state police are at the house now. Georgia said that they got everything cleaned up and there is no chance of tying any of them back to the murder. All the police have are the bodies being found on the back of the property." Leo filled us in.
"Being as we were stuck out here, we have our alibis. What about Georgia and Aubrey?" Brynn asked, worried about her friend.
"They are stating that they were at Georgia's house all night. Jim and Quinn are going to give them the alibi. And since the babies are there, it's easy enough to believe. They are telling the police that we got a call from the deputy that someone was lost out here so the three of us came out to help look and we got stuck in the storm. Since no one can prove otherwise, we should be in the clear," Leo said, certain that everything was under control.
I don't understand how he can be this calm. He is willing to lie to the police about a murder, two murders. Not that we had anything to do with them but we did have reason to do something about it. Why don't we just tell the truth about what happened. It was self defense!
The deputy and Lindsey attacked Georgia and Mia and they were both protecting themselves. "After everything that Lindsey has done to us, why are we lying about this?"
"A police officer came to Beckett's home and Georgia shot him. A police officer who has investigated every single incident that Lindsey has been involved with. One that has been involved from the beginning and works under Charlie. You know Charlie is going to be furious about this when he gets word," Ethan explains and as he breaks it down it makes more sense.
Charlie is going to be out for revenge. He's going to be coming for us.
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