My eyelids fluttered open. I looked around to see monitors and a bag hooked up to an IV. I shifted, and that's when I winced in pain. The last thing I remember is Luka pulling a knife out of my leg, and everything else is pretty fuzzy. These are some significant pain meds.
"Mal?"
I looked around, and dad leaned over, "Hey, sweetheart."
"Dad," I croaked. My throat was dry. "Where is everyone?"
"Outside. You want me to get everyone?"
"Actually, can you get Luka?"
"Sure."
Dad left and sent Luka into my hospital room. He strolled over to me with his hands in his pockets. He pulled out his hands and picked up my hand.
"Hey," I whispered.
"Hi," Luka said.
"What's wrong?"
"A lot."
I furrowed my eyebrows. That can't be good.
"You're breaking up with me, aren't you?" I asked, my voice cracking.
"What? No!"
"Really?" I asked, trying to calm down.
"Yeah. There have been other things going on at the moment."
"Like what?"
He leaned over and kissed me on the lips, "I'll tell you what. First, you get out of here and settle at home, and I will fill you in on everything you missed since you've been out for the past three days," he said.
"Three days! What the hell?" I groaned.
"Yeah, you were pretty funny when you were all high and shit," he chuckled.
I sighed and glared at him, "You just wait."
"Yeah, okay, gimpy," he smirked.
I yawned, and Luka let me get some rest. I knew at some point, I would get the answers I wanted, but right now, I just wanted to see the inside of my eyelids.
******
While I was in the hospital, dad, Charlie, and Joe were tying up loose ends.
Dad and Charlie walked into the sheriff's station.
"Can I help you?" The secretary asked.
They both flashed their badges, "Nope, we are here to do our job," Dad said as they walked to the sheriff's office.
"Lieutenant and detective," the sheriff greeted them.
"Sheriff Wilkins, I need you to stand," Dad said.
He did as Dad told him. "What's this about?" The Sheriff questioned.
"Sheriff, you are under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder, evidence tampering, obstruction of justice, and accessory to after the fact. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say or do can and held against you in court. You have the right to an attorney; if you can't afford one, one appointed to you. Do you understand these rights that I have read to you?" Dad said.
The sheriff nodded, "Good, let's go." They walked out with the sheriff handcuffed, causing everyone to watch in shock.
Joe visited Abe Crenshaw and arrested him for aiding and abetting a murderer, obstruction of justice, and tampering with evidence.
They ended up arresting anyone that was involved with the killings one way or another. After the arrests made, they had to go in front of the IA of a formal investigation. It happens anytime an officer fires their weapon.
Not only were they able to close out the Lakewood murders but also the Leland murders, helping the Leland police solve an eight-year cold case.
Life would never be the same for any of us.
******
My parents brought me home a few days later, and Luka carried me into the house and set me on the couch very gently. I took a pillow and placed it under my leg with a cast on it.
He sat down on the couch by my feet and lifted them on his lap. I let out a small hiss.
"Sorry."
"It's okay. Still sore from the knife wound," I said, adjusting myself. Luka started rubbing my feet.
"So, what happened when I was semi-comatose?"
He gave me a look, "You were asleep, not comatose."
"Eh, same thing."
"Well, the guy that paid you and your mom a visit was none other than Jeremy from school."
My facial expression changed from normal to shock.
"Jeremy? As in Jeremy, who was nice and gave me a ride to your house, Jeremy?"
"Yep. It seems Jeremy was on his way home from visiting my mom."
"What? What do you mean your mom? I thought she died?"
"That's what we thought, but it seems she faked her death. That time she came up here alone, she did meet with Henry. He confronted her with the evidence he gathered, and she threatened to out him to everyone."
"What do you mean out?"
"It seems Henry wasn't as clean as people thought he was. Niko wasn't the first and wasn't the last. There was never an affair. It was a lie to cover the fact that she was hiding her secrets."
"And what about them finding her body?"
"She had help. She blackmailed the sheriff into covering up her 'death' along with Abe Crenshaw."
"So, why did she do it?"
"She enjoyed the thrill of it. Leland wasn't the first time."
"That's insane. So, how does Jeremy fit into all of this?"
"It seemed they had something going on. Love makes you do foolish things," he said.
"I guess so. What about the victims?"
"Jeremy targeted them because they were girls that picked on him."
"But Henry was a guy."
"Yeah, one that got a little touchy-feely," he said, raising an eyebrow.
"So, let me get this straight; your mom was a psycho killer, who hooked up with a guy that hated women, all the while threaten to expose the town's dirty little secret."
"Pretty much."
I shook my head, "I can't even imagine." I looked at him, "How are you handling this?"
"Honestly, I don't know. It's a lot to take out of you to know that your mom was a serial killer. How would you handle it?" He asked me.
"Probably worse than you are," I said with a sympathetic tone to my voice. I knew this was going to be a long journey for Luka, but I was going to be with him no matter what.
I laid there thinking; it had only been half a school year, and so much has happened. Maybe for once, things would finally settle down.
******
"Get in there," an officer said, shoving the sheriff into the holding cell. He closed the door and locked it, "It's people like you that give cops a bad name." With that, he walked away.
A few minutes later, someone walked in and stood in front of the sheriff.
"Took you long enough," the sheriff huffed.
"Yeah, yeah, what do you want, old man?"
"Is that any way to talk to your father?"
He got up and walked over to the person in front of him, "I want you to take care of those meddling kids and equally meddling parents until I get out of here."
"And if I don't?"
"Then I would hate to tell everyone how you set up that poor innocent kid to take the fall for you. I bet the parents are mourning as we speak."
"It doesn't matter. The police already closed the case. That stupid boy is dead, and so is that equally stupid woman. It's over with now."
"You think so, boy. Remember secrets don't stay secret for very long, especially with that nosy girl and her friends around here."
"Don't worry about me, old man, worry about yourself. I'll do me, and you do you," he said, leaving.
Small towns always carry big secrets, and this one would shake everyone to the core.
To be continued............