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Back The Hallows Save as PDF
Chapters (89)
  1. TITLE PAGE
  2. COPYRIGHT PAGE
  3. DEDICATION
  4. CONTENTS
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. 70
  75. 71
  76. 72
  77. 73
  78. 74
  79. 75
  80. 76
  81. 77
  82. 78
  83. 79
  84. 80
  85. 81
  86. 82
  87. 83
  88. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  89. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“I didn’t lie about that. Nathan Ficco is a sick son of a bitch. I tried to help Anderson out. If I hadn’t . . . I don’t know. Maybe what happened to Patty wouldn’t have happened.”

I stepped close to him. “Roscoe, give me the gun. The cops are on their way, and they’re going to be looking to shoot. Don’t die here. We can cut a deal. Maybe even keep you off the sex offender registry or do a reduced sentence or something. There’s no need for you to die. Especially since you’d be leaving that kid upstairs without a father.”

He nodded and laid the gun on the table next to him, his eyes wet with tears. I slowly made my way to the table and then picked up the gun. I let out a long breath and felt relief wash over me, my muscles like jelly.

“She didn’t love you, Roscoe. She was just trying to provide for her family. I’m sorry, but that’s what it was. You ruined your life for nothing.” I glanced up the stairs. “Roscoe, moment of truth, was it you with Anderson up at the Hallows burying her body?”

He looked up at me and was about to speak when something flew through the open space where a window had been. It sizzled and smoked. A flash grenade.

“Get down!”

The grenade popped and filled the room with acrid smoke. The door burst open. Several officers in full SWAT gear surged in. They tackled Roscoe and flung me to the ground.

73

73

A SWAT van, several UHP cruisers, and two units from the sheriff’s office waited below. They had cordoned off one lane of the highway, and I sat on the hood of a cruiser until I saw Lyle being led down. I hopped off the hood and went up to him.

“You okay, son?”

He nodded.

“We’re gonna get you back to your mom, okay?” I looked to the officer and nodded. Behind him I saw Gates speaking with a news crew from the local station. She saw me, said a few more words, and then came over.

“You okay?”

“Sure. Nothin’ like a giant’s knee in your spine to perk you up in the afternoon. Better than coffee.”

She grinned and wiped a bit of dirt from my face. “What the hell were you thinking going in there? You’re not a cop.”

“I wasn’t thinking.”

She sighed and looked around. “What a mess. All because one man couldn’t keep it in his pants.”

“Hey, the Trojan War was started because one man couldn’t keep it in his pants.” I looked over to the SWAT van where they were loading Roscoe.

“What now?” I said.