Relief rushes through me so powerfully that my knees feel weak. I sink into the chair across from him. "She didn't suspect?"
"No." He reaches for my hand across the table. "She was too confident, too sure I'd do anything to protect myself. To protect you."
"What now?"
"Now we take this to Parker, have him contact Vancouver PD." He squeezes my fingers. "It's over, Sandra. She's done."
I want to believe him, but something nags at me. "She just... agreed? That easily?"
"Not easily." His expression darkens. "She made threats. Detailed ones. But in the end, she believes I'm terrified enough to do what she wants. She's meeting me tomorrow with papers for me to sign, withdrawing my testimony."
"So she'll be back in town tomorrow?" The thought sends a chill down my spine. "Shouldn't we go to Parker now? Before she returns?"
"That's exactly what we're going to do." Diesel stands, wincing slightly. "Let's go. His office is still open."
Sheriff Parker listens to our story with growing concern, then sits in stunned silence as we play the recordings. Vanessa's voice is clear, incriminating:
"You know exactly what happened to you, Diesel. That was just a taste. Next time, it won't be you. It'll be that pretty little girlfriend of yours. Or maybe I'll pay a visit to that garage you're so proud of. Accidents happen all the time with all those flammable materials..."
"What do you want from me, Vanessa? Just say it."
"I want you to sign a statement saying you lied in your testimony against Ric. That the cops pressured you, threatened you. Do that, and I'll leave you and your little mountain town alone. Don't, and, well... I think you can imagine what happens next."
Parker's face grows grimmer with each damning statement. When the recording ends, he sits back, shaking his head. "This is serious business, Torres. Witness intimidation, conspiracy, attempted murder... I need to call Vancouver PD immediately."
"She's coming back tomorrow," I remind him. "To get Diesel's signature on some documents."
"Perfect." Parker's expression hardens. "We'll be waiting for her."
The next few hours are a flurry of activity. Parker contacts the Vancouver police, who are extremely interested in the evidence against Vanessa. Apparently, they've been building a case against her for months, suspecting she's taken over parts of her brother's operation. Our recording is the missing piece they needed.
By midnight, the plan is set. Diesel will meet Vanessa as agreed, but this time, both Crimson Hollow and Vancouver officers will be waiting to arrest her. It feels surreal—like something from a movie, not my actual life.
We spend the night at Diesel's cabin, too wired to sleep much despite his need for rest. I lie beside him in the darkness, listening to his breathing, my mind racing with everything that's happened, everything still to come.
"What are you thinking about?" he asks softly, his hand finding mine beneath the covers.
"How crazy this all is," I admit. "Three weeks ago, I was in Chicago, engaged to a man I didn't love, working a job I hated. Now I'm in a tiny mountain town, helping my mechanic boyfriend catch his criminal ex-wife."
He chuckles, then winces at the pain it causes his ribs. "When you put it like that, it does sound pretty crazy."
"The craziest part?" I roll carefully to face him, though it's too dark to see his expression clearly. "I wouldn't change a thing. Even the scary parts. Because they led me here, to you."
His hand comes up to cup my cheek. "After tomorrow, it's just us. No more ghosts from my past. No more hiding who I was or what I did. Just you and me and whatever future we want to build together."
"I like the sound of that." I lean into his touch. "And I already know where I want to start."
"Where's that?"
"Grandpa's cabin." I take a deep breath, putting into words the decision that's been forming for days. "I want to live there. Make it mine. Make a life here in Crimson Hollow."
Even in the darkness, I can sense his smile. "Yeah?"
"Yeah." I reach up to cover his hand with mine, where it still rests against my cheek. "If that's okay with you. I know it's not exactly close to the garage..."
"It's ten minutes," he interrupts. "And I meant what I said before. Perfect distance."
"So you'd be okay with me sticking around? Making this permanent?" My voice comes out smaller than I intended, a hint of vulnerability creeping in despite my best efforts.
