I want to believe him.
“Do you think Lance should face consequences for what he did?”
“Yes.”
“Then don’t sign it.”
I take a deep breath. “That’s it? Don’t sign it? This isn't some petty threat. They can ruin you.”
“Then we deal with it. But Alice, if you sign that paper, Lance wins. Your mother wins. And you’ll have to live with knowing you let them bully you into giving up.”
When our food comes, I barely touch it. The burger sits untouched, going cold. My coffee tastes like cardboard. But for the first time since my mother walked into the bank, I feel like I can breathe.
“I’m not signing it,” I say quietly. My voice is steadier than I expected.
Sawyer squeezes my hand. “I’m proud of you.”
“I’m terrified.”
“That’s okay. But you're doing the right thing anyway.”
I look at him across the table—this man who's willing to risk everything to stand by me—and realize something has shifted.
I'm not just fighting for justice anymore. I'm fighting for the right to choose my own battles.
And this time, I'm choosing to fight.
Chapter 29
Sawyer
I’mfinishinguppaperworkwhen Chief Martinez calls me into his office for the second time this month. The tone in his voice tells me this isn’t good news. This is becoming a pattern I don't like.
“Close the door,” he says, not looking up from his desk.
I sit down and wait. The office smells like burnt coffee and old paperwork—familiar, but today it feels suffocating. There’s a new file on his desk, thicker than the last one.
“Got another complaint,” Chief says, sliding the folder across to me. “This one’s different.”
I open it and see official letterhead from a law firm in Creeksprings. The complaint is detailed, professionally written, and signed by Margaret Carlston on behalf of her son, Lance.
“They’re claiming harassment, abuse of power, and falsification of evidence,” Chief continues. “They want a full investigation.”
I read through the document, my jaw tightening with each accusation. My hands grip the folder's edges hard enough that they crease. According to this, I coerced Alice into filing false charges, used excessive force during the arrest, and have been intimidating witnesses.
“This is complete bullshit,” I say, setting the paper down.
“Doesn’t matter. They’ve got expensive lawyers making noise in all the right places. The county prosecutor is paying attention, and they’ve contacted state police about an independent review.”
My stomach drops. The room suddenly feels smaller. State police.
“They want to make sure everything was handled properly. Which means they’ll be interviewing you, and anyone else involved in the arrest.”
I think about Alice, how she looked yesterday when she decided not to sign her mother’s statement. How determined she was to see this through. Now she’s going to have to relive everything with state investigators.
“When?”
“Next week, probably. They’re requesting all evidence—the tracker, your body cam footage, witness statements, everything.”
