Across the room, the sheriff lunged for Lawrence, and Delaney soon saw why. Lawrence had pulled a gun from beneath his raincoat.
Sheriff Chase knocked him back into the wall. The weapon hit the floor with a hard thud.
Noah knelt beside Hale, checking for a pulse and pressing a hand to his shoulder. “He’s alive,” Noah relayed. “Shot through the shoulder. I need pressure on this until the ambulance gets here.”
Delaney pushed up onto her knees, her breathing still too shallow. Her arm throbbed from the blow, but she kept her gaze locked on Vivian, who lay on the floor, tear-streaked and trembling with fury.
Vivian sagged beneath Eli’s hold, her body shaking. A raw sob tore from her throat as all the fire drained out of her.
Ava rushed to her mother, eyes wide with fear and confusion. “Mom, no one was going to kill me. I swear. I just had to see Jason. I needed to know he was okay.”
Delaney stepped closer, her mind reeling.None of this added up. “Ava, who set this up? Who told you to come here?”
Ava looked over at Jason, then back at Delaney. “Jason did. He texted me the address.”
Jason shook his head. “No. You texted me. It came from your phone.”
Delaney’s pulse picked up. Something felt off, like pieces were being forced into the wrong puzzle. “Ava, can I see your phone?”
Ava blinked. “I don’t have it. Leonard took it.”
Delaney frowned. “What do you mean he took it?”
“He said he had to disable it for a while so I couldn’t be traced,” Ava said. “I thought it was just to keep things quiet until I saw Jason.”
Delaney turned to the medical assistant, who was sitting against the wall with one hand pressed to the blood-soaked bandage on his arm. His face was pale but alert.
“What’s your name?” she asked.
“Matthew Kent,” he said, voice tight with pain. “I didn’t know anything about a setup. I was following orders.”
Delaney narrowed her eyes. “Whose orders?”
Kent opened his mouth to speak.
Vivian screamed. She lunged toward him, her face twisted with rage, but Eli tightened his grip and pulled her back hard.
“No,” she shrieked, kicking at the floor. “Don’t let him lie. Don’t let him cover for them.”
Ava knelt beside her mother, trying to calmher. “Mom, stop. Please. It’s over.”
But Delaney wasn’t so sure. Something about Kent’s hesitation sent ice down her spine.
Eli yanked Vivian back just in time, but she clawed at Kent with both hands, her rage boiling over.
“Vivian,” Eli snarled, holding her tight. “Throttle back. He’s not going anywhere.”
Kent stayed where he was, hands raised in a defensive posture. His eyes were wide and panicked. “I didn’t plan anything. I was told to make sure Ava and Jason were safe when I brought them here.”
Vivian stopped struggling, her breath coming in shallow gasps. Then her knees buckled, and Eli lowered her carefully to the floor.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen,” she said, her voice breaking on a sob. “None of it was supposed to happen.”
From outside, a siren wailed, faint at first but drawing closer. The ambulance and likely backup, too.
Delaney kept her weapon lowered, her gaze sweeping the room. Ava was still beside her mother, whispering something Delaney couldn’t make out. Jason sat against the wall, silent, stunned.
Vivian’s sobs grew louder, and then she lifted her head.
