“Bobby.” The name felt like an accusation on her tongue. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It was stupid of me. I just…”
“Lied.” Claire’s voice was flat. Dead. “The whole time, you knew who I was, and you said nothing.”
“I promised to tell you after we caught Derek, remember?” His chest was heaving. As two paramedics rushed in, he waved the one off who tried to look at his wound. “I made you that promise, and I intend to fully keep it. But right now, you need medical attention.”
“Screw that.” Her voice held just as much anger as it had a few minutes ago. “Last night, you had every opportunity to tell me who you are.”
He finally looked at her. “I’m Garrett Cross, not Bobby Anderson. I left Bobby buried with Lily that day at the cemetery. I’ll never go back to being that weak kid who caused his sister’s death.” He hesitated. Blew out a breath. “Or yours.”
Something in her already broken heart fissured. “There was nothing you could have done to save Lily.”
“Except call her like I always had before.” His voice trembled. He blinked rapidly. “I’m sorry,” he said. “CJ, I’m so sorry?—”
“Don’t call me that.” Claire’s voice was sharp. “Don’t you dare call me that. Only Lily called me that.”
“I know. I?—”
“Sir.” The paramedic grabbed Garrett’s arm. “Sit down. You’re losing a lot of blood. We need to stop it before you pass out.”
Officers and federal agents swarmed the cabin. Derek was being dragged away. Vivi was free and hugging her husband. Vivi, who was safe. Alive. Because Claire had fought back and attacked Derek when it mattered most. It had bought enough time for the team to breach.
Not like Lily. This time, Claire had been strong enough.
The realization should have felt like victory. Instead, with Garrett's deception exposed and her heart in pieces, it tasted like ashes.
Claire coughed, gently rubbing her bruised throat. A paramedic began checking her vitals. Claire tried to push the woman away. Vivi touched Claire’s shoulder. “You saved my life and helped catch a serial killer. Let the paramedics do their job.”
Garrett reached for her. “Please, Claire.”
She jerked her arm away from him. Stepped back. “Get away from me.” She was shaking now. “Just get away.”
“Claire—”
“Get away!”
Ian stepped between them. “Commander. Let’s give her space.”
She could see he wanted to argue. Wanted to explain. Wanted to make her understand.
She pivoted, found Vivi leaning into Ian’s embrace. “I’ve got you,” he said softly to her. “You’re safe. I’ve got you.”
Tears sprang into Claire’s eyes, seeing their display of love and support. Husband and wife reunited.
The paramedic guided her outside, sat her in the back of an ambulance, and began treating her wound. It all felt far away, surreal.
Not just confronting a serial killer, but all of it. Realizing she’d been the target and Lily had paid the price. That Bobby—Garrett—had deceived her. That Wolf wasn’t the man she’d thought he was.
Mill’s voice came through the comm. “Station is clear. Repeat, station is clear. Bomb squad is on site. We found the device—crude but effective. If we’d been thirty seconds slower...”
Garrett strode out of the cabin, jaw tight. The paramedic chased after him, insisting he was losing a lot of blood. “But you weren’t,” he replied to Mills.
“Copy that, Commander. Everyone okay there?”
He met her eyes. Agent Hendricks stepped forward, cutting off her line of sight and asking questions, but Claire couldn’t hear them. Couldn’t hear anything but Derek’s horrible voice.
“Does she know, Bobby? Does Claire know you’re Lily’s pathetic big brother? That you’ve been lying to her this whole time?”
