Deputy Vaughn was safe.
Max was safe.
She was safe.
Her gaze drifted to Max as he stood beside her, his attention still fixed on her like he hadn’t quite let himself believe it yet.
Maybe . . . maybe this really was over.
CHAPTER 49
The next day,voices drifted through Refuge Cove, dishes clinked in the kitchen, and the low hum of conversation murmured. But the edge that had been in the air earlier was gone. The tension that had hung over everything just days ago had eased, replaced by something softer and steadier.
Hadley and Max stood near the edge of the living room. Hadley’s arms were loosely wrapped around herself as she watched everyone gather. Sunlight filtered through the windows, catching dust motes in the air, making everything feel almost . . . normal.
They met to eat together—and so everyone could be updated on what was going on. They were waiting for Micah before they started to rehash the details.
This would be easier than having six different conversations with people.
Finally, Micah arrived. They all found seats in the living room.
“Lyndee’s doing better,” Micah started. “She’s agreed to go to counseling, and she’d like to come back here to stay for a while, if you all are okay with it.”
“Of course,” Naomi said as she held Grace in her lap.
“She asked if you’d keep watching Tinkerbell,” Micah said. “I hope you don’t mind that I answered for you. I knew you’d say yes.”
“Tinkerbell is more than welcome here,” Naomi said.
“Kenny’s been officially charged,” Micah continued. “They’re not letting him anywhere near Lyndee again.”
“Rightfully so,” Max said. “I don’t care if he claims he was manipulated. Wrong is wrong.”
“Agree,” Caleb said.
“And Kendra . . .” Micah added more carefully, his tone shifting. “She’s been formally arrested. They’re saying she’ll undergo a full psychological evaluation.”
“Maybe she’ll finally get the help she needs,” Ruby said.
“And the justice she deserves,” Wyatt added.
Hadley nodded, though her thoughts lingered there longer than she expected.
Help. Justice. Maybe both. They weren’t mutually exclusive.
“And Susie’s back home,” Hadley added. “And get this—she told me this morning she wants to come back to work. I wasn’t sure if I’d need to look for a new employee, but I’m so glad I’m not losing her.”
“That sounds like Susie,” Naomi said. “I’m glad she’s recovering.”
“And Herb and Billie?” Ruby asked. “Any updates?”
“They’re good,” Max said. “Resting and as stubborn as ever.”
That earned another round of smiles.
Hadley let out a breath, something inside her finally loosening.
No one said it out loud, but they were all thinking the same thing: Everything that had happened—the manipulation, the violence, the unraveling—it felt almost surreal now. Like something from a news story instead of real life.
