swollen knuckles. And we’ll have Kenna’s testimony. That’s a strong case.”
“We don’t even need any of that.”
Crosby looked up at my statement. “We don’t?”
“No. Harriet had a bunch of those cameras that record everything installed outside all the entry points to our houses last year. He should be on the recordings. Probably even the first time he hit me because we were on my front porch.”
Crosby looked away for a brief moment, his jaw working. I squeezed his hand with as much strength as I had. “I’m okay. And he’s not going to hurt me ever again.”
Crosby turned back towards me. “No, he’s not.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips to my forehead. “You’re so fucking strong. For yourself, for our baby. I love you.”
I’d never tire of hearing those words. “With everything I am.”
Epilogue
Kenna
TWO WEEKS LATER
“Zoe, this is beautiful! Thank you so much for making it for me.” I eased back against the couch as I took in the get-well card creation full of glitter and stickers and everything girly.
Zoe nibbled on her bottom lip. “You’re welcome. You’re feeling better, right? You’ll be okay?”
My heart cracked for the little girl who’d already lost so much. It hadn’t been easy for her when she’d heard I’d landed in the hospital. We’d spoken on the phone a few times since my attack, but I was finally getting some quality time with my girl. “I’ll be one hundred percent in a few weeks. I just have to pack around this ugly cast in the meantime.” I held up my plaster-covered arm. “Think you could help me decorate it?”
A small smile appeared on Zoe’s face, and she nodded.
I picked up a few markers from the coffee table. The action made my head spin, but I kept a smile on my face, not wanting Zoe to worry. The concussion still gave me some nasty lingering side effects, but they were lessening each day. I patted the seat next to me. “Come on over.”
Zoe made her way to me as Ingrid and Crosby watched from chairs across the way. She carefully lowered herself to the sofa and picked up a marker. “How about some flowers?”
“That sounds perfect. Flowers will brighten up this cast for sure.”
Zoe was quiet as she worked, and I gave her time, knowing she’d open up when she was ready. She drew blooms of pink and purple and orange, creating a green vine that connected them all. Still focused on her work, she asked, “They got the bad guy, right?”
My chest gave another squeeze. “They got him, Zo. He’s going to jail for a long time.”
The footage from the camera right outside my door had been a slam dunk. Between that and the statements from my doctors, Grant had been charged with attempted murder. It would probably get lowered to aggravated assault when we went to court, but Grant wouldn’t get away this time. He was going to pay for his actions.
Annabelle and Clark had shown up on the island briefly but had fled back to Seattle to lick their wounds and try to figure out a way to get their son off without prison time. It wasn’t going to happen. And the entire island had been happy to see them go.
The most surprising revelation had been that Lacey had helped with the attempted bribery of Judge Moore. They’d found her fingerprints all over the briefcase of cash that had been left at his home. Prints that had been on file from when Bell had gotten Lacey locked up for underage drinking. She probably would avoid actual jail time, but Lacey was going to be on probation at the very least. It seemed like Karma was finally paying a visit to those who deserved it.
Crosby had been by my side through it all, my rock. But when he’d had to sit through the footage of Grant striking me, I thought he might lose it. Luckily, Ford and Bell had been at the station with us. Ford had taken Crosby outside, and whatever he’d said had seemed to help. That and having me in bed next to him every night. I never felt safer than when I was in Crosby’s arms.
While I was in the hospital for a few days, Bell and Caelyn had rushed to get one of the downstairs guest rooms in the main house ready for me to stay in. Avoiding stairs for these first few weeks of my recovery had been key. And I had no desire to