Wallace knew what he had done had changed everything for everyone.
It was time to fix things. Protect Reggie and Li—Izzie. Take the monsters out of the world, so the two of them could go on living without the cloud of Wallace and Jennifer over their heads.
With his journals still being missing, he didn’t know what was going to happen next. Allen Jacobson had found them and turned them over to the TSP now. Probably as payback for what Wallace had done.
How could he blame the younger man? Allen was obviously head over heels in love with little Izzie. Wallace understood that as well.
How beautiful she had grown up to be. Sweet. Wallace had spent the last four nights in his car outside of Jacobson’s place. Just watching. The young couple had a system now.
Izzie would get home around seven each morning. Allen would leave around nine. Then Izzie would take the puppy out. She really was happy with the little guy, always laughing and playing with him. After the dog finished his business, she’d take him inside, and then Izzie would sleep, until Allen came home. When it was time, she’d drive to the hospital for her late shift after Allen walked her to her car and kissed her good-bye.
Wallace followed her, making certain she made it there on time. Safely. The way he would’ve probably done for Lizzie had she ever lived long enough to get to this point. He wouldn’t want his daughter working the ER on thirds. That’s when all the craziest things happened.
He didn’t exactly like Izzie doing so, either. Allen was working to get her transferred to days, with him.
It’s what Wallace would have done.
He would sleep in the hospital parking lot while Izzie worked. Then he followed her back to Allen’s. To make sure she got there safely.
His attorney had called. The prosecutors were getting serious now. It was a Barratt now; not the attorney Jennifer had been friendly with for years.
That had upset her. She’d told him she’d taken care of things that way. Jennifer had never liked to fail.
He needed to talk to Jennifer, explain to her everything that he could. Why he needed the journals. It was to protect Reggie. She’d understand that. She already knew he’d killed their little Lizzie. Might as well clear his conscience over Miranda and Connie as well.
He opened the door to the condo. The condo she had purchased without him. Where she would live while he was in prison for the rest of his life for what he had done to Izzie.
No less than he deserved.
He headed up the stairs and knocked on the door to her bedroom.
Not his.
Separate bedrooms, for the first time in thirty-five years.
He heard her inside.
Wallace opened the door.
102
It had been so daring.
Jennifer had never had a man in her bed in her own home before.
She was going to enjoy it. No more fear that Wallace would walk in, or the neighbors would see.
No. Once this was finished with Wallace, she’d get on with her life. For the first time in weeks, she felt in control again. Almost happy.
Reggie was getting discharged in the morning. Carl…Carl had opened his eyes and had actually recognized his nurse. He’d called the nurse by name.
He was going to make it. Her sources were reporting that a woman had been shot at W4HAV. That it was serious.
Everything was wonderful now.
It was time to celebrate.
Jennifer decided she was going to live a little. She only had a good thirty years or so left on this planet, if she was lucky. She was going to enjoy it. When Kyle had touched her tonight, that had been all that it took.
When the door opened, she looked up, in shock. As Kyle’s hands tightened around her naked ass.
To look straight into Wallace’s eyes.
Wallace. He was there. Staring at her. A look of complete and utter betrayal on his face.
Everyone froze. That’s when she saw it.
Kyle saw it, too.
He was already moving.
But it was far too late.
103
Shelby ended up needing minor surgery. A fragment of glass had embedded dangerously close to the brachial artery. Nearly in the same place Izzie’s own injury had been all those weeks ago. She’d been prepped by Wanda personally, and Cage was handling the surgery. She was in good hands.
Allen was still on the clock; it took a while for him to get ahold of Virat to cover for him the rest of his shift. Virat and Fin had had an event at four somewhere