Chapter 10 - The Fire That Never Made Sense
Tessa lowered Bryce to the ground.
His breathing came in short, wet gasps.
Mercer raised the gun again.
Dr. Fallon grabbed his arm.
“Not here.”
“Troopers are everywhere.”
Mercer shoved him away.
“She has the photograph.”
Fallon looked toward the woods.
Sirens echoed in the distance.
He panicked.
“We have to go.”
Mercer fired toward Tessa.
The bullet struck the tree beside her.
She dragged Bryce behind the fallen log.
Mercer and Fallon ran back toward the sedan.
The engine roared.
The car disappeared down the service road.
Tessa pressed both hands against Bryce’s wound.
“Stay with me.”
Bryce coughed.
“You always were terrible at following orders.”
“Be quiet.”
“You need pressure.”
He gave a weak laugh.
“You sound like Mom.”
Tessa’s eyes filled with tears.
“Why did Mercer shoot you?”
“Because he knows.”
“Knows what?”
Bryce looked toward the scattered papers.
“The fire.”
Tessa glanced at the photograph.
“What happened?”
Bryce’s face twisted with pain.
“The youth center was losing money.”
“Mercer used it to move trust funds.”
“Fallon signed false treatment reports.”
“Pike kept the inspections away.”
“And you?”
Bryce closed his eyes.
“I created the shell companies.”
Tessa felt sick.
“Two teenagers died.”
“I know.”
“Did you start the fire?”
“No.”
“Who did?”
Bryce opened his eyes.
“Mercer ordered an electrical fire.”
“He wanted the records destroyed.”
“There were supposed to be no kids inside.”
“But there were.”
Tessa remembered the news coverage.
A sixteen-year-old boy named Samuel Cross.
A fifteen-year-old girl named Avery Bell.
The town had mourned them for a week.
Then everyone moved on.
“Why didn’t you tell anyone?”
“I was afraid.”
“You kept stealing afterward.”
“He owned me after that.”
“No.”
Tessa pressed harder against the wound.
“You kept choosing yourself.”
Bryce winced.
“Yes.”
The admission sounded almost peaceful.
He reached inside his shirt.
From a hidden pocket, he removed a small brass key.
“The blue music box.”
“Where is it?”
“Kendra didn’t sell it.”
“She gave it to Mercer.”
“Where does he keep it?”
“His courthouse office.”
Tessa stared at him.
“What does it contain?”
“Dad’s ledger.”
“Names.”
“Dates.”
“Payments.”
“And a copy of the youth center inspection report.”
“The one that proves Mercer knew the wiring was safe.”
Tessa heard voices approaching through the woods.
State troopers.
She squeezed Bryce’s hand.
“You’re going to tell them everything.”
Bryce shook his head.
“I won’t make it.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do.”
Tessa looked down.
Blood soaked the ground beneath him.
“No.”
Bryce looked at her.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t.”
“I hated you because you left.”
“But I hated you more because you came back and saw me clearly.”
Tessa’s tears fell.
“You can still fix something.”
Bryce looked at the body camera Ruiz had clipped beneath Tessa’s jacket before she entered the house.
The device had cracked.
But a red light still blinked.
“You recorded this?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
His breathing became weaker.
“Tell Mom…”
He stopped.
Tessa leaned closer.
“Tell her what?”
Bryce’s lips moved.
“She was right to love you more.”
Tessa shook her head.
“She didn’t.”
“She loved us differently.”
Bryce gave a faint smile.
Then his body went still.
Tessa remained beside him until the troopers found her.
She did not feel relief.
She did not feel victory.
She felt only the unbearable weight of arriving too late.
By dawn, Bryce was dead.
Kendra was in custody.
Deputy Pike had surrendered after Officer Ruiz broke free and disarmed him.
Dr. Fallon and Judge Mercer were missing.
Judith had been taken to the hospital.
Owen was undergoing surgery for his shoulder.
And the cash box had been recovered.
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But the most important evidence was still inside the courthouse.
A blue music box protected by the man who had already killed once to keep it hidden.
