Chapter 10: The Reckoning
1284 Words
Hale backed against his desk.
His hands were shaking. His face was pale. The old-man act was gone. Underneath, he was just scared.
"You don't want to do this," he said.
"I really do."
"Violence won't bring your mother back."
"No. But it'll make me feel better." Outside, the leaves rustled, the wind seemed to know that things needed shaking up, I took a deep breath, I was pretty sure my veins were popping out.
I stepped closer. The tire iron was heavy in my hand. My knuckles were white.
Damon stood by the door. Watching. His gun was holstered. He didn't move to stop me.
Cade appeared behind him. Nellie peeked over his shoulder, She seemed to be whispering to him to talk some sense into me. I didn't need redemption, I wanted revenge. All the pain I went through, this past months, for a life I didn't even beg to have.
"Lena," Cade said. "Think about what you're doing."
"I've been thinking for months."
"That's not what I mean."
I knew what he meant. Don't become him. Don't become a killer.
But my mom was dead. Joel was dead, and I found myself thinking of what life would have been with a mother by side, she would probably not want me being a mechanic, or we would have gossiped about boys. Either ways, I would never know. And Hale, the cause of me being motherless was standing right there, breathing the same air as me.
It wasn't fair.
"Lena." Nellie's voice was soft. Rare for her. "If you do this, you can't take it back."
"I know."
"He's not worth it."
I looked at Hale. His watery eyes. His thin lips. His trembling hands.
He killed my mom.
He poisoned me.
He made me think I was a monster.
And now he was scared of a seventeen-year-old girl with a tire iron.
I lowered my arm.
"You're not worth it," I said.
Hale exhaled. "Smart girl."
"Don't thank me. You're still going to jail."
"I have lawyers…"
"Your lawyers can't help you." Damon stepped forward. "I have your ledgers. Your shipment logs. Everything you used to run the wolfsbane trade."
"Where did you…"
"Behind Greta's collar. You're not the only one who can hide things."
Hale's face went gray. He's eyes turned red.
Damon pulled out his phone. "I already called the sheriff. He'll be here in ten minutes."
"You called the law on me?"
"Someone had to."
Hale laughed. Bitter. Broken. "You think this ends with me? There are others. Bigger than me. They'll come for you. For the girl. For everyone she loves."
"Then we'll be ready," I said.
I grabbed his arm. Pulled him away from the desk.
He didn't fight. Just walked. Slow and defeated.
We waited outside the compound.
The moon was still high. The air was cool, fireflies were glowing around the grass, for a moment, I forgot about Hale, about the people he said were coming, about almost losing myself. In that moment, everything was peaceful, Cade took my hands and kissed them,then he stood next to me, his presence was enough, I knew he would always be there. I sat on the hood of a rusted truck and watched the road.
"You did the right thing," he said.
"Not killing him?"
"Not becoming him."
I leaned into his shoulder. "I wanted to. For a second. I really wanted to."
"I know."
"Does that make me bad?"
"It makes you human."
Headlights appeared in the distance. Sheriff Mills. Finally.
The car pulled up. The sheriff got out. He was a big guy. Gray hair. Tired eyes.
"Lena Calderon?"
"Yes, sir."
"Your father called me. Said you might be in trouble." He looked at the compound. At Hale. At Damon and Cade and Nellie. "Looks like he was right."
"Hale killed my mother. He's been running a drug operation. Damon has the proof."
The sheriff nodded. "We'll sort it out downtown."
He put handcuffs on Hale. Read him his rights.
Hale didn't resist. But as they led him to the car, he looked back at me.
"The moon always comes back, Lena."
"Not for me."
He smiled. That empty smile.
And then the door closed.
The car drove away.
Damon walked over. He had a box in his hands. Wooden. Old.
"My mother's journal," he said.
"You found it."
"In the desk. Behind Hale's ledgers." He opened the box. Pulled out a small leather book. Same as mine. Same handwriting.
"Does it say anything about my mom?"
Damon flipped through the pages. Stopped at one.
"She says your mother was the bravest person she knew. Says she died protecting you."
He handed me the journal.
I read the page.
Lena's mother came to me two weeks before she died. She knew Hale was watching. She knew she wouldn't survive. But she said it was worth it. For Lena. For a future where her daughter could be free.
I promised I'd protect Lena if anything happened.
I broke that promise.
I'm sorry, Maria.
My eyes burned. But I didn't cry.
I closed the journal. Handed it back.
"Burn it," I said.
"Lena…"
"Burn it. Both of them. My mom's too. She wouldn't want this hanging over anyone."
Damon nodded. He poured gasoline from a can in his bike. Put both journals in a metal barrel.
Struck a match.
The fire went up fast. Pages curled. Leather cracked.
My mom's words. Her secrets. Her warnings.
All of it turning to ash.
Cade held my hand.
Nellie put her head on my shoulder.
Damon watched the flames. His face was soft. Almost peaceful.
"It's over," he said.
"Not yet," I said. "But it will be."
We rode home as the sun came up.
The moon disappeared behind the hills. The sky turned pink and orange.
The garage appeared in the distance. Tío Ray was standing outside. Arms crossed. Waiting.
I got off the bike. Walked to him.
He pulled me into a hug. Tight. Shaking.
"You're okay," he said.
"I'm okay."
"You're human."
"I'm human."
He laughed. Wet. Broken. "I was so scared, mija. I thought I'd lose you too."
"You didn't."
"I lied to you. For years. About everything."
"I know."
"Can you forgive me?"
I pulled back. Looked at his face. His tired eyes. His gray beard. The man who raised me. Who loved me. Who was too scared to tell the truth.
"It's going to take time," I said.
"Take all the time you need."
He hugged me again.
Cade stood by his bike. Nellie was already inside, probably looking for food. Damon was still on his Triumph, engine idling.
He caught my eye.
"I'm leaving," he said.
"Where?"
"Back to Arizona. I have a garage there. A life."
"Will you be okay?"
Damon looked at the sky. The last stars were fading.
"I don't know. But I'm going to try."
He put his helmet on. Kicked the bike to life.
"Damon."
He looked at me.
"Thank you. For helping."
"Don't thank me. Just…" He paused. "Just be happy, Lena."
Then he rode off.
The sound of his engine faded into the morning.
Cade came up behind me. Wrapped his arms around my waist.
"So," he said. "What now?"
"Now we live."
"That sounds boring."
"After everything we've been through?" I turned in his arms. "Boring sounds perfect."
He kissed me. Slow. Sweet.
Nellie yelled from the garage door: "GET A ROOM."
Cade laughed against my lips.
I smiled.
The sun was up. The moon was gone.
And for the first time in my life, I didn't feel it.
The pull. The ache. The fear.
Just the morning.
Just the garage.
Just the people I loved.
- Writer
