The judge adjusted his glasses. “Dr. Gideon Ward, your crimes are violating the fundamental human rights of every person you have harmed. Your lack of remorse and the extent of psychological damage inflicted upon your victims cannot be overstated.”
Charlotte didn’t blink.
“You are hereby sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.”
A collective exhale swept through the room. Someone let out a small cry, muffled by a sleeve.
It should have felt like victory.
Ward shifted as the bailiffs moved to secure him. For the first time, he turned his head toward her. He smiled. As they led him past her, he slowed just enough to lean in, voice low enough for her ears alone. “We aren’t finished, Detective.”
Charlotte forced herself to stay still, even as her fingers curled into fists.
Graham whispered, “Breathe.”
Ward chuckled under his breath as the guards pulled him forward, his laughter fading with every step.
As the doors closed behind him, Charlotte pressed a hand against her stomach. It was over.
Case closed.
She should have felt relief. Instead, an unease settled deep in her bones. She knew monsters. But Gideon Ward? He was too damn calm. He may have been unsettlingly calm...but he was a monster through and through. A cruel, unrepentant monster.
One
SUNDAY – PRESENT DAY
Charlotte paused,eyes lingering on the old furniture in her Victorian house. The creaky wooden floors and the soft hum of the space filled her ears. It was familiar, comforting, and yet something was off. Alex had just locked the back door, checked the security system, and was still lingering by the kitchen. Something was different, something that gnawed at the edges of her thoughts, but she couldn’t place it.
Bailey, her ever-loyal border collie, was curled up by the stairs, completely still, but Charlotte had learned not to take that for granted. She moved through the house with a heightened sense of awareness, her fingers brushing against objects, grounding herself to the space she once felt entirely in control of.
Alex turned, catching her watching him. His smile softened. "You really are the best at this."
Charlotte’s lips curved into a small smile as she picked up the last coffee mug, “Five daughters will do that to you,” she said, winking at him.
Bailey lifted his head lazily from his bed, tail thumping once before he closed his eyes again. Charlotte felt a pang of unease as she passed the dog, but she pushed it down. It was just the aftermath of the case. She'd been dealing with it for years. A quiet hum in her bones that didn’t quite go away.
She glanced at Alex over her shoulder, the faintest flicker of mischief in her eyes. "I think we both know I’ve got a talent for taking care of things... and people."
Alex chuckled, but there was something deeper behind his eyes. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in closer. “But if I’m being honest, you’ve been taking care of me for years now. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Charlotte’s heart clenched slightly, but she forced the smile back. “You’d manage,” she teased, though the hint of truth underlined her words.
She felt his gaze, felt the pull of his affection, but she didn’t lean into it. Not yet. She couldn’t.
Alex chuckled, leaning down to kiss her forehead. “I wouldn’t like it one bit.” He held her a moment longer, feeling her familiar warmth in his arms.
Charlotte’s eyes softened as she reached for him, cupping his face with both hands. “You know,” she said in a lower voice, “you look like you’re about to pounce on me.”
Alex couldn’t resist the temptation to tease her back, his voice full of playful intent. “Maybe I am.” He brushed his lips over hers before pulling back just enough to let his hands wander down her sides.
She gave him a look that was equal parts amused and intrigued. “I hope you’re not thinking you can just sweep me off my feet with a kiss and a few sweet words. I’m not that easy.”
Alex grinned, pulling back just slightly. He offered her his hand. “Come on, then. I’ll prove you wrong.”
Charlotte raised an eyebrow, her smile softening as she placed her hand in his. They made their way upstairs, the old house creaking gently underfoot as they ascended. Bailey followed them, his paws light on the stairs, but when they reached the top, he paused, looking up at them with those soulful brown eyes, as if asking if he should follow them into the bedroom.
Charlotte looked back down at him and laughed softly. “You stay here, buddy.”
