Vivienne glanced at Brooks. He gave a slight nod.
“Walk me through the final moments,” Porter said. “From when Detective Harrington entered the lamp room until Winston Aldrich was disarmed.”
Vivienne chose her words with care. She described Winston’s positioning, the gun at her temple, the way Brooks had assessed the situation when he came through the door.
“Winston was threatening to kill us both. I knew I had to create an opening.”
“And Detective Harrington shot Winston Aldrich at the exact moment you threw yourself clear of the weapon. That’s remarkable timing for a hostage situation.”
“I signaled with my eyes where I was going to move,” Vivienne said. “Brooks was watching for it.”
Porter turned to Brooks. “Detective Harrington, walk me through your decision to shoot.”
“Winston had the gun to her head. I assessed angles and positioning. When Vivienne moved, I had a clear shot and took it.”
Porter made notes. “The coordination was precise. No hesitation on either side.”
“We’ve been working together for weeks,” Brooks said. “You develop trust.”
Porter studied them both for a moment, then closed her notebook. “The shooting is justified. Self-defense and defense of a hostage. Winston’s attorney won’t be able to argue otherwise.” She stood. “I’ll need formal statements from both of you once you’re released, but this preliminary account is sufficient.”
“That’s it?” Vivienne asked.
“That’s it. You did everything right, Ms. Hawthorne. Stayed calm, created an opportunity, trusted your partner.” Porter’s expression softened slightly. “Most hostages panic. You kept your head.”
“I had reason to trust Brooks would be ready.”
Porter nodded. “That trust saved both your lives.”
After Porter left, Sullivan approached the bed. “Vivienne, I owe you an apology. When Brooks first started working with you, I discouraged it. Thought you were either a fraud or a liability. I was wrong.”
“You were trying to protect him.”
“I was trying to protect myself from having to admit that there are things in this world I don’t understand.” Sullivan’s weathered face showed respect. “You’ve done more for this town in three weeks than I did in twenty years. You made me see what I didn’t want to see.”
“The town will need time to process this. The Aldrich family was part of Westerly Cove for generations.”
“Some folks are already calling it good riddance. Others are in denial. But most people are just relieved. The Aldriches cast a long shadow. Now that they’re gone, maybe we can finally breathe.”
After Sullivan left, Brooks helped Vivienne sit up enough to drink water. Her throat was raw, her voice still scratchy.
“What Dawn said last night,” Vivienne started. “She wasn’t subtle.”
Brooks went still. “No. She wasn’t.”
“I’ve spent nineteen years being careful. Keeping people at arm’s length.” She met his eyes. “Working with you has changed that.”
“It’s been different for me too.” His voice was quiet. “I’m not used to partners I can’t predict.”
“I’m not used to partners at all.”
“I’m a detective, Vivienne. I already carry other people’s grief and trauma. It’s what we do.”
“This is different. You’ve felt it now—the connection between us. It’s not going away. If anything, it’s going to get stronger.You’ll sense when I’m in danger, when I’m overwhelmed, when the voices get too loud. Are you prepared for that?”
Brooks was quiet. When he spoke, his voice was steady. “Three weeks ago, I would have said no. I would have run from anything that couldn’t be explained or controlled. But you’ve changed how I see the world. Shown me that some things are worth believing in even when they don’t make sense.”
“That’s not an answer.”
