Page 99 of Sentinel's Kiss

“Talk to me, Ryder.” But the headset must have shorted out when he went underwater.

He heard nothing for a few minutes. Then the bright light swept over them.

“You got her?” Warden called out.

“You got him?”

“Yup.”

The light was coming closer and Sentinel could hear heavy footsteps on the creaking wooden dock.

“W-what’s going on?” Ashley said, her teeth chattering.

“You’re safe.”

“What about Stan?”

“He drowned and the current took him away,” Sentinel said, kicking them away from the dock and heading toward the beach. A loud splash sounded by the end of the dock that Sentinel had launched his bike off. Warden had killed Stan and was dumping the body.

“Murder, suicide.” He breathed deeply, at peace for the first time in two years.

I’m sorry it took me so long, Sarah. I’m sorry it wasn’t me who pulled the trigger.

Christ, he was going to cry. He was going to start sobbing and he didn’t think he would ever stop if that happened. He faltered in the water and floated for a moment. He was so tired. It wouldn’t hurt just to close his eyes for a moment. His arms and legs were like lead.

He began to sink.

“Josh!” Ashley cried, gripping him tightly. “We’re almost there. Please don’t give up.”

Ashley. He had to get her to safety. He could collapse once they were on the beach. “I’m okay. Just needed to rest a moment.”

“Stan was going to frame you. Travis’s folder on the SOBs is in a trash can on the beach.”

“Don’t worry about Stan. He changed his mind about doing that. Stan’s dead,” Sentinel said, finally able to touch the bottom. “Almost there, baby. Hang on.”

“Josh, what if he swam to the shore?”

Warden’s bike roared as he started it up. He took off, just as the air lit up with sirens and red lights.

“Where’s Warden going? How did you find me?”

“Ashley,” Sentinel said, dragging them out of the water and collapsing on his knees and then his back, “I promised. I’ll answer all your questions in the morning.”

“Warden should be here to talk to the police.”

He pulled her on top of him and held her tight. “Baby, Warden was never here.”

“What are you talking about? I heard him.”

“Listen to me. After you went into the lake, you don’t know what happened until I pulled you out and dragged you here. That’s what you’re going to say to the cops. Got it?”

Ashley caught her breath. She got it. She scrambled away from him.

Don’t flake.

More sirens and the sound of another motorcycle erupted into the silence as the vehicles spilled into the parking lot.