Unlocking Darkness (Keys to Love Series, Book Five)

by Kennedy Layne

  If Wesley Schaeffer wanted to exact some type of revenge, then Mitch would see to it that hostages were traded to appease the darkness inside of that madman.

  “Allie, I’m going to need your help with Thorne.”

  She remained quiet as they all left the vehicle and slowly made their way to where Thorne stood with just two other agents. He must have called them in right after leaving Mitch’s house before diverting them up here to this so-called standoff. It wasn’t much of one, considering Wes held all the cards…for now.

  “Allie has something to discuss with you,” Mitch called out, interrupting whatever Thorne was saying to the other agents while trying not to appear rushed.

  “Mitch, you—”

  Mitch turned quickly so that only Allie could hear the desperation in his voice.

  “You already said that this was the end,” Mitch whispered, taking a hold of her arm as he leaned down to speak into her ear. “Waiting is only going to result in four deaths, and you know it.”

  Allie’s gaze flickered down the pier and through the fog, the four men barely visible. Even she had to see the urgency in this matter. Yes, Thorne had to follow procedure. But Mitch was still the goddamned sheriff of this town and those were his people about to meet their maker.

  “I made you a promise,” Allie murmured, catching Mitch off guard. Those green flecks that he’d come to love so much were subdued with worry and fear. “Ten minutes ago, I made a vow not to leave you. Can you do the same for me, Mitch?”

  The last half an hour had honestly blurred together, but she’d grabbed his attention now. And she’d purposefully used his given name that captured his attention every time she used it. Of course, he’d heard her oath that she’d promised to him under duress. He just wasn’t sure he could keep a promise with what waited for him at the end of that row of wooden planks.

  “I can’t leave you alone with a pigeon, now can I?” Mitch asked softly, all but telling her that he’d do everything in his power to make it back to her.

  Allie stared at him intently for a few more seconds before making her decision. He breathed a sigh of relief when she stepped around him, calling out to Thorne and the others. She began to explain what happened at his father’s place and managed to divert their attention long enough to give Mitch a head start down the dock after passing the Remington off to his deputy and unbuttoning the latch of his holster. If he needed to draw quickly, he didn’t want to waste the second it would take in the delay of his action.

  Mitch jogged quickly with his hands in the air and had made it halfway down the pier before he heard Thorne calling out his name in anger.

  Well, he could get in line.

  Wesley Schaeffer’s soulless eyes were directed right at Mitch, watching his every move. The heavy fog seemed to embrace him in an ominous world that had been prepared by the evil he commanded.

  “Is Gwen…” Chad was leaning against one of the pilings of the pier, looking more in need of a hospital than Mitch or Allie. The gunshot wound to his leg was evident even with the dark blue handkerchief tied around it. There was also a knot on his temple that was leaking blood.

  “Gwen is fine,” Mitch said, maintaining an even tone as he managed to keep his hands in the air. He needed to appear as nonthreatening as possible, given the circumstances. It was a wonder Wes hadn’t already taken out the Schaeffer men. “The entire family made it out just before the explosion.”

  Mitch had to hold himself back as fury morphed Wes’ features into something unrecognizable. He swung the firearm until it was aimed directly at Chad, who humbly didn’t even flinch. The man had probably gone numb inside after discovering that his brother was a fucking monster.

  Miles stepped up to the plate though, and immediately put himself in between Wes and Chad.

  “Wesley James, please don’t do this,” Miles pleaded, holding his weathered hands out in front of him. “Please. I’m begging you.”

  The middle name thing wasn’t going to work, but Miles appeared desperate. Who wouldn’t be in this situation? Clayton was standing next to Chad with a look of shock across his features.

  No one—especially not the Schaeffers—would ever get over the fact that one of their own blood relatives had done something so horrific to the good people of this town.

  “You took away my family.”

  Mitch had never taken his gaze off of Wesley. It was clear that Wes was talking to him, and any dialogue at this point was helpful.

  “Wes, we can get you the help you need.” Mitch somehow managed to get the words out even though the only thing he wanted to do was put a slug in the middle of this fucker’s forehead. Gone were the regrets that someone he’d known his entire life had kept something so foul hidden from his loved ones. It was time to bring this to an end. “Put down the weapon. You don’t want to hurt your father or brothers.”

  “You took my family,” Wesley cried out, on the verge of weeping. “They were mine. I took care of them all these years when no one else could be bothered.”

  Allie had been right in that Wes was angry with the Kendalls. Noah’s homecoming had been the beginning of Wes’ downfall. Lance returning home to find the pictures of Wes’ numerous victims who he’d hidden away had only added to his plight. Jace and Shae’s role in uncovering the underwater gravesite was the final straw, but it hadn’t ended there.

  Unbeknownst to all of them, Gwen Kendall had taken Wes’ brother…a part of his family that had been his own flesh and blood.

  “I can take you to them.” Mitch began to lower his hands while hoping to be able to draw his firearm from its holster, aim, and fire faster than Wes could decide to pull his trigger. “I can have Agent Thorne exhume their bodies and have them brought back to the morgue.”

  “You won’t do that. I’m not an idiot.” Wes wiped away his tears with the back of his hand. It gave Mitch the opportunity to lower his hands to his sides. It appeared that an eye for an eye was about to come to fruition. “And I can’t leave this world without my family.”

  Wesley pointed the pistol at his father, causing Miles to quickly step back. Chad rested a hand on his father’s back in reassurance. As for Clayton, well, he appeared ready to jump in the water…which wasn’t such a bad idea.

  “Wesley, you can see that this is a no win situation, right?” Allie’s sweet but determined voice came out of nowhere, right before she exited the fog to come stand by Mitch’s side. “You might get off one shot before Mitch puts one in you. You’ll only be taking your father, leaving behind your brothers to fend for themselves. Isn’t that what you’ve been fighting to save? Family?”

  “We’d be with Mom,” Wes whispered, as if he were convincing himself that he could make this work. “We’d be a family again.”

  “No,” Allie said sadly with a shake of her head. “No, because you can’t take all three of them with you.”

  Mitch witnessed Wes’ index finger become white as he applied pressure to the trigger.

  “Wesley, there’s a way for all of you to remain together,” Allie suggested with more kindness than Mitch could have done in this instance. “Your family loves you unconditionally. No matter what happens, your father and brothers will be by your side.”

  “But I won’t have them with me,” Wes exclaimed as he gestured toward the lake that no longer held his victims.

  “Those young girls were never yours to take, Wesley.” Allie continually said Wes’ name over and over again, keeping him engaged long enough so that Mitch could palm his weapon. He didn’t believe for one moment that Wes wasn’t aware of his surroundings, but the time had come to put an end to the darkness that had plagued Blyth Lake for far too long. “I don’t have a family, and it would be nice to have someone to talk to about my fears. But who would I do that with if you’re no longer here?”

  Mitch bit off the string of curse words that flew through his mind when Allie stepped forward, blocking his ability to get a shot off and finish what Wesley had started over twelve years ago. M
itch shifted his footing so that he would be able to grab Allie by her jacket and yank her backward when the moment came for him to shoot and kill.

  She took another step closer to Wesley, causing her to be out of reach.

  Damn it.

  He’d almost lost his family today. That now included Allie, and he wasn’t going to lose her. Unfortunately, he could only observe in astonishment as she did what no one would have been able to do given the circumstances—she apprehended the Blyth Lake Serial Killer without further bloodshed.

  “Wesley, I don’t want to be left alone,” Allie said softly.

  She was now standing directly in front of his weapon. She slowly reached out with a steady hand and laid her fingers over his. Mitch couldn’t breathe until the firearm was released into her possession. As a matter of fact, he was pretty damn sure bile hit the back of his throat.

  Thorne came out of nowhere, successfully apprehending Wes while Allie continued to assure him that he wouldn’t be alone. The man was now openly weeping, pleading with his father and brothers. He continued to scream that he loved them and had only tried to save those young girls from a life of loneliness.

  It was honestly so pitiful that someone who had caused such heartache could be so broken. Even Miles appeared torn, and Allie continued to explain to the older man why it was so important that he stand by Wes’ side in the aftermath of this tragedy.

  For one, Charlene Winston was still missing.

  Two, there was a lot of information they still needed to gather that spanned all the years of Wes’ crimes. They’d only touched on the surface, and this was a way to give grieving families peace from the unknown.

  “Excuse me.”

  Billy Stanton was trying to get through to Chad, who continued to ask Allie about Gwen. He didn’t have to wait for an answer. Gwen came running past Billy to reach Chad. She didn’t even look twice when she passed Thorne escorting Wes down the pier to a waiting unmarked vehicle.

  “Chad, let’s get you on the ground so that we can see what we’re dealing with,” Billy instructed, motioning for his partner to aid in the transition of their patient. “Gwen, please give us some space. You can ride with Chad to the hospital.”

  Mitch finally holstered his weapon, taking in his environment…all the while keeping a close eye on Allie. She might have had a steady hand when she’d taken Wes’ firearm, but he could see the slight tremor in her fingers as she brushed aside the thick strand that liked to frame her face.

  “You need a paramedic,” Allie said, taking Mitch’s hand to lead him down the pier. He shook his head, really just needing a moment to himself. “Mitch, you—”

  “One minute.” Mitch didn’t give Allie the ability to argue. He walked over to the other side of the pier and lowered himself until he was using the round wooden piling about the size of a telephone pole as a seat. “Come here.”

  Mitch drew her to him, resting his forehead against her stomach. She gently placed her hands on the back of his head, giving him the privacy he needed to come to terms with what had happened here today.

  Allie had always had his six before when he needed her, and now was no different. He could hear his name being called in the distance, most likely looking for guidance on how to handle the questions the locals would undoubtedly want to hear from him and not from an outsider.

  He honestly wasn’t sure what he’d say.

  Reputations had been tarnished due to many undeserved seeds of doubt.

  A good family had been destroyed and another had lost their ancestral home.

  A town had suffered the loss of too many of their loved ones.

  “There is a lot of healing to be done here,” Allie whispered, kneeling so that he could see her beautiful face. The small cuts to her cheeks had stopped bleeding, but the scars would no doubt remain. “They’re going to need you to lead the way, Mitch Kendall. You are their protector. Their leader in times of trouble.”

  It would take a lifetime to mend the wounds that had been inflicted on the residents of Blyth Lake by one of their own children.

  Was Mitch the one to lead that effort?

  Yes, he could be.

  He might have initially fought taking on the title of sheriff, but Blyth Lake was his town. He wouldn’t let this heartbreak tear down everything this place stood for, and he sure as hell didn’t want to do it alone.

  “I think Blyth Lake needs a mascot.”

  “I’m sorry?” Allie asked, clearly lost by the direction Mitch had taken their conversation. She rested her knees against the wet wood, searching his eyes in what was probably fear that his wounds were worse than she’d first thought. “Mitch, what are you…”

  “Your pigeon, Allie,” Mitch replied with a small smile as recognition finally had those green flecks in her eyes sparkling with relief. “Remember, we can’t leave family behind. Do you think we can catch him?”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  One year and one month later…

  “That’s too big,” Jace complained, holding the saw against his leg and refusing to walk toward the eight-foot pine tree. “There’s no way that will fit inside the new house.”

  Jace was right, but Mitch would let his brothers argue that point if it meant he got to stand back and not become involved in the chaos that was the annual hunt for the family Christmas tree.

  They had all opted to come to a Christmas tree farm rather than using a small lot with slim pickings. Every one of them had bundled up in winter clothing, along with the appropriate tools. Hats, scarves, and gloves had been collected, and now the search was on.

  Unfortunately, they were running out of daylight hours and dusk would be falling soon. Mitch would give them another twenty minutes to choose before he began cutting down the pine tree he’d had eye on for the past forty-five minutes.

  “You always were more of an observer when it came to your brothers and sister,” Gus said, holding a thermos of coffee that would hopefully see him through this ordeal. Mitch might be asking for some if this latest mission took longer than an hour. And if last year was anything to go by, picking out a Christmas tree was akin to planning a wedding. “Never liked to get involved, and somehow always managed to smooth things over in the end.”

  “Nah,” Mitch denied, his gaze swinging over to his where his sister stood with her gloved hands resting on her hips. The baby bump was slightly noticeable and endearing to see. Chad was by her side, but he wasn’t quite the same man he had been thirteen months ago. Hell, who would be after finding out his own flesh and blood had been capable of something so brutal? “Gwen’s taken over that role with ease. Look at how good she’s been for the Schaeffers.”

  Gwen had stood by Chad through thick and thin ever since Wes’ arrest—the long, drawn out trial, the mixed and torn reactions from longtime friends and neighbors, and her own emotions when it came to reconciling her pregnancy in the midst of all that turmoil.

  Mitch still believed that the significance of new life was a turning point for Chad and Gwen. They’d needed a miracle, and he firmly believed that their mother was running the show from up above.

  As for Charlene Winston, she’d been found safe and sound in one of the empty renovated cottages. Last Mitch had heard, Charlene was a number one New York Times bestselling author with the recount of her harrowing experience.

  “This one will fit if we bend the tip a smidgen,” Lance argued, taking a step back and eyeing the Christmas tree he refused to leave behind. It had been ten minutes since he first laid eyes on the oversized pine. “Brynn, what about this one for The Cavern?”

  “Wait just a second,” Gwen said, adjusting her earmuffs as she shot their younger brother a look of annoyance. “I think that one would look great in my office.”

  “I take it back.” Mitch couldn’t help but smile at the way Lance got under Gwen’s skin. “Gwen is the peacekeeper unless it comes to Lance.”

  Gus laughed and began to unscrew the lid to his thermos. Even he believed they were going to be her
e for at least another hour.

  “Since when are we decorating the office?” Chad wrapped an arm around her waist, his hand laying protectively over the baby. “I thought Beth Ann already hung some garland on the wooden railing.”

  “Yeah, but it’s not enough.”

  “Gwen, you’re not getting my tree for the office,” Lance complained, looking around for Brynn to back him up. He was going to be disappointed, because Mitch had seen Tiny, Harlan, and Chester all but shoving a huge pine tree through the front door of the bar last night. “Blondie?”

  “Tiny already got a tree for The Cavern, and he set it up last night,” Brynn informed Lance, coming around the other side of the pine tree. Her blonde ponytail bounced as she tried to compromise with her fiancé. “But I’ll let you get this Charlie Brown tree over here to put near the dart board.”

  “What time is Allie due in next week?” Gus asked, raising the lid to the thermos that had been transformed into a steaming cup of coffee. “Was she able to get her last case wrapped up?”

  “Allie was hoping to have her desk cleaned out by Wednesday. She couldn’t tell me much about the investigation she was working on, but I do know they made an arrest yesterday. All that’s left is some paperwork.”

  True to Allie’s word, she hadn’t left him.

  She’d taken the rest of her vacation days after Wes’ arrest, prolonging her time here in Blyth Lake. They’d gotten on a rotation schedule with who spent what weekend where. It had been a hard adjustment, but so worth it.

  Allie had returned to D.C. and immediately put in a request to transfer to the FBI’s field office in Cleveland. It had taken a very long time, but the approval had been given last month. Beginning in January, Allie would officially be a Blyth Lake resident for good.

  “What about this one?” Shae called out, her nose red from the dropping temperatures. She used her mitten to point toward a seven-foot tree. “It’s bushy.”