Chapter 24: The Better Man

The harbor patrol had a boat in the water within two minutes.

Leigh stood at the broken edge of the dock with Jonas's arm around her and watched them haul Blaine out first.

He came over the side still tied to the splintered chair, coughing up salt water, blue-lipped and shaking.

Talia came up after him, tangled in her own dress, with a patrolman's hand around her wrist.

She was alive, and she was screaming.

"I'm the victim! Ask anyone! They pushed me!"

The detective met her on the stones with a pair of handcuffs.

"Talia Whitby," he said. "You're under arrest for kidnapping, extortion and attempted murder."

"You can't! I'm sick! I need a doctor!"

"You have the healthiest kidneys in Sleridge," the detective said. "I've read the panel."

Phones were up all along the lane, and not one of them was lowered.

They walked her past Leigh in cuffs, with her hair in wet ropes and her makeup down to her chin.

Talia stopped and stared at her.

Leigh leaned in until their faces were a hand apart.

She mouthed the same words Talia had once mouthed at her: *I win.*

Talia's scream went on all the way to the car.

On the stones, Blaine lay on his side with a blanket over his shoulders.

He lifted his head and found her.

"Leigh," he croaked. "You didn't... I thought you'd..."

"You asked me to go into the sea," she said. "In front of my family."

"I was scared!"

"I know. I was too, last time. Nobody came for me."

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