Her world went mute as Abby focused on the bright red circle spreading across Mr. Hanson’s chest. It was so perfect. Abby was a nurse, trained to heal. But this time she knew the bull’s-eye, so to speak. For the first time since he’d taken Lily hostage, Mr. Hanson wasn’t in charge. He was panicked and afraid, a sick, pathetic freak. He was moaning in pain as he dropped to the ground. Abby leaned over him, still stabbing, wanting her face to be the last thing he saw.
Yes, she hated Mr. Hanson, despised him, but she’d never considered killing him until that day at the cabin with Lily. If Lily needed Rick to be gone in order to have a future filled with spectacular days, Abby realized that she wasn’t powerless any longer. This was something she could actually make happen. She’d gone to Philly to buy the ceramic knife, knowing it wouldn’t appear on the metal detectors. There was a moment after Lily’s statement, after the verdict was read, that Abby had considered letting him suffer in prison, locked away in his cell, but then she’d seen Lily’s expression, and she realized she had no choice.
She kept stabbing him, blood staining her hands, the metallic smell filling her nose and mouth. Finally, the blade was wrenched from her grasp and she was shoved to the ground. Abby lay on the cold tile floor, a foot digging into her back, immobilizing her. She kept her gaze focused on Rick, his body contorting as he whimpered and moaned. Abby couldn’t help but laugh. Watching him suffer was better than she’d ever imagined. Abby wasn’t sure how long she lay there before the cold metal handcuffs were roughly fastened to her wrists.
As she was lifted off her feet, Abby locked eyes with Missy Hanson. You’re welcome, Missy, she thought. That is how you take care of business. The officers hurried Abby out. She caught a glimpse of Lily and Mom, weeping as they clutched each other. Abby hated that she’d caused them pain, but she wasn’t sorry for what she’d done. She was ecstatic, in fact. Rick’s bloody body lying there, helpless and worthless, was the most amazing sight she’d seen. All she could think as they led her out of the courtroom was good fucking riddance.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
LILY
The courtroom had erupted in hysterics, screams and shouts of panic. It was pure and total pandemonium. Blood pooled on the floor as Rick gasped for breath. Sheriff Rogers seemed to appear from out of nowhere. He joined the bailiff as they attempted to subdue Abby.
“Please… please, I don’t want to die.” Lily could hear Rick’s ragged pleas. Rick’s mother was wailing, trying to get closer to her son as a deputy tried to keep her back.
“Save my boy! Please, someone, save my boy!”
Lily saw the faces of shell-shocked bystanders and she understood their terror. This is what I endured, she longed to tell them. This is what every single day with Rick Hanson was like. A nightmare you couldn’t escape. Something so awful it couldn’t possibly be real. Lily couldn’t speak or move. She could never have imagined her sister would do something like this. Lily didn’t even realize Abby wasn’t next to her until she heard Rick’s gasp. She turned around a second too late. She saw the knife, the blood, and the hatred on Abby’s tormented face as she stabbed Rick again and again.
Seconds, or maybe it was minutes, later Lily watched two deputies drag Abby out of the courtroom. Sheriff Rogers appeared by Mom’s side. He wrapped his arms around her and ushered them both toward Judge Crabtree’s chambers. Lily saw the guards trying to stop Rick’s bleeding. She heard the ambulance sirens growing closer.
Why, Abby? she thought, over and over. Why?
Mom was crying and gripping Lily’s arm so tightly Lily worried she might fall over. They sat in the judge’s chambers. Someone brought them bottled water. Someone else wrapped blankets around their shoulders. Lily trembled but all she could think about was how she’d spent all these months sitting across from Dr. Amari, unaware of Abby’s suffering. Something had been simmering inside Abby, something no one had seen. Not even me. Maybe Lily hadn’t wanted to see it.
Mom shook Lily’s arm, her eyes wide.
“The cabin… do you think…?” Mom said. “Do you think Abby…?”
Lily shook her head, motioning to Sheriff Rogers, who stood huddled with Judge Crabtree a few feet away.
“Don’t say another word.”
Lily knew without a doubt that Abby had burned down Rick’s cabin. She knew the moment she saw the knife in Abby’s hand. The moment she saw her stabbing Rick. But she wasn’t going to help the cops build their case.
Lily couldn’t just sit there and do nothing. She stood, directing her questions at Sheriff Rogers. “Rick… Is he…?”
“Dead? Yes, he is. His aorta was punctured. He coded in the ambulance, and they couldn’t revive him. He was declared DOA at the hospital.”
Lily took in the magnitude of what had happened. Her sister killed a man. Abby killed Rick.
“I have to see her. I have to see Abby.”
Sheriff Rogers glanced over at Mom. She appeared nearly catatonic, staring into space. He knelt beside her, holding on to her hand.
“Evie, I’m going to take Lily to see Abby. Will you be okay here?”