Don't Blame Me: Genius

Epilogue

~Tess pov~
Six Months Later
LoveBurn PD, Seven AM
Completing five months of cadette training and walking out a police officer is amazing. There were some days I thought that I was going to break, but I remembered who had my back and what I was working towards and who I was doing it for. Family. Hope. ME.

Peyton and I had gotten a lot closer, considering the fact that his dad had proposed and our parents were now engaged. We knew that was coming, I just don't know how I feel about calling him anything other than the sheriff.  Hope and I were stronger than ever. I honestly think us spending every second together was the downfall. As soon as I graduated, the sheriff landed me a job at the police department. With me being the only woman there, a rookie, and basically his daughter, he told his boys to play nice or they wouldn't have a job.

I sit at my desk shuffling paperwork, I'm drowning in it. I jump, "Rookie, you're with me. Let's go." Peyton stated. I remember him saying he wasn't going to show favoritism. I saw another set of officers fly out the door. "It's a 217, we'll need help," he explained.

217. Assault. With a deadly weapon.

I was nervous. I hadn't encountered something this big yet as a rookie, but I knew I had it in me, I knew I was covered, so I put on my big girl vest. "Where are we headed? This looks familiar." I asked as Peyton wheeled us through curvy backroads. "So we've been trailing a thief. He gets drunk at multiple times of the day, and goes around stealing people's cars. I guess, the person he is trying to steal from is putting up a fight,". As we got closer the memories grew more into place. The pebbled sidewalk, Hope falling, the drunken man. "Peyton?" my breath shook.

"Quick pep talk little sis. You're a cop. You're going to do big scary things, including lay your life down on the line for others, okay? More than others because you're a woman, you're stronger than any of us. If you didn't want it, you wouldn't be here right?" I nodded. "I got your front, back and sides. Come on,"

WE RAN. In the woods it was so nostalgic. I would've never guessed coming back to this exact same spot. I was following Peyton, but it was like we were going in circles and were getting nowhere. "We have to split up," I said out of breath. Peyton gave me a yourecrazyashell look. "Look, our back up is searching the other side. You can go that way and I'll go this way," I motioned in opposite directions. I knew exactly where our suspect was at. Peyton nodded and sent me on my way.

The rocks were slipping from under my boots, I was running so fast. I was so close. I heard someone scream, a lady most likely. I winched at the screeching sound of the voice, but kept moving, the wind eating at my skin. I come to the sidewalk where Hope and I walked upon, I grimace. It looked funny, but then I realized I'm coming from the opposite entrance. I kept moving until I reached the parking lot where the old campfire took place. And lo and behold, there he is, Christian White.

"CHRISTIAN!" I scream. He's twelve feet away from me, trying to unlock a green Volkswagen, with a lady laid out on the ground. "Di-did you hit her? I asked softly. He looks over his shoulder, giving me a drunken smirk. I've located the specific item, tucked away in his pants, so I'm already on guard. He turns around fully to take a stumbling step toward me, I immediately draw my .22. He is now eleven feet away from me, good thing these projectiles travel up to 150 feet. "Step away from the woman and the car,"

His hands shoot up, almost as a surrender but in the tone of mockery. "I didn't hit her. My hand just...slipped," he huffed out a laugh. He took two more quick steps towards me. Two too many. Locked and loaded, I got him right in the left foot. No more steps for you friend. Peyton finally came out of the woods. He was there the whole time but told me I had it handled. He called the EMS for the lady and while I helped Christian up.

"Seriously Tess, the foot?"
"My hand slipped," I grinned, "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can, and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be provided for you. Do you understand?"

Funny how the story ends the same way it started.