Captured

Chapter Twenty-Nine (The End)

There are two endings available. This chapter and a #TeamAbriana ending, which you can find in the next chapter. Let me know which one you like best! 🖤
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Chapter Twenty-Nine

Detective Lock

"A daughter, a friend, a sister," the priest said, cloaked in black with a crisp white collar, "She will be missed by everyone who ever knew this sweet child of God."

Scanning the cemetery, my eyes landed on hundreds of sobbing teenagers and their red-eyed parents. Funerals were a regular part of my job, but this had been the largest turnout I had ever seen before.

Hearing them cry tore my heart to pieces. They are not supposed to go first. No matter what they did or didn't do; they never deserve to go first.

As the priest went on about her childhood and how much her family would miss her, I stared at my shoes and thought about the second unsolved case involving the Vega girls. Her death had been ruled an accidental drowning. I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes. Of course it wasn't an accident! I knew what happened out on Half Moon Lake, but I couldn't prove it. Plus, there weren't any witnesses, unless you count the perch, which most likely had a front row ticket to watch her drown. It didn't help that her lawyers wouldn't let her sister speak to me either. She's been through enough. Just let this family recover. They were protecting her at any cost and it didn't look like they were going to let down any time soon.

Glancing up, my eyes landed on Matías. He stood behind Mrs. Vega and wore a solemn expression. He was like a son to Victor and his wife. Shaking my head, I thought about everyone involved in the two cases. Easton Pierce was still clinging to life in the ICU, the girls' parents were emotional wrecks, and then came the Vega sister who paid the ultimate price. Her face looked so serene and peaceful. Almost like she had just fallen asleep in the white satin-lined casket.

Shoving my hands in my pocket, I averted my gaze back to my shoes. One day I will officially solve this case. Come hell or high water, I will solve this case.

THE END

ALTERNATE PARANORMAL ENDING!

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Abriana

A crushing sensation settled on my chest as a scream escaped my lips.

"Abriana," came a familiar voice, "Abriana, it's okay."

My eyes fluttered open and immediately landed on a large man wearing a crisp white lab coat. "Detective Lock, is that you?"

"Abriana, we've gone over this," he pointed out patiently. "I'm not Detective Lock. I'm Doctor Lock."

"Doctor Lock?"

"Yes, Doctor Lock," he responded. "I'm here to look after you until you start feeling better."

I tried to sit up, but couldn't. My mouth went dry and panic wracked my body.

"Please don't struggle, Abriana," soothed Doctor Lock. "We had to restrain you in order to protect you from hurting yourself."

My jaw dropped open. "What?"

"You attacked one of our female staff," Doctor Lock explained, his expression grim.

Straining against the leather straps securing my arms and legs to the bed, I broke out into a cold sweat. "I didn't hurt anyone. It was Alexa! She was trying to kill me!"