Page 35 of The Last To Know (Hallowed Halls Series #2)

L uis Noland stood over Cooper with the knife poised to kill. Hannah’s reactions were slower than they should have been. “Please don’t,” she screamed. All she could think about was Cooper. Was he still alive? She loved him. And Cooper was bleeding out.

“Brenda?”

Hannah felt sick. The very sight of the man who had caused so much pain revolted her. Brenda had suffered much at his hand, but she had to be strong. Only the tiniest of movements from Cooper was enough to tell her he was still alive, if only barely.

Where was her weapon? Cooper’s was still in its holster. She needed to think rationally. Needed to reach out to Luis in the only way possible—as Brenda.

Cooper’s life depended on it.

“Yes, it’s me. You’ve found me at last.”

His face crumpled with emotion. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. Why did you write that note? Why did you tell them I killed you, Brenda? It wasn’t me; it was you.”

Hannah barely recognized the voice as human. Shocked, it finally made sense. Noland hadn’t taken his wife’s life. Brenda’s death had come at her own hands and had been by her own choosing.

“I know the truth. I’m here now. It wasn’t your fault.”

He stepped closer—away from Cooper, the knife he clutched in his hand nicking at his leg.

Could she reach Cooper’s weapon in time?

Luis seemed unaware of the blood seeping through his pants. “I never told anyone. Not a soul. I did it for you, Brenda. I called an ambulance. They came, took you to the hospital. They said they couldn’t save you, but they were able to salvage your organs. They stole your heart. I hunted for it. Nothing would stop me from finding it and you. I knew we’d be together again.”

“Yes.” She stepped closer to Cooper while trying to keep Noland’s attention on her. Cooper barely managed to get his weapon from the holster, but he was fading fast. He had lost a tremendous amount of blood.

Hannah had her phone in her hand and called Zeke. She put the phone on speaker for her brother to hear.

She heard Zeke ask her what was wrong.

Noland heard. “What are you doing? You called someone?” He noticed the phone. When he focused on her, it appeared as if he realized she wasn’t his wife. “You’re not my Brenda. My Brenda wouldn’t betray me like that.” He raised the knife and lunged for Hannah.

She sidestepped the attack and grabbed Cooper’s weapon. Hannah fired off two shots. The first grazed the left side of his ear. The second hit its mark dead on. Straight through the heart of a killer.

Noland crashed to the ground like a rock, mere inches from Hannah. She kicked the knife from his reach, checked for a pulse, and didn’t find one.

Then she rushed to Cooper’s side. Hannah removed her coat and tried to stop the bleeding.

“Zeke, get EMTs down here now. Cooper’s been attacked,” she yelled into the phone and gave their location.

Cooper’s eyes were open, but he couldn’t speak because one of the blows had slashed his throat. She squeezed his hand as her eyes filled with tears. “Hang in there. Help is on the way. They’ll be here soon. Don’t give up. Don’t you dare give up.”

The faint squeeze against her hand was her only answer.