The only reason why this is the start of the second half of the book is because of the Winter story. If you haven't read it, I suggest you at least read Josh and Cleo's parts so you're not confused as to what's happening in here. If you don't want to, just quickly read the author's note at the end of this part and I'll explain what happened in it.

Chapter 19

       I really hated waiting in the police station for news I wasn't even sure I wanted to hear. Not only that, but I had been waiting here for a very long time. The chief called me into the station a while ago saying they wanted to talk to me about Cassidy, but here I was, still waiting.

       I wondered if Horatio was on duty. He seemed to be the only police officer actually capable of doing his job.

       Thankfully, he was on duty because he soon walked over to where I was sitting. "Hey," he said. "What are you doing here?"

       "The chief asked me to come in a while ago," I said. "He said he wanted to talk to me about Cassidy, but I'm still waiting."

       "Really?" Horatio asked. "I'll go talk to him right now and see what the hold up is."

       "Thanks," I said.

       It didn't take long for Horatio to return, this time with a folder in his hand. "So, as it turns out, he's currently training a new officer and it completely escaped his mind, so he asked me to go through everything with you."

       He gestured for me to follow him, so I got up and he led me to one of the interview rooms. "Is there a reason he wanted me specifically?" I asked.

       "I'm not sure," Horatio said as we sat down at the table in the room. "He just gave me the case file and told me to go over everything with you, since your Cassidy's ex."

       "I don't get it," I said. "Why would he want to tell Cassidy's ex what's going on?"

       "I guess we'll find out," Horatio said, opening the case file. "So, you know about Cassidy starting the explosion and her intention behind it."

       I sighed. "Yeah. She wanted to hurt my brothers for reasons I still don't understand. Does anyone know that reason? Anyone at all? Because my brothers are three of the sweetest people ever. All Brody told me was that she wants to tear my family apart, but it doesn't make any sense."

       "Nobody knows exactly why," Horatio said. "We talked to Brody as well and he told us the same thing. He didn't know the reasons behind it, but..." Horatio sighed. "He also said that he thinks Cassidy isn't done with them."

       I was silent for a bit. Cassidy wasn't done with harming my brothers? After she tried killing them? I just didn't get why she was doing this in the first place.

       "But... She's not in Spruceworth anymore," I said. "She took off. She's in hiding right now. How could she not be done with them?"

       "Trust me, I wish I knew," Horatio said. "What Cassidy did... She needs to be punished for it before she harms anyone else."

       "So... What else is in the case file?" I asked.

       Horatio flipped through the papers in the file. "Well, there's how she shot Joel and why she shot him, which was because he saw her and found out she was alive. Then there's..." He stopped, reading the paper in his hand. "The reason she faked her death in the first place."

       "What... What was it?" I asked.

       "She was wanted by the police," Horatio said. "Not by the Spruceworth Department, because you obviously would have heard about it. She... She killed her ex-boyfriend."

       If I was shocked when I heard that she wanted to hurt my brothers, even kill them, I didn't even know how to feel finding out she killed one of her ex-boyfriends. And why I never even heard about it.

       It could by way she was visiting Spruceworth so much when we were dating.

       "How?" I asked, my voice sounding a bit weak. "How did she kill him?"

       "She shot him," Horatio said. "Apparently, he wanted to break up with her, they argued, and she lost it. She hid it pretty well but once the police started suspecting her, that was when she faked her own death. I think... I think we have another serial killer on the loose."

       I was trying to wrap my head around the fact that Cassidy, the girl I had liked for years, killed so many people, and attempted to kill more. She was the sweetest girl when we were in high school. And now...

       She was the complete opposite of who I thought she was.

       "I... I have to go," I said, getting up from the chair.

       "Josh," Horatio quickly said before I could leave. "We will find her, trust me. This is not like the first serial killer case. We didn't know who did it but now, we know exactly who we're looking for."

       "Please, just... Find her soon," I said. "I have to go talk to someone."

       I left the police station and headed through the village to Shaw's house, really hoping he was home. I was so relieved when I knocked on the door and he was the one who answered it.

       "Hey," I said. "I need a huge favour from you."

       "Anything, name it," Shaw said.

       "So... This is going to be really hard for me to say because I still can't believe it but... Cassidy was the one who started the explosion," I said. "And she did it because she knew my brothers were going to be there."

       "Really?" Shaw asked. "Why the hell would she do that?"

      "Something about tearing my family apart? I don't know," I said. "But she's still out there, and if she tried to kill them and failed, she might not give up. So what I need you to do is really keep an eye out on Holden for me."

       "Yeah, of course I will," Shaw said. "Trust me, he means the world to me and if anything happens to him... Well, let's just say I won't take things lightly."

________________

Yes Shaw protect my baby Holden.

So, if you didn't read the winter short story, here's a quick explantion of what you should know: Shaw and Holden are dating, Holden's parents found out and got mad, so Shaw broke up with Holden. Then there was an explosion at the city hall while a lot of people were setting up for a charity event. Julian, Noah, and Holden were there, but Julian got outside right as the explosion happened so he's okay. Noah was the most injured and almost didn't make it, but he's also okay. Shaw was outside when it happened and saw Julian trying to get in because his brothers were in there, so he followed Julian inside and helped Holden, as well as a few other people, get out. Holden, however, ended up being temporarily blind because of his previous brain injury, but his vision is slowly coming back. Brody was there when it happened and told Josh that Cassidy started it, and Cassidy has now disappeared, leaving her daughter behind with Josh. Cleo and Brody also sort of made up, but she said it will take a while for him to prove himself worthy of being in Celete's life, and Brody completely understands.

OH AND JOSH FINALLY ASKED CLEO OUT BECAUSE HE REALIZED SHE WAS THE ONE HE LIKED ALL ALONG.

So yeah, a lot happened and you might wanna read it FOR THE DRAMA. (and the sholden gifs)

AND I decided who's getting the next book in this series.