Griggs made for the back door, statue still in hand.
“Wyatt, he’s coming your way!” Sam shouted.
The back door burst open as Griggs barreled through, colliding with Wyatt. They hit the ground hard, rolling in the dirt. Griggs swung the heavy statue, striking Wyatt’s shoulder. Wyatt grunted, trying to wrestle the weapon away.
Sam and Kevin sprinted out after them. Lucy was right behind, her growls filling the air.
“Get off me!” Griggs snarled, raising the statue for another swing.
“Don’t even think about it!” Sam bellowed, his gun trained on Griggs.
Griggs froze, his chest heaving, the statue poised in his hands.
“Drop it,” Sam ordered, his voice ice-cold.
Griggs hesitated, his eyes darting between Sam’s gun and Wyatt beneath him.
“Now!”
With a growl of frustration, Griggs let the statue fall to the ground. Wyatt shoved him off, scrambling to his feet with a glare that could’ve melted steel.
Kevin darted forward, kicking the gun away and cuffing Griggs as Sam kept his weapon trained on him.
Lucy circled Griggs, her tail high, her growl low and menacing.
Griggs sneered, blood dripping from the bite markson his arm. “You don’t know what you’re messing with,” he spat.
Sam stepped closer, his eyes locked on Griggs. “Oh, I think we do. You killed Garvin McDaniels. You thought you’d get away with it, but you were wrong.”
Griggs glared, his chest heaving.
Wyatt dusted himself off, wincing as he rolled his shoulder. “You hit like a wimp,” he muttered, tightening the cuffs on Griggs.
Kevin picked up the bronze elk statue, examining it. “This thing matches the murder weapon perfectly.” He looked at Griggs. “What, you thought you’d pawn it later once things cooled down?”
Griggs stayed silent, his eyes burning with fury.
Sam crouched slightly, meeting Griggs’s glare head-on. “You’re going to tell us everything. Who hired you, why you did it, and what you know about Garvin’s land. Or you can rot in a cell for the rest of your life. Your call.”
Griggs’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
Sam straightened, holstering his weapon. “Let’s get him out of here. We’ll see how long he keeps quiet.”
Wyatt yanked Griggs to his feet, his grip iron tight. Kevin followed with the statue, his expression grim.
Lucy stayed close to Sam as they headed toward the cruiser, her tail wagging slightly, her job done.
But Sam’s mind was already racing ahead. They had Griggs, and the evidence was mounting. But there was someone higher up that had orchestrated this. Someone higher than Beryl Thorne even. Hopefully, Griggs would tell them who it was. Otherwise, they might never know the truth of who was really behind this and why they wanted that land so much.
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
The glow of the television cast flickering light across Sam’s office as he leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, watching Marnie Wilson’s live press conference. Jo sat on the edge of the desk, arms resting on her knees, her badge clipped to her belt—a silent reminder of her reinstatement.
Marnie stood at a lectern, the White Rock mayoral seal prominently displayed behind her. Her face was pale, drawn tight with the weight of the decision she was being forced to make. She gripped the edges of the podium as though it was the only thing keeping her upright.
“After careful consideration, I have decided to withdraw from the mayoral race,” Marnie announced, her voice steady but brittle. “This has not been an easydecision, but due to personal family matters, I must focus my attention where it’s needed most.”
Jo snorted softly. “Family matters. Sure, that’s the reason.”