He Kills Me, He Kills Me Not

down and kissed her forehead. He pulled back, and this time Amanda saw the mad light in his eyes, the same one she’d seen four years ago.
    “No, Riley, please. Don’t.”
    “I never really wanted to hurt you, Kate. I just wanted to be left alone.”
    She shook her head vigorously. “No, Riley. I’m not Kate. I’m Amanda. Remember? Amanda.”
    He shook her violently. “Don’t look at me like I’m crazy. I’m saner than you or anyone else. I see things you don’t. I know things. You can call yourself Amanda all you want. I know the real you, the evil that’s inside you. You got away once before, but that’s not going to happen this time.”
    Sunlight glinted off the knife that was suddenly in his hand. Amanda sucked in a sharp breath and jerked back. Too late. Fiery, burning pain shot through her side as the knife slipped in between her ribs, once, twice. He let her go and she crumpled to the ground next to Pierce.
    The burn faded quickly, replaced by a numbing coldness that crept through her body. She lay there, feeling her lifeblood draining away. She could see Riley beyond Pierce, standing with his gun behind his back, in a deceptively casual stance beside the path where Pierce had emerged only moments earlier.
    She realized he was waiting for Logan. Pierce wouldn’t have come looking for her without Logan. Did Logan know Riley was the killer? Or would he see Riley and let his guard down, until it was too late?
    She had to warn him. If she could draw a deep breath, she could scream, but that might make Logan rush into the clearing, into Riley’s trap.
    She blinked her eyes to clear her vision and looked at Pierce. Was he breathing? She couldn’t tell. She blinked again, trying to refocus. Was that Pierce’s gun, lying next to him? Could she reach it? If she did, would she have the strength to fire it? She stretched out her fingers, inching her hand toward the gun.
    Muffled footfalls echoed through the trees.
    Oh, Logan. Stop, please don’t come. Stay away. Stay safe.
    A smile of satisfaction lit Riley’s face. He slowly raised his gun. “He kills me,” he said, his voice a macabre echo of the voice she’d heard so long ago.
    “He kills me not, you bastard,” Amanda cried out.
    Riley whirled around just as Amanda fired Pierce’s gun. Her aim was true. The bullet slammed into Riley’s forehead, right between the eyes. He jerked backwards and fell to the ground, his eyes rolling up in his head.
    The gun dropped from Amanda’s numb fingers.
    Cold, she was so cold.
    A shadow fell across her face. Someone grasped her shoulders. Was Riley back? Had she only imagined shooting him? “No,” she whispered.
    “Hush, sweetie, it’s Logan. It’s okay. You’re safe.”
    She went limp against him and he scooped her up, lifting her onto his lap.
    She looked up and her vision cleared. Joy filled her at the sight of his beautiful face, his alive, beautiful face. “I won,” she whispered. “I finished the game, and I won.”
    “Yes, you did. You won.”
    His cheeks were wet. Puzzled, she reached up her hand and wiped away the wetness. He gently pulled her hand to his lips and kissed her palm, then held it against his bristly cheek.
    “You always need to shave,” she whispered.
    “Hang on, baby. The ambulance is on its way. Hang on.”
    “L . . . Logan,” she said. “I can’t see you anymore.”
    “Oh, God.” His voice broke. “Stay with me, Mandy, hang on.”
    “So c . . . cold.”
    Something hot and wet splashed onto her cheek and Logan awkwardly wiped it away. “Fight, dammit. Don’t you dare leave me. I love you.”
    He’d finally said those three words. Joy spread through her, but the blackness called to her again. “What took you . . . so long . . . to—”
    She wanted to ask what took him so long to realize he loved her, but it took more energy than she had to finish the sentence. Her last memory would be of his beautiful voice telling her he loved her. She smiled. It was a good memory to hold and treasure as she died.

 
     
    Chapter Twenty-Two
     
    T he funeral was three days later.
    Nearly everyone on the police force was there, except for the skeleton staff required back at the station. A good number of the town’s citizens were in attendance as well, although they were forced to stand behind the rows of Shadow Falls’ finest, well back from the tent that covered the grave site.
    Even the mayor was there. After all, it wasn’t every day a police officer was