Falling Further (16 page)

Probably, the
glimpse I caught of Trace as he was lowered into that cop car will be my last.
Maybe they’ll call me in to testify at his trial, but I doubt they’ll even need
me. The case against Trace is clear, to them. He’s a foster kid, a reject, a
bad seed. They’ll put him away for however long they please and never think
twice about it. No one but me will ever know that he was in the right,
attacking Paul. No one else will care.

Just when I was
starting to think that at least law and order were the slightest bit cut and
dry, I’m proved wrong yet again. There’s nothing fair or easy about this world,
this life, and I won’t forget that again. All we can do is stand up for what we
think is right and support those who do. Even if I never see Trace again, I’ll
never forget what he did for me. What he sacrificed in order to keep me safe. I
can only hope that, somewhere down the line, he finds it in his heart to
forgive me.

I turn my face toward
the window to hide my fresh wave of tears from Miss MacCoy. Wordlessly, we make
our way once more to the unknowable next best thing.

~~~

The End

...for
now.

Stay
tuned for the next book in Nadia & Trace's saga.