Henry, now the creature meant to scare mortals away, huffed into the air, giving his form a furious shake, then turned to her. She ran down the steps, taking hold of his muzzle when he lowered it.

Don’t cry.

He straightened then, both of them sensing it. Aglaé or Diableron—or whichever form she was in—was somewhere near. Henry had no time to force Elizabeth inside, however, because instantly came the murmur of voices and the sound of footsteps on the street. Lots of footsteps. Henry spotted what she heard, for his eyes were directed behind her, his ears perked and listening.

She turned toward the many lights: the whole town, coming to her house. Coming to find her. Twisting back to Henry, she pushed him. “Get out of here,” she demanded in a whisper.

Hesitation.

“I’ll find out what’s going on. You have to leave.”

He looked down on her. I won’t be far. Go inside when they leave. And with the twitch of his tail he was gone, the trees rustling in his wake.

“Elizabeth?”

She turned at Taggart’s voice, but it sounded angrier than usual, even riled and distressed. He approached with nearly every Hemlock resident she knew at his rear. They appeared as an angry mob, but in place of torches, they held flashlights and lanterns, and in place of pitchforks were Taggart, Holman, and Eustace’s guns.

Guns.This was an angry mob.

“What is it, Sheriff? What’s wrong?” Regina was here, too, along with Brian, Nicole, Old Ray, Doc Ortiz, and even Bill Thurman. Who wasn’t here?

“What’s wrong is Sheppy’s been murdered, Beth.”

Air left Elizabeth’s chest with a gust, and in the instant time stood still, her mouth fell open.

“Brutally ripped to shreds. Regina found him on the edge of the forest by the diner an hour ago.” His Adam’s apple bounced. “Not much of him left. And we all know there’s only one thing that coulda done it.” Elizabeth’s eyes shot to Regina and while Regina’s jaw was compressed and her chin high, moisture pooled in her eyes. She put her hand on her hip, and Elizabeth got the sense it was an announcement that she was no longer on her side. Eustace cocked his shotgun, his Betsy, and his stance was just as defiant. Everyone had that look on them, even Nicole who stood next to an angry, drunk-looking Brian.

“Sheriff,” Elizabeth began, raising her hands. Tears pooled in her own eyes and she found it hard to conjure words as she imagined Sheppy with his red backpack and green Chucks. She prayed he hadn’t felt too much pain. Or fear. Had the only truly innocent soul in Hemlock Veils been tortured before Aglaé took his life? She thought of Regina and how it must have felt to find him—wondered how much of him was left—and her heart swelled an agonizing throb. “I’m…I’m so sorry about Sheppy. But…let’s not jump to any conclu—”

“Enough!” Taggart shouted. His eyes were wet, too. He took a few short, shallow breaths. “Enough,” he said more softly. “It’s been decided. None of us are resting until we bring the monster to the ground. Now, I’m only going to give you one chance, Beth. Are you with us or against us?”

Elizabeth stood tall. “One chance? Or what? Are you going to lock me up if I’m against you, Sheriff?”

He gave Brian a single nod and Brian took Elizabeth by the arms. Before she could fight him off or even wonder what was happening, Taggart pulled out the two silver bracelets she once thought she would wear at Mr. Vanderzee’s demand. He glared down at her as he handcuffed her, intentionally making them tight, and his eyes said he blamed her for everything. Rightfully so.

“No,” he finally answered. “We’re going to use you as bait.”

Chapter 26

“You’re not thinking clearly,” Elizabeth said. She struggled in Taggart and Brian’s arms as they both towed her along, since Brian couldn’t manage her on his own. They went deeper into the forest, and her churning gut left her worrying some of their lives might end like Sheppy’s had. “Please,” she begged. “You don’t know what you’re dealing with out here. You need to be inside, where it’s safe.”

“And what is it exactly that we’re dealing with?” Taggart asked, breath labored. “We know now, Beth. We know about your bond with it.”

Elizabeth paused in her struggle long enough to glance at Regina, who looked down. She couldn’t blame her for telling them. No one wanted another death, and really, other than Elizabeth, no one had any reason not to suspect the beast. “What do you plan to do, Sheriff?” she asked. “Torture me until he comes to my rescue?”

With an abrupt halt, Taggart yanked her roughly in his direction. She could almost feel the edges of his mustache brush against her nose. “I gave you a chance, Beth. You think I want to do this?” In mad desperation, his eyes flitted back and forth to each of hers. No, this was the last thing he wanted.

“You don’t have to.”

“You’ve left me no choice! If it’s true, if you’re friends with this…thing, you’re the only way we’ll get close enough. It’s time. He’s got to go. He’s terrorized us long enough, and I’ll die tonight before I let him live another day.” He pulled her along again. “Besides, if he won’t let any harm come to you, like Eustace says, then you ain’t got nothing to worry about, do you?”

Eustace wouldn’t meet her eyes. Just like Regina.

“As far as I’m concerned,” Brian interjected, speaking for the first time, “you’re just as much a devil as the beast.” His fingertips dug so hard she would surely be bruised afterward, and the light of Doc’s lantern caught the saliva spraying from Brian’s mouth. She wondered how long he’d been inebriated. “I should’ve seen it before. Protecting the monster like you’re some—”

“You’re more of a monster than he is,” she said, and his eyes whipped in her direction. If she didn’t have Taggart at her other side, surely he would have hit her.

They continued to drag her through the forest that reminded her of Henry and even of her father. She still felt her father here, even after all this, and she missed him then more than she had at every moment combined during the past month. How would he feel knowing she was in the midst of one of his fairy tales, that she was the single thing to make it crumble?

“Sheriff,” she pled. They walked the path she usually walked with Henry. “He didn’t kill Sheppy. I know this because he was with me. Please listen to me. You’re making a mistake. There’s something else here, and it won’t be merciful like the beast. Your lives are all in danger.”

“Sheriff,” Nicole said from behind, her voice tainted with fear. Honestly, Elizabeth was surprised she was here at all, even slightly impressed by the bravery it showed. “Maybe…we should listen to what she has to say. I don’t have a good feeling about this.”

“Course you don’t,” Taggart said. “What we’re doing here ain’t fun, Nicki. No reason to have a good feeling.”

“Sheriff.” Regina’s voice was stronger than Nicole’s. “C’mon now. You’ve taken it too far.”

“You didn’t think so earlier,” Brian said. Elizabeth had given up her struggle by now, but she threw her weight slightly to the right as they passed a cedar whose trunk intruded on the path, and Brian’s arm hit it with a thud. More saliva flicked from his mouth as he cussed.

“That’s because I didn’t know what we were gonna do,” Regina continued. “Handcuffing Beth and using her as bait?”

Taggart turned to her sharply and Regina recoiled, the beam of her light illuminating her face from beneath. “You got a problem with it, Regina, you’re welcome to go home.” His eyes shot to everyone else, at least thirty souls scrunched on the narrow path and even amidst the dense trees. Despairing faces, fearful eyes, all lit by their lights. They were at least fifty yards into the forest by now, and a small clearing waited just a few feet ahead around the bend. “That goes for everyone,” Taggart went on. “I get it if this is too much for you. I won’t blame you for leaving. But if you stay with us, you’re with us, and I don’t wanna hear any questions about the way I’m going about it.”