Page 204 of Broken
Her racing heartbeat thrashed in her ears.
“Ohmygod,” she blurted. “You’re the Campus Killer.”
“You were the one who got away. I’ve dreamed about this day. Fantasized about it over and over and over, for years. But I never thought it would happen. I couldn’t believe my luck when you walked back into my life. I was getting a do-over.” His lips curled into another freakish smile. “I loved bumping into you, building trust, creating a bond. It was all gonna be over the day you stopped by for the money, but you brought that dude with you.” He grunted. “Seeing him ruined my day.”
Dread filled her soul.
She wanted to scream, she wanted to run, take her chances of getting shot in the back, but if she were shot in the back of the head…
“Do you know why no one ever found me?”
“No,” she bit out.
“The police concluded the Campus Killer was impersonating a cop. Iwasa cop, and damn good with a disguise. I was having so much fun snatching up unsuspecting little girls and dropping their dead bodies into graves. My killing spreeshouldhave lasted forever—and it would have—if it weren’t for you.”
“You could have moved to a different town.”
“No,” he snarled. “You ruined it for me. I lost my confidence. I fucked up, fucked up big time. But now, you have a chance to make it up to me. You’re going to die, and your friends are going to watch me kill you.”
* * *
Prescott
Prescott and Hawkwere talking with Z in Hawk’s newly finished loft above the barn entryway.
“The case is too much for Jacqueline to work on her own,” Prescott said.
“I realized that, so I just assigned a team to find Maul,” Z explained.
“I can’t believe he killed Sally,” Hawk said. “Do you think she knew he was a fugitive?”
“No,” Prescott replied. “I don’t think she would have let him near Ethan if she had.”
“Why?” Z asked.
“Maul used to frighten him.” Prescott glanced over the balcony in search of Jack and Ethan.
“Monster,” Hawk bit out.
“Maul probably gave Sally a fake name,” Z said. “Did Ethan talk about him?”
“No,” Prescott said. “It scared him too much.”
“Stop the fucking music and shut the fuck up!” shouted a man below.
Prescott whipped his head toward the sound. “Jesus, no,” he whispered.
A man from the catering staff had Jack in a choke hold, a gun pointed at her head.
Addison killed the music. A hush fell over the group, all eyes on the stranger.
“That’s better,” the man bit out. “I just had the chance to get caught up with an old friend of mine. Jacqueline, why don’t you tell everyone who I am?”
She said something, but Prescott couldn’t hear her.
“If you try anything, I will kill you, then open fire on everyone here.” The stranger yanked her head back. “Do you understand?”
Fury pounded through Prescott at a frenetic pace.
