Mike opened his eyes and swung with his fists. Nolan scooted out of the way and laughed. Avery took advantage of the distraction. Her fingers fumbled with the edge of her shirt. The twist ties cut into her skin.
No! The angle was wrong. She couldn’t reach the knife.
“Let them go, Nolan.” Avery adjusted her position on the chair. “This is between you and me.”
He pinned her with a look. “Haven’t you figured it out yet? Avery, Avery, Avery. I thought you would be a worthy opponent. Now, I’m starting to think you’re as stupid as the rest.”
Nolan circled closer and his gaze narrowed. Avery froze. The knife was her only chance. If he discovered it, there would be no stopping him.
She forced herself to meet his gaze. “You’re angry about your dad’s death.”
“My dad’s murder.” His hands balled into fists. “Your father shot him in cold blood.”
Not true. Her father had killed Jack Starin in self-defense. But arguing that point would be frivolous. Nolan was beyond logic.
“I was just a kid when your dad died,” Avery said. “I didn’t have anything to do with it.”
“Blood vengeance. Isn’t that what they call it?” She flinched as Nolan grabbed the badge pinned to her shirt. He ripped it off. “You and me. We’re stand-ins for our fathers. I continued my dad’s work. You continued yours.”
“You kill innocent women while I work to put monsters like you away.”
He threw her badge to the ground. “Something like that.” Nolan leaned down until they were face-to-face. The look in his eyes iced Avery’s blood. “I will destroy your spirit, and then I’ll take your life.”
He placed a hand around Avery’s throat. Her heartbeat thrummed against his fingers, and although she tried to hide her fear, she knew Nolan could sense it. He squeezed her throat.
“Soon,” he whispered. “Soon, I’ll watch the last breath leave your body. But first, the game we’ve been playing isn’t over yet.” He released her, his lips forming a cruel smile. “I’m going to kill Mike and Savannah. And, Avery, you’re going to watch.”
Twenty-One
Avery’s insides quaked as bile rose in her throat. What Nolan described was her own personal nightmare. She couldn’t watch him kill her sister and Mike.
She wouldn’t.
Lord, help me find a way out of this.
Nolan whistled as he crossed the room and touched a button on the wall. A noose, attached to a pulley system on the ceiling, lowered. Dread washed through Avery. Mike glared from his corner of the room, hatred oozing out of every pore.
Avery needed to delay Nolan long enough to get the knife, or until help arrived. She racked her brain, thinking about everything she knew about Nolan. He and his father had strategized crimes together. They’d been arrogant and believed themselves better than everyone else.
People were capable of change. Nolan had gotten much better at killing and hiding his crimes, but deep down, she bet he was still the same. Cocky and prone to flashes of anger.
Avery shifted lower in her chair. “Was Mike in on your plan?”
The detective’s glare shifted to Avery, but she ignored him, keeping her focus on Nolan. She already knew Mike wasn’t involved, but she needed a distraction.
Nolan arched his brows. “Are you stalling for time? Help’s not coming, Avery.”
“I know, but color me curious. We’ve been opponents this entire time, and you’ve played the game beautifully.” She shrugged. “Figured you would want to share the details of each move. So, was Mike in on your plan?”
Nolan was quiet for a long moment. Avery held her breath. Come on. You know you want to tell me.
Nolan cast Mike a dismissive glance. “No, Mike wasn’t involved. Not exactly. He’s angry because I befriended and used him.”
Avery let out the breath she was holding. “How?”
“After I faked my death, I took a little vacation in Mexico. Had some work done.” He ran a finger down his nose. “Got a fake ID, then moved to Union County. I’d studied law enforcement procedures while in prison, but I had questions.”
Avery’s gaze snagged on Savannah. The two women had always been close and shared an innate ability to read each other’s minds. The terror in her sister’s expression had shifted to purpose. Savannah jerked her chin toward the door closest to her.
The exit? Had to be.
Avery twisted her fingers under her shirt. “Mike could answer your questions.”
“Told him I was writing a book. You’d be surprised what people will share with a reporter. Of course it helped that we played chess together sometimes.”
Avery’s gaze darted to the detective. “After we confronted Mike in his home, he suspected you knew something, but he wasn’t sure. He came to question you.”
“I was counting on it. You had enough information to make him wonder. But we were friends, so he didn’t give you my name.”
“Mike didn’t want to drag you into the investigation if you were innocent.”
“Foolish mistake there, Mike. You should never trust anyone.” Nolan raised a hand and pulled on the noose, testing the resistance. He grinned at Avery. “When Mike arrived, I got the drop on him.”
So much started to make sense and fall into place. “When you told me about the notes outside Rachel’s house, I thought the information had come from Mike. But it hadn’t. You knew their contents because you’d written them.”
He laughed. “Yes, but I played the part of a local reporter well. Didn’t I?”
Her fingers brushed against the hilt of the knife. Almost there. “Why now? I’ve been a cop for a long time.”
“Well, I was in prison for a while. That took up some of my time.” He smirked. “I also wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice. I’d learned from my past, unlike my dad. Killing needs patience. Strategy. Planning. A lot like chess. When you moved back to town, I knew fate had presented me with the right opportunity.”
Avery shifted a little lower in her chair. Her wrists
