Stella stayed floppy as she was seized by the ankles and spun on the hardwood floor until she was facing the other way.
All that was visible in the thin line of sight she was allowing herself was a wall of glass. It looks like a floor-to-ceiling fish tank, but this one did not hold anything other than water. To either side was a closed door.
“Very well. Stay lying on the floor. I know you’re still harboring thoughts about trying to escape me, so I wanted to make a few things plain. My game is about to hit the final stretch, and I can afford no mistakes.”
Stella heard the voice, cold, calm, and utterly uncaring.
“Keep your eyes on that tank. Your companion has reached the end of her stay, and I would like to demonstrate the only way anyone leaves my cells. Fetch her.”
Stella watched the woman’s feet step over her and the door to the left of the tank was opened. The smell of blood drifted over her face as the woman reached inside and pulled something out on wheels.
Shock overrode all else, and Stella felt her eyes go wide. Miranda Williams was strapped to a metal gurney that held her upright as if she were standing. She was entirely naked, and her body bore the marks of torture on every inch.
“Ah, see now? Isn’t it better with your eyes all the way open?”
Stella cringed automatically at the sound of the voice, but couldn’t tear her eyes from Miranda. Though limp, her chest was still rising and falling in a steady motion. The woman, still dressed head-to-toe in black, shifted her head to look at the man behind Stella. He must have given some silent command because she then nodded and moved toward the other door.
Stella finally gave up on any chance of escape. She tried to move, but her arms shook with fear and fatigue and only managed to push herself halfway up.
She watched in helpless horror as the gurney was directed into the next doorway and fitted onto another machine just beyond the door. The woman stood back and the man moved to crouch by Stella’s head.
He, too, was dressed head-to-toe in black, but in his hands was a small control. He tilted his head as she looked at him, her eyes wide with fear.
“Are you watching?”
He pressed a button. Stella’s head immediately swiveled back to the tank where the gurney was now being raised by a lift. There was a pause then the mechanical whirring began again and the gurney disappeared from sight.
“Ready?”
There was a soft click followed by more whirring. The gurney appeared again, but this time slowly descending into the water of the tank. Stella couldn’t seem to control her movements. She wanted to look away, to shut her eyes, but nothing was responding. Miranda’s head went below the surface, and for a few seconds nothing seemed to happen. Suddenly, her eyes flew open, and her body began to jerk, a short, desperate fight for oxygen.
Stella watched the body fall limp and felt primal fire flood her body. As he pressed the button to raise the gurney and its corpse, she pushed off the floor and ran for the kitchen.
Her hand closed on the handle to the back door when a fist collided with the side of her head with enough force to send it ricocheting off the cabinet beside the door.
She snatched with her hands, scratching and clawing at his arms and anything else she could as her vision wavered.
She was hit again and felt her knees collide with the floor. Her vision swam, but she still made a feral snatch at his head as he bent to her level. He caught her wrist and twisted until the bones splintered.
Stella screamed and the man laughed, removing his mask. She tried to bring his face into view as her vision darkened. All she was able to make out was a broad smile, a smile she had seen before, and the knowledge made her blood run cold as darkness swallowed her.
***
Jayden took several steadying breaths. He couldn’t simply chase after Gary Peters. That would ruin all his plans to come and see the man in secret. No one could know that they had spoken.
Of course, Gary might already be blabbing on the phone to Lloyd.
Jay shook his head. If that were true, then he had to find a way to offer his surrender as Gary had suggested. At that point, whoever was playing this game would know he had tried to cheat, and he felt certain that they would not take the infraction lightly.
Jay jumped as his phone rang again and answered it without looking.
“Jay? Where the hell are you?”
Jay frowned at the near-panic in Dave’s voice. “I told you I was going out. Weren’t you also meant to go out to view the last few houses?”
He heard Dave curse. “I was on my way to the next one when I heard the news, then I spotted activity at the edge of Hoggs Bayou.”
“Activity?”
“The police, or at least the sheriff and two officers. I tried ringing your phone, but it said busy. I phoned the hotel to send you a message and they said you’d never come back.”
Jay began walking. “I still don't see how that made you afraid.”
There was a long pause. When Dave’s voice came back, it had dropped to a low whisper. “They found a body. I can’t see much from here, but they’re wheeling it up now.”
Jay stumbled half a step, but tried to keep his voice level. “And you thought it might be me? Isn’t it more likely to be another of the serial killer’s victims?”
There was a long pause. “You’re right. I suppose after I heard the news coming out of Natchitoches… I’m sorry.”
Jay
