He stood there for a long moment while watching his face in the mirror. He was certain, beyond any doubt now, that Dave Tiller was the kidnapper, the mastermind. It is his game, his challenge Jay had stepped into. He tilted his head at the sound of footsteps and the fridge door opening. He picked up the small hand mirror and tilted it until he could see the kitchen through the partially open door. He barely felt the blow as he watched Dave tip a white powder into one of the beer bottles.
Everything now hinged on his actions. If Dave realized he had been discovered before Jay and his handful of allies were ready, Stella would pay the price. And not just her. Jay had witnessed how patient and determined Dave was. If he escaped here, he would hunt them all, and Jay knew his chance of winning that battle.
Jay carefully replaced the mirror and looked at his own reflection until his face held the appropriate emotions. The game was still running. He had to keep playing. But this time, he was no longer in the dark.
He entered the kitchen, and Dave held out the spiked bottle. “To calm your nerves. I know I need one.”
Jay knew he couldn’t refuse. The finger had been a warning, no matter who it belonged to. He took the bottle with a shaky smile. “Looks like I saved you today.”
Dave returned the almost smile. “Back on even ground then.”
Jay kept his feral grin hidden.
You have no idea.
He took a large swallow of the drugged beer.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
“You need more already?” The sapphire blue eyes snapped up from the careful notes to lock on him. “From what I know of Jay, he’ll begin to notice the side effects if you use it too regularly.”
Dave’s gaze shifted only a tiny fraction into the world of his dark self, his true self, but the effect on Amara Young was immediate.
They were sitting in the small room that faced the water tank. He had run down houses like this all over the country with cells deep below ground and a water tank large enough to fully submerge a human. Both had their usual face coverings off. There was no need for them tonight.
“Do you have what I asked for?” he asked after the pause grew long enough for her hands to start to shake.
Dr. Young looked back at her notes. Her eyes flashed back and forth over the precise, neat letters. Dave gave her a moment so she can answer him properly. His thoughts moved back to her earlier statement.
He was confident Jay had noticed nothing. Whatever surprising gains the man had made, they had not breached any boundaries. He felt a surge of heat flash through his body. Watching Jay work was more amazing than he had imagined. He truly was the best, the only one alive who had even the smallest chance of discovering and stopping him. His discovery of the earlier victims was impressive, even if it meant that Jay had come dangerously close to discovering him.
At first, the game had merely been to see if all his years of watching Jay from afar held up in close quarters. The real life Jay had not only held up, but surpassed, his media image. Dave felt another flash of heat and felt his lips tilt in a smile. For a while now, he had been trying to see if Jay was breakable, like he did with Amara Young. It was still a possibility, and one he preferred to simply killing the man.
“Yes, I have everything.”
The small smile faded and was replaced by something darker, hungrier. “Every last scar, freckle, and flaw?”
“Yes.”
“Good. How long will it take you to get everything you need to complete the transformation?”
“About a week. Then at least another to actually do it, especially if you want Bridgette to die of drowning and not heart failure.”
“I do. She needs to match my usual M.O. perfectly,” Dave then frowned, remembering Jay’s words on his mention of a copycat.
He felt equal parts pleasure and annoyance at the fact that his idol and greatest threat had lived up to his pedestal. Being the only one to not buy the idea of a copycat. Dave had never been caught, never even been suspected. Yet unlike every other law-enforcement person across the USA, only Jayden Roe had thought they might all belong to the same killer.
He felt a sudden wave of black fury. He didn’t know how Jay had gotten hold of the information. Was it really down to some greedy idiots with Lloyd? But they would never think of it themselves. Who had led them? Jay? How could he have done so without being caught out?
He glanced up to find Amara with her eyes down and shaking like a leaf. Dave wiped the murderous look from his face and replaced it with his bright smile, dimpled cheeks and green-blue eyes soft. The transformation only seemed to unsettle Amara further.
“Don’t worry, pet. You are not the one at fault.”
Amara nodded vigorously. “Shall I leave? To begin gathering supplies?”
“Yes. Don’t forget to feed Stella. She was looking a little peaky tonight.”
“I think she’s given up hope,” Amara said, her voice shifting from scared to acidic. “You were right about her. She didn’t deserve to be by Jay’s side.”
Dave heard the way she had said Jay’s name and gave her a sidelong glance as she gathered her things.
He had needed a spy in the prison. It had been easy enough to create an opening, and even easier for Amara to pass their tests and background checks. She had been skeptical at first that anyone could live up to the reputation held by Jayden Roe. Yet, as the years passed, she had changed her mind.
